Middle school teacher gets gold star

By Pennie Embry, Staff Writer

STIGLER, July 2 — Jackie Bryant is tops in her class, an A-plus instructor, and that grade was assigned by her fellow teachers in Stigler Public Schools.

In recognition of her hard work and those top-notch teaching skills, Bryant recently received the Stigler Teacher of the Year award for the 2008-09 school year.

“Mrs. Bryant is an excellent educator,” said Tom Kettles, Stigler Middle School principal. “She is a very creative and innovative teacher and always finds a way to reach all of her students. This is a well-deserved award, and everyone at the middle school is very proud of her accomplishment.”

Bryant, who received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Northeastern State University, has been a teacher for 34 years. She spent 25 of those years in Stigler, where she taught third through sixth grade. She currently teaches English at the middle school.

But teaching goes back more than those three-plus decades. It’s in her blood, said Bryant. “My greatest influence as an educator has come from my dad, Tom Schwaesdall. He was my eighth-grade teacher and high school principal in Oologah. He was an exceptional master teacher and knew just how to capture your attention. His classes were always exciting and challenging and fun. Dad has always been my model teacher, and he set the bar high.”

And now, said Rita Echelle, superintendent of Keota Schools, Bryant is the model teacher. “Jackie taught both of my children, Ryan and Nina Echelle. She is an extremely organized, gifted and creative teacher. She not only taught from the textbook, but also brought a vast knowledgebase to her students through dramatic plays, special speakers and programs, as well as her personal experiences. She is a true professional that genuinely cares about each of her students. I feel blessed for my children to have been in her class.”

Bryant believes it is she who is blessed.

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