News

During surprise visits to schools, Superintendent Ebony Johnson, TCTA President Shawna Mott-Wright, and AFT Local 6049 President Nancy Leonard surprised ten members of Team Tulsa with the news that they have been named as finalists for 2024 Teacher of the Year or 2024 Support Professional of the Year. 

The district’s five 2024 Teacher of the Year finalists are: Kiley Aleman from Memorial High School, Camrey Asberry from Monroe Demonstration Academy, Laura Johnson from Edison Preparatory High School, Delaney Kane from Cooper Elementary, and Angel Onesto from Lewis and Clark Elementary.

Kiley Aleman teaches English Language Arts to special education students at Memorial High School. She has worked at Memorial for eight years and is passionate about the need to provide equitable opportunities  to diverse learners.

Camrey Asberry is a 6th grade math teacher at Monroe Demonstration Academy. She joined Team Tulsa seven years ago. Camrey, a third generation teacher who grew up in North Tulsa, is passionate about mentoring students in the same area she grew up.

Laura Johnson teaches high school math at Edison Preparatory. This is her fifth year at Edison, and she is passionate about making math engaging for her students and helping them see the beauty in it. Her hope is that they are able to use the problem-solving skills they learn in class in their own career someday.

Delaney Kane is a first grade dual language teacher at Cooper Elementary. This is her fifth year working for Tulsa Public Schools. Her colleagues say she is great at building a learning environment in which students can thrive and helps her fellow teachers do the same.

Angel Onesto teaches English language development at Lewis and Clark Elementary. He has been a member of Team Tulsa for six years. He says a highlight of his job is fostering a sense of community at the school by connecting with students and their families.

The district’s 2024 Support Professionals of the Year finalists are: Maria Joseph from McClure Elementary, Shelley Kerr from Booker T. Washington High School, Deborah McClellan from Emerson Elementary, Darlene Perez from Talent Management, and Ebony Porter from East Central Middle School.

Maria Joseph is a paraprofessional at McClure Elementary. She began working at McClure eight years ago and discovered her passion for serving special education students. She strives to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment for her students every day.

Shelley Kerr is the counseling clerk at Booker T. Washington High School where she helps students, teachers, and other team members throughout the day. She has worked for Tulsa Public Schools since 2016. She is deeply committed to the Tulsa community and values the culture and spirit within Booker T.

Deborah McClellan is the health assistant at Emerson Elementary. She has been a member of Team Tulsa for 27 years and has worked at Emerson for five years. She loves to help students in any way she can, often going above and beyond her duties as a health assistant. Deborah is a proud Booker T. Washington alum.

Darlene Perez is the administrative assistant for Talent Management. She started working for Tulsa Public Schools in 2018 and strives to be helpful in any way she can, supporting both current and prospective employees. She is a proud Memorial High School alum.

Ebony Porter is a paraprofessional at East Central Middle School. She has been a member of Team Tulsa since 2021. Ebony works hard to advocate for her students and ensure they are getting what they need to be successful in the classroom.

The Tulsa Public Schools 2024 Teacher of the Year and Support Professional of the Year will be announced at a special event in May 2024.

Click here to view photos of the surprise visits, and check out the slideshow below to see photos of all our finalists.