Welcome!

   The 2011-12 school year will begin my 16th year as an educator in the Norman Public Schools. Prior to Whittier Middle School, I served as assistant principal at Norman High School, and I was an English teacher at Irving Middle School. I am honored to have been Norman’s District Teacher of the Year 2000, and I was selected as the state of Oklahoma’s Assistant Principal of the Year 2007 by The Cooperative Council of Oklahoma Secondary Administrators’ organization (CCOSA).  I am a member of the Norman Public Schools' District Curriculum Review Council and Distrct Staff Development Committee.

    I attended The University of Oklahoma, and I received my Bachelor’s degree in secondary language arts education in 1995. I earned my Master’s degree in educational administration, curriculum, and supervision in 2002.  I am working on my Doctorate in educational administration, curriculum, and supervision at OU.

    At Whittier, I am an instructional leader, who is fortunate to work with administrative and counseling teams that serve both parents and students throughout the middle school years. For the 2011-12 school, Stephanie Williams and Terri Welborn are the 6th grade principal and counselor; Steve Keiffer and Gwenn Hare are the 7th grade principal and counselor; Cheryl Newman and Janne Penn work with 8th grade students.  In addition to our knowledgeable student services teams, I am fortunate to work with truly exceptional teachers, involved parents, and fantastic students! Our goal is simple: to give students at Whittier—Norman’s best middle school—a variety of experiences and multiple opportunities to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. In the end, we expect all Whittier Warriors to “ROCK!” Warriors should exemplify Respect, Optimism, Commitment, and Kindness in both word and deed while striving to meet and to exceed their personal and academic potential.

    At Whittier, we believe all students can experience success in school and in life with the right opportunities, consistent motivation, and support systems to guide them along the way. We have high expectations for our students, but as educators we are committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure high-levels of learning while helping students to achieve. Obviously, teachers and school personnel are just one component of the support system provided to children in public schools. Parents, partners, community members, and friends are valuable stakeholders in children’s futures too. We must all work together with our children to provide a rigorous, relevant, and relationship-driven environment where ALL kids can feel safe and can learn.