Published: July 10, 2008 10:22 am      

MHS teacher makes it into galaxy of Teacher of the Year finalists

He’s usually looking up.

McAlester High School teacher Phillip Scott is a finalist for the 2009 Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year Award. The announcement of the 12 finalists was made by State Superintendent Sandy Garrett on Wednesday during the state’s education department’s leadership conference for school administrators.

“I’m just really excited,” Scott said. “It is a real honor to represent McAlester and the entire southeast region.

“Hopefully I’ll be named the State Teacher of the Year in September but I know I’m in competition with a lot of great teachers who are finalists.

“I haven’t put my feet back on earth since finding out I’m a finalist, it’s still just kind of unreal to me.”

Scott says his feet aren’t on earth, which is fitting becasue he is the Astronomy teacher at MHS.

“This recognition will give me the opportunity to promote education,” he said. “With the budget problems schools are having around the state, educational promotion is very important right now.

“We need to give kids the best education possible and my message to other teachers would be to use a more hands-on, inquiry-based approach to teaching.”

Scott has previously been a Biology I, Astronomy and Physics teacher at MHS but will not teach Biology during the upcoming school year.

“We are going to complete the remotely accessive observatory which will open around the time school starts this year,” he said. “This is one of our big projects this year and we are very exicited about it.”

The other 11 finalists for the State Teacher of the Year award include: Sherilynn Admire of Midwest City, Debbie L. Flowers of Meeker, Betsy Ellen Glad of Union Public Schools in Tulsa, Matthew Holtzen of Enid, Valorie Ann Lewis of Stigler, Cheryl McCord of Jenks, John Daniel Nolan of Norman, Denise Radcliff of Claremore, Mandy Rowley of Woodward, Heather Sparks of Oklahoma City and Nolan Watson of Cache.

The winner will be announced during a ceremony at the Oklahoma State Fair on Sept. 16.

Contact Jeremy Higgins at jhiggins@mcalesternews.com.