In 2025, with her incredible intentionality and care for her students, Mrs. Jennifer Jones was named Bixby East Elementary’s Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Jones prefers coffee over tea, winter over summer, dogs over cats, and would rather have 100 hamster sized elephants over one elephant sized hamster. Although, one of her students thinks the noise of 100 tiny elephants would be difficult to bear.
Mrs. Jones has been a teacher for 5 years, but has been at BEE for 8. She started as an aide while finishing her degree before transitioning to her current role as a first grade teacher. Mrs. Jones has always wanted to be a teacher, and notes the potential to make an impact as a draw to the world of education. She feels that now, while in the midst of it, there are “so many different reasons” why she is a teacher. She sees the impact she is making and is also forming relationships with both students and her team and colleagues.
Two of Mrs. Jones’ students say that their favorite activities to do in class are math and “getting to learn how to read.” When asked about something Mrs. Jones taught them, they said shadows and animals (particularly elephants). They think Mrs. Jones is really good at teaching, being funny, and writing.
A moment from teaching that Mrs. Jones will never forget was a time she spoke with her class about inclusion as a result of having a student with special needs in her class. They discussed what inclusion looks like on the playground and in the classroom… “It was the most beautiful thing to watch when they would come in every morning, how the class reacted…they were a part of our family.” Mrs. Jones feels that this was a pivotal moment for her in realizing that “this is what it’s about.”
When asked what she hopes students remember about her years from now, Mrs. Jones said, “How much I loved them.”