Bixby Public Schools

Please join us in congratulating Janelle Giammarrio-Simmonds, Bixby High School English teacher, as the November 2020 District Teacher of the Month! COVID has greatly impacted the English department at the high school, causing many teachers to have to quarantine for a two-week period. Most recently, many of the English teachers had to be out at the same time. Janelle Giammarrio-Simmonds has kept the sinking ship afloat by helping with technology and students. She comes in early each day to assist substitutes, copy lessons on the boards, get computers up and running, turn on all Google meetings, connect teacher screens and correctly position cameras for teacher Google Meets, deal with a myriad of technology tasks and glitches all while delivering her own lessons to her students. She stays after school to administer make-up tests to other teachers’ students, and she conducts PLC meetings, ensuring quarantined members are able to participate in department decisions. With all the stress and uncertainty that the pandemic has caused each of us, Janelle has been a calming presence for the high school English department. Because of Janelle, the high school English department is able to teach from home, and students are able to learn with as much normalcy and routine as possible. Before and during this pandemic, Janelle has been a strong advocate for all educators in the district, and she has emerged as an outstanding leader when one was most needed. She is most deserving of the November Educator of the Month.