New faculty at Purcell

New faculty at Purcell Schools this fall include Haley Aloway, Kaitlyn Austin, Brandy Black, Kelton Clary, Jamie Culwell, Carla Davis, Theda Engert, Joseph Franco, Julie Franco, Cristian Haynes, Brian McCalip, Camden Patterson, Betty Ratliff, Sam Resendiz, Ashleigh Schaffer, Kayla Sweeney and Katrina Wilkins.

Aloway, who has a three-year-old daughter, Callie, will teach first grade. She is a graduate of Tecumseh High School and East Central University. She completed her student teaching at Purcell last year.

“During my time at PES, I fell in love with the community and the helpfulness of staff at PES,” Aloway said.

Austin, who is married to Corbin Austin, will teach third grade at Purcell Elementary. It will be her second year to teach third grade. She went to Timber Creek High School in Keller, TX and Southwestern Christian University in Bethany.

“I absolutely love working with kids,” Austin said. “To see my students grow and learn is so rewarding.”

Black will teach second grade. She and her husband, Justin Black, have three children, Lauren, Dallas and Tyson. She is a 2004 graduate of Washington High School and earned her degree from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in sociology in 2008.

“I have always had a passion for teaching,” Black said. “I like being close to my children and I love being in a smaller school setting.”

Clary will teach seventh grade science and geography.

He is a graduate of Purcell High School and attended the University of Oklahoma and East Central University.

“I chose my new position because I grew up going to and graduating from Purcell Public Schools,” Clary said. “I enjoyed the school community and the culture that Purcell  strives to foster.”

Culwell and her husband, Chris, have one child, Cal. Culwell will be a reading specialist at Purcell Elementary. She earned a bachelor’s in elementary education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and earned a master’s degree in reading education from the University of Oklahoma. For the past three years she has been a reading specialist at Norman for kindergarten through fifth grade. She has also taught in Edmond and Midwest City.

“My family and I recently moved from Norman to Purcell,” Culwell said. “I wanted to utilize my knowledge of literacy best practices to help support beginning readers in our community.”

This is her 12th year to teach.

Davis will teach at the intermediate school. She has taught all subjects and has been a reading specialist for the first through sixth grades. She is a graduate of PHS and SWOSU at Weatherford. Previously she has taught second grade at Mescalero Apache Schools in Mescalero, NM.

“My husband and I moved back to this area and I thought it would be awesome to teach where I went to school and graduated,” Davis said. She and husband Shawn have two grown children and five grandchildren. She and Shawn enjoy camping and riding motorcycles.

Engert is a 1998 graduate of PHS. She earned an associate degree from Murray State College in Tishomingo and earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from East Central University.

She and husband, Michael, have two sons both of whom attend Purcell Schools. Tavian is a junior and Maclin is in fifth grade. Michael is a sales representative with the Indian Nation Wholesale Company.

“My 14 years as a Head Start teacher in Purcell provided a firm foundation to begin my first year in a public school setting as a second grade teacher,” Engert said. “I am looking forward to working at PES and expanding my educational knowledge and experience with the advanced curriculum. In my spare time I enjoy running, walking and spending team with my family and friends.”

Joseph and Rebecca Franco have two children, JJ, six, and Arabella, three. He is a 2012 graduate of PHS and will be a behavior room/interventionist teacher. He earned his bachelors and masters degrees from East Central University. He previously taught at Santa Fe South and has five years of experience as an elementary school educator. He also coached middle school baseball for five years.

“This allow me to spend less time driving to work and more time giving Purcell students the best opportunity at a quality education,” Franco, who will also coach junior high slow-pitch softball, said. “My goal is to positively impact intermediate school students to strive for greatness. I am absolutely ecstatic to be coming back home with my teaching career. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for my family and I in Purcell Schools.”

Julie Franco, who will each kindergarten, is a PHS graduate, earning her degree from Oklahoma Baptist University. She previously was a long-term substitute teacher in Moore.

“I loved the opportunity to teach in my hometown and make a difference in the lives of my students like my teachers did for me,” Franco said.

Haynes and her husband, Patrick, have two children, Cannan and Jerrett. She will teach special education and reading and is a paraprofessional in K-2.

She is a PHS graduate and earned her degree by going to Oklahoma City Community College and Western Governors University.

“Working as a paraprofessional for the past five years at Purcell Elementary has deepened my love and passion to positively impact the lives of children,” she said. “I have worked and learned from some of the best teachers and staff who have also inspired me to teach. I feel blessed for this opportunity to teach first grade.”

McCalip and his wife, Charlotte, have one child, Izayah. He will teach 8th grade U.S. History.

McCalip is a Lexington High School grad and earned his degree from East Central University. He has previously taught at Konawa.

“I wanted to get back closer to home,” he said.

Patterson, who will teach seventh grade geography and coach, is married to Megan Patterson. This will be his first year to teach.

He is a graduate of Ringwood High School and Southern Nazarene University.

“I love helping kids to be the best they can be, whether that is in the classroom or on the court or field,” Patterson said.

He will be an assistant coach in high school football and basketball and be head junior high basketball coach.

Ratliff will teach sixth grade science and art. She and her husband, Paul, have two children.

She has previously taught fifth and sixth ELA and fifth grade history at Wynnewood.

She is a graduate of Whitehouse High School and Southwestern Assembly of God University.

“I love to be creative and to teach,” she said.

Resendiz will teach junior English.

“I love teaching,” she said. “It’s my passion and shaping lives is what makes my heart happy.”

Schaffer will teach high school and middle school social studies.

She previously taught at Epic Charter Schools.

“I want to share my love of history with the students and to be part of this amazing community,” she said.

Sweeney and her husband, Kyle, have two sons, Olin and Jett.

She will teach fourth grade.

A PHS graduate Sweeney earned her degree from Southern Nazarene University.

She previously taught kindergarten and PE at Purcell Elementary and also worked as a paraprofessional at Purcell Junior High.

“I had the urge to get back into the classroom so I could have my kiddos again,” she said. “I am so excited to continue my journey as a Dragon. I have heard wonderful things about Purcell Intermediate and their staff/leadership. I am so excited for this opportunity in fourth grade.”

Wilkins and her husband, David, have three children, Lyrik, Reef and Kora.

She will teach kindergarten. She is a PHS grad, earning her degree from Oklahoma State University.

She has taught kindergarten in Ripley for the past 14 years and coached cheerleading for the past 12 years.

“I loved growing up in Purcell and am excited to get back in such an awesome community to raise my children,” Wilkins said. “I have a special place in my heart for early childhood kids and I know we’re going to have so much fun in first grade.”