Mrs. Reynolds Wins Administrator Merit Award

NORMAN, OKLAHOMA– Superintendent Pamela Reynolds is the 2025 winner of the Olan Isbell Administrator
Merit Award at the Professional Oklahoma Educators Foundation’s 24th Annual Excellence in Education Awards
Banquet.

More than seventy educators, support professionals and administrators were honored as finalists for the
Excellence in Education Merit and Character Awards by the Professional Oklahoma Educators Foundation on
Friday, April 11th in downtown Oklahoma City. As the Olan Isbell Administrator Merit Award winner, Reynolds
received a $500 gift, a complimentary one-year membership to POE, commendations from Governor Kevin Stitt
and Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, and a crystal award.

The administrator merit award is named after Mr. Olan Isbell. In 1988, Professional Oklahoma Educators, also
known as APOE, was founded by the late Mr. Isbell. Isbell served as the superintendent of Bennington Public
Schools and was an outstanding educator and leader.

Reynolds was chosen by the POE Foundation Board of Directors after completing a thorough application and
video process. In her application she summed up her philosophy of administration this way, “In addition to
promoting student achievement, I would also list nurturing and maintaining positive relationships with students
as our most important work in schools. Being effective in the classroom and promoting student achievement is
certainly at the core of what we do, but we must also create and maintain an environment of strong
relationships—I believe I have been effective in my role as a school leader because of this strength.”
One colleague described Reynolds as a dedicated professional with intelligence and leadership skills that make her
uniquely able to handle the stress and demands of the job. “We always know that Mrs. Reynolds will act wisely on
behalf of all our students, and we know we have the right person with the right moral compass leading our
school.”

The Excellence in Education Awards Banquet recognizes and rewards Oklahoma educators who demonstrate a
commitment to their students in teaching strength of character and excellence in the school or classroom. Award
nominees must go through a rigorous application and evaluation process.

According to POE Foundation Executive Director Ginger Tinney, “These awards serve as an encouragement to not
only Oklahoma educators, but also to the many businesses, organizations, and communities that have a stake in
the character building and intellectual development of the children who will shape our state in the future.”

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About POE: Professional Oklahoma Educators is a nonprofit, nonunion, professional educators association serving nearly
12,000 Oklahoma educators, support staff and administrators across the state. POE works to increase the respect and
professionalism of the teaching profession and provides liability coverage, legal services and other benefits to members.
About the POE Foundation: The Foundation serves as a support organization for POE and provides valuable educational
training and services to teachers and students across the state. The POE Foundation is dedicated to promoting a world-class
education for all Oklahoma students.