Macy Worley, Trojan RISE teacher at Jenks West Elementary, is the 2025-26 Jenks Public Schools District Teacher of the Year. Worley was selected from a group of 10 JPS Site Teachers of the Year by a committee of JPS administrators, school board members, and Jenks teachers who previously qualified as finalists for Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year. The surprise announcement was made during a West Elementary staff meeting by Superintendent Dr. Stacey Butterfield, members of the Superintendent’s cabinet, and the West Elementary principals.
“It’s very humbling and a little bit scary, but it’s just an honor,” stated Worley. “It’s such an honor to be the one chosen to represent this District because there are so many qualified people who work here and who are a part of this. I’m just very honored and excited to represent Jenks, represent our program, and represent the kids we work with every day.”
After earning her bachelor's degree and master's degree from Oklahoma State University, Worley started as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at West Elementary in 2016. She taught in a multi-age classroom (Pre-K and kindergarten) for three years and is in her second year as a behavior intervention teacher as part of the Trojan RISE program (Respect, Individual growth, Skill development, Empowerment). Worley works closely with students individually and in small groups to help them build regulation skills, communication, and self-advocacy, while emphasizing play-based techniques and practicing kindness, respect, and empathy toward others. For students who may have challenges navigating the school day or a traditional classroom setting, Worley visits every building on West Elementary’s large campus to provide support for students in Pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade.
“Working in education offers countless rewards as my current role allows me to continue learning each day with new puzzles to solve and opportunities to grow,” Worley commented. “I find great fulfillment in partnering with teachers and families to collaborate on solutions that support student success. Forming meaningful connections and celebrating student progress brings me joy and gives me a sense of hope that there is always something to strive for and small successes can always be found if we take the time to see them in every student.”
Through hours of study and practice, Worley provides her peers and colleagues with professional learning in MindSet training, trust-based relational interventions, and how to best support students with learning differences or behavioral challenges. Her knowledge and deep belief in how support is tied to better classroom experiences for students and teachers led to the creation of the Trojan RISE program at all JPS elementary sites. Worley works closely with teachers, classified staff members, administrators, and parents to help them better understand student needs and create strategies to allow every student to feel safe, valued, and successful at school.
“Programs like ours don’t exist everywhere, so I know how fortunate I am to work for a District that listens to teachers and supports teachers the way Jenks does,” Worley declared. “Those things have kept me at Jenks for ten years and it’s what keeps me excited to come to work every day and to work with this community of incredible people to support our students and our staff.”