District Shines Spotlight on Educators & Staff During Annual Awards Ceremony
Norman Public Schools honored outstanding educators and staff during its annual Celebration of Excellence, an event recognizing excellence across various roles and career stages. Among the honorees was Dr. Bryan Frenette, 10th-grade biology and advanced placement biology teacher at Norman High School, who was named the district’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.
“Tonight is about celebrating the good things in public education. You are the true gems of Norman Public Schools,” Dr. Nick Migliorino said to teachers and staff in attendance. “These educators and staff members are the heart of our schools, and their work deserves to be recognized and celebrated.”
Dr. Frenette began teaching at Norman High in 2019 after earning a doctoral degree from Kansas State University. Originally from a small town in New Brunswick, Canada, he moved to Oklahoma as a high school junior. He later pursued a bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Oklahoma, driven by his childhood experiences in nature and a desire to understand the world around him.
“From a really young age, I spent most of my time outdoors,” he shared. “I felt a pull towards biology to figure out the world around me and how it worked.”
While at OU and KSU, his research focused on the ecology of freshwater fish across the Great Plains. As a graduate student, he also taught college courses, which is where his passion for teaching grew.
“At a certain point, I began to put more time and focus into teaching because I was impacting students and helping them develop their own passion. That really resonated with me,” he said.
Dr. Frenette now aims to foster the same curiosity in his students at Norman High School.
“A big driver in my classroom is to never lose the passion for the things you are curious about,” he said. “As a whole, we have so much access to information that we don’t’ always know what to do with it, we don’t dig deeper.
“I want students to constantly want to learn, think critically, and potentially be a part of solutions.”
He described his teaching style as “controlled chaos,” and added “I model what it’s like to be a scientist because I want to encourage kids to find their voice, get creative, break things, and try again.”
He said that being named District Teacher of the Year was affirming.
“What motivates me to keep pushing is the impact I am having,” he said. “I feel really honored, but I don’t want to get comfortable. This is a good challenge to keep pushing.”
In addition to Dr. Frenette, several other educators and staff members were recognized at the event:
- Rookie Teacher of the Year Molly McAmis, Norman North High School
- Special Education Teacher of the Year Stephanie Peters, Jackson Elementary
- Lois K Annesley Support Employee of the Year Cathy Brawner, Transportation
- Principal of the Year Dr. Catherine Miller, Jefferson Elementary
- Public Ambassador of the Year Norman Public Schools Foundation
Learn more about each honoree at normanpublicschools.org/page/teacher-of-the-year.– BSM
By Lindsay Cuomo
