FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SPS names District Teacher of the Year
Palmatary receives honor during Celebration of Teaching
(Stillwater, Oklahoma, April 25, 2024) Stillwater Public Schools is
proud to announce its District Teacher of the Year - Stillwater Junior
High School STEM and Computer Science Teacher Rebecca
Palmatary.
A Marlow High School and Oklahoma State University graduate, she
began her college studies in Chemical Engineering, but changed her
major following a pivotal internship during which she found her
calling “not in manipulating substances in a lab” but in pursuing her
“passion of helping others.”
Palmatary taught 1st grade in Liberal, Kansas before joining Stillwater
Public Schools to continue her teaching career in 2006. She’s
experienced a wide range of educational roles and opportunities at SPS – a formative student
teaching experience under the mentorship of the Mrs. Fox at Westwood, time teaching Pre-K, a
decade teaching fourth grade, and five years of Gifted Education, culminating in her current role of
teaching STEM and Computer Science at Stillwater Junior High where she has been since 2022.
Palmatary also impacts students outside of her classroom responsibilities. She teaches at Meridian
Technology Center during their Technovation Days and serves as both a Computer Science
instructor for first-generation college-bound high school students and a kids coding camp
instructor at OSU. She takes great pride in being one of the creators of the annual Indian
Education Summer STEM camp, which provides unique learning experiences for students. She has
also worked to offer extracurricular opportunities for students, including after school technology
classes, and coaching in various capacities. Currently, she serves as the coach for the Stillwater
Junior High Cheer Squad, and oversees five Junior High Robotics teams, and two High School
Robotics teams.
SJHS Principal Crystal Szymanski says, “I can’t say enough about the positive impact Mrs.
Palmatary provides our students. Her connection in the classroom and beyond makes her a true
life changer for our kids. Her student-centered, student-first approach makes a huge difference in
the culture of our building.”
(