A local middle school teacher has received an award for being named teacher of the Month.

Ms. Dawn Schaper, a 7th Grade Language Arts teacher at Central Middle School, was named a Bartlesville Public School District Teacher of the Month for May by Arvest Bank and Oakley Chevrolet Buick. In recognition of this honor, Ms. Schaper was presented with a plaque and a $300 check by Annah Fischer, Arvest Bank Marketing Manager, and David Oakley Jr., owner of Oakley Chevrolet Buick.

Ms. Schaper has taught for 17 years, and has been teaching seventh grade Language Arts for four years.

Schaper says it's always been easy to connect with children and build rapport quickly. A teaching career puts that to the test, but also gives the opportunity to reach children who might otherwise feel separate or apart from their teacher.

Ms. Schaper says her greatest contribution to education is the commitment to working collaboratively with everyone she can to make sure everyone is doing what is best for kids, co-teaching, shared planning, two-way communication.