Educator Jessica Eschbach of Norman, Oklahoma, has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher o f the Year. Photo Credit: Oklahoma Education Association
Many talented educators have earned recognition for their dedicated work with students. One of these is Jessica Eschbach, a teacher librarian and learning coach from Norman, Oklahoma. She has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.
Jessica currently serves as an Innovative Learning Coach at Norman North High School in the Norman Public School District. In this position, she provides professional development, technology integration, and inquiry-based units for students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Prior to that assignment, Jessica taught social studies and English at Alcott Middle School, and she also served as the Library/Media Specialist at Kennedy Elementary School.
Jessica is originally from Salem, New Hampshire, but she moved to Oklahoma in 2008 to attend the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English/Language Arts in 2012. She earned her first Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 2019. She earned her second Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, in 2021.
During her nine years in public education, Jessica has worked diligently to close the equity gap within her district. She is committed to doing everything in her power to ensure that all students, regardless of where they grow up or attend school, have access to opportunities that will lead them to successful futures.
The honored educator is truly dedicated to her profession. “Being a teacher permeates every aspect of my life, in the best way possible, and working with students and teachers has taught me to be a more thoughtful, compassionate, and responsible human being,” Jessica declares. And her admiration for her colleagues is also evident. “Teachers are superheroes,” Jessica asserts. “They know how to collaborate and work in the trenches with each other to give their students the most opportunities and best futures they can,” she continues.