B.A.’s Jim Rector Named Epic Principal of the Year

Broken Arrow’s Jim Rector has been named Special Education Principal of the Year by EPIC Charter Schools.
Rector is in his fifth year of working at EPIC. Prior to joining EPIC, Rector worked as a teacher and principal at Broken Arrow and Tulsa Public Schools.
“I am honored to have received the Special Education Principal of the Year Award,” Rector said. “I have a wonderful family of dedicated teachers with whom I am privileged to work. These teachers are compassionate, accessible, intelligent and diligent. They always hold their students accountable, but they do it with a great deal of professionalism and empathy. We are changing lives every day.”
The award ceremony, which was held at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, also recognized other members of the EPIC staff, including Covington’s Natalie Heim for her work as a special education teacher; Amber Grigsby, Jenks, as Rookie of the Year; Jodie Shupe, Cushing, as Principal of the Year; Donna Thornton, Mustang as Teacher of the Year; and Shawna Salkil, Piedmont, Administrator of the Year. 
“The work our teachers and staff put in an effort to ensure student success is inspiring,” said David Chaney, EPIC superintendent. “The majority of students who come to EPIC are behind their peers, and our goal is to not only get them up to grade level but to help them excel. Over time, we do that. Statistics show that the longer they’re with us, the better students do. That’s a testament to our staff.”
EPIC is the state’s fifth largest school system with more than 23,000 students and teachers and principals are located throughout the state near the students they serve. 
All of the instructional awards are based on performance factors such as student achievement, attendance and retention.
Chaney and EPIC co-founder Ben Harris presented the awards.