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Katherine Maloney-Jacobs is the 2025-2026 MacArthur Elementary Teacher of the Year!

Katherine joined Team Tulsa in 2018 as a Teach for America corps member. She taught third grade at Hawthorne Elementary for four years before becoming the librarian at MacArthur four years ago. We asked Katherine a few questions to learn more about her and her time in Tulsa Public Schools.

What led you to a career in education?

I was inspired to become a teacher by the incredible educators I had growing up, specifically the Spanish language teachers I had in middle and high school. I was fortunate enough to have the same two teachers over a five-year period, from eighth grade to twelfth grade, and I really feel that through language education, the world was opened up to me. While I didn't end up following in their footsteps and becoming a language teacher myself, I feel that books similarly are gateways to the world. You never know what you'll find between the pages and how you'll be inspired by it! 

What is your favorite thing about your work?

I love when students connect with a story we've read! There are some crowd favorites among MacArthur students that students ask to read year after year. For example, every year around Halloween I read Aaron Reynolds' Creepy Pair of Underwear, Creepy Carrots, and Creepy Crayon with students, and they are a hit! They often become my most-requested book to check out throughout the year. 

What is one thing you are passionate about outside of teaching?

Outside of school, I love to travel and get outdoors as often as possible. The picture [above] is from a trip I took in 2025 to Ireland.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I feel so fortunate to work with an incredible staff of teachers, a wonderful administrator, and our awesome students! MacArthur is a great place to be.