Nancy “Miss Nan” McCabe has been named the 2019 Archbishop Paul. S. Coakley Catholic Schools Educator of the Year. She was presented the award by Catholic Schools Superintendent Diane Floyd at the annual Education Institute at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Oklahoma City.
The Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma provides the award each year to a Catholic school teacher in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Along with McCabe, the other finalists were John Baldridge from Mount Saint Mary Catholic High School and Rebecca Johnson from Sacred Heart Catholic School in Oklahoma City.
McCabe, a longtime teacher at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Edmond, teaches pre-kindergarten and has been responsible for providing a strong foundation of faith and academics for more than two decades for young students entering the school.
In her nomination letter, colleagues wrote, “Her classroom overflows with love and joy. … Nan is an iconic member of the school community. She serves as godmother, RCIA sponsor and confirmation sponsor to many former students and their children. Her service to our school and parish community is second to none. She is an active disciple in her own life and truly exemplifies our charge to ‘Go Make Disciples’ in her classroom.”
McCabe has a bachelor’s degree and a master's degree in early childhood education, and was selected by her colleagues as the 2019 Jesus as Master Teacher Award recipient at Saint Elizabeth, which is given to a teacher who “teaches like Jesus taught.”
McCabe also serves at Saint John in Edmond as a lector, communion minister and a sacristan.
Previously, she served as the confirmation facilitator, on the Liturgy Board, on the Woman of Achievement committee, and as coordinator for the school Family Chalice Program to pray for vocations.
Diane Clay is editor of the Sooner Catholic.
2019-2020 Education Service Awards
Five Years
All Saints Lauren O'Brien
Bishop McGuinness Diane Drum
Taja Egert
Delaney Maguire
Lauren Smith
Kelli Williams
Christ the King Jonathan Gillis
Andrew Horn
Kathryn Kirt
Amy Messerly
Anna Timberlake
Holy Trinity Kara Mueggenborg
Mount St. Mary Stacy Hawley
Rosary Caye Copeland
Wendy Mounger
St. Charles Borromeo Stacie Guerra
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Jill Bobier
Alicia Forth
Jamie Weathers
St. Eugene Jennifer Taylor
St. James Maria Garcia
Guadalupe Rivera
Toni Silva
St. John Nepomuk Robin Phillips
St. Joseph Jamy Perdue
St. Mary-Ponca City Fred Rhodes
Donna Roche
St. Philip Neri Nancy-Marie Arteaga
Amanda Herron
Ten Years
Bishop John Carroll Eric Conrady
Jennifer Herndon
Bishop McGuinness Christine Pankratz
Christ the King Cari Green
Joan Holmboe
Michelle Pierce
Jennifer Richard
Jennifer Thielke
Mount St. Mary Jessical Stiles
Rosary Elizabeth Watts
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Andrea Raglow
St. Eugene Kathleen Borgert
St. James Stephanie Gilroy
Tara Gower
St. John Nepomuk Mary Hargis
St. Mary-Ponca City Melanie Wood
Fifteen Years
All Saints Josh Buser
Bishop McGuinness Robert Epps
Julia Anderson-Holt
Christ the King Melissa Scott
Mount St. Mary David Anderson
Charley Finsel
Margaret Whitaker
Rosary Anisa Gonzalez
Phyllis Tate
St. James Alicia Vazquez
Twenty Years
Bishop McGuinness Nicky Goff
Mount St. Mary Whitney Faires
St. Mary-Ponca City Cathy Koenke
St. Philip Neri Marie Chong
Sue Hawkins
Twenty-five Years
Christ the King Andrew Horn
Lori Sciortino
Mount St. Mary Brian Boeckman
H. "Leroy" Cantrell
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Katrina Medich
Susan Raymer