Jamie Swartwood is a teacher at Elk City High School. While she was not always sure about what her career path would be, as she reflects, it seems that she was destined to be an educator.
“I always said I wasn’t going to be a teacher, but looking back, I think I was always a teacher,” she said. “I started teaching in seventh grade, giving private drum lessons. Then, I taught dance and swim lessons in high school and through college. When I was assigned to shadow someone, I always chose to shadow an art teacher.”
Swartwood has taught at Elk City since 2015 and she teaches Art I, Art II, Pre-AP Art, AP Art, Dance, and Cheer. Before coming to Elk City, she also taught and coached at El Reno and Sayre.
As a student, Jamie had a couple of teachers who had an impact on her decision to become a teacher.
“My high school art teacher, Kristy Patterson, was the biggest influence in me deciding to be an art teacher,” Swartwood said. “She was always welcoming and her classroom felt different than the other rooms in the building, and was my favorite place to be. Also, Mr. Wilgus, my ninth and tenth grade science teacher was another who made a big impact. He was a very tough teacher. He would give us tests every other day in class over the notes we took the day before. I struggled in his class, but his high standards pushed me to challenge myself.”
Though she enjoys teaching Art to her kids, she says that impacting their lives is also something special.
“I love making connections with the students and witnessing the moments when things click,” she stated.
Jamie is happily married to her husband, Brady, and they have one child, Jackson. They also have two dogs and a chameleon.
“When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling,” she said. “When I get a chance I like to do my own art.”
