🐉 Meet the Dragons – Melisa Rodden 🐉
Please join us in welcoming Melisa Rodden to Dewar Public Schools as our new Algebra I & Financial Literacy Teacher!
Originally from Durant, Oklahoma, Melisa graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and brings 27 years of teaching experience to the Dragon family. She has spent 14 years at Central Sallisaw and 13 years at Oktaha, inspiring students and helping them discover confidence in mathematics.
Throughout her career, Melisa has been honored as Teacher of the Year multiple times. While those recognitions mean a great deal, she says her greatest reward is hearing from former students who tell her they realized they really could do math—and sometimes even learned to enjoy it!
Melisa chose Dewar because she immediately felt the supportive, family-oriented atmosphere and knew it was the perfect place to teach Algebra I. She was looking for a school where both students and teachers are valued, and she found exactly that in the Dragon community.
In her classroom, Melisa believes that no one is "just bad at math." She strives to create an environment where mistakes are part of learning, questions are always welcome, and students discover that persistence and hard work are far more important than simply having a "math brain."
Outside the classroom, Melisa enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, hiking, swimming, cooking, and cheering on her children in all of their activities. She is also a licensed mortgage loan officer and enjoys helping families navigate the home-buying process.
Fun Fact: Melisa was born in Germany!
Welcome to the Dragon family, Melisa! We're excited to have your experience, passion, and enthusiasm in our classrooms this year. 🧡🖤