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My name is Deanna Richison.  My students know me as Mrs. Richison.  I have been in the teaching profession since August of 1995 and have had the privilege of working with Okmulgee Public Schools since August of 2001.

My passion is teaching reading.  I enjoy seeing the growth process that children undergo from the beginning of school to the end.  I am a hands on instructor and believe that seeing, hearing, and doing all go hand in hand in the learning process.  A great deal of what I do within the classroom is the direct result of training that I received from Payne Education Center based in Oklahoma City. Over twenty years ago I began my journey of alphabetic knowledge with them and my students have benefited.  I use the knowledge gained from Alphabetic Phonics to help my students to learn the how and why of letter sounds, letter chunks, etc.

I have two grown children, Jason 30, and Joshua 28, and two absolutely wonderful daughters in law.  I have three grandchildren.  Joshua and Tara have Duelly age 6 and Levi age 10 months and Jason and Sara have Alee Jane who is 2 years old.  The last baby in the house is my cat named Catrwhal.  He runs the house. Hahaha.

My hobbies are embroidery and gardening. Tulips are my favorite flowers. My favorite color is a dark rich red, like a barn red, I believe, and my favorite insect is the butterfly. Someday I would like to take quilting classes, crochet classes and learn to play the piano and or the flute.  I enjoy soothing music, the Indian Flute , Contemporary Christian, and Bluegrass.

I am of Cherokee Decent and  a part of the Wolf Clan.  My family "Conrad" is listed on the Dawes Rolls, and my great, great, great grandpa or Uncle helped in a peace treaty between the Seminoles in Florida and the U.S. Government.  He was to lead our family and other Cherokees out of Georgia onto the Trail of Tears but died days before the long trek.  His home is on the national registry and pictures of it can be seen at the Cherokee Nation Buildings just before entering Tahlequah.