Oxford High School’s theater teacher John Davenport was named the 2018 Oxford School District Employee of the Year on Monday during the Board of Trustee’s monthly meeting.

During the school year, a district employee from any department – whether it be a teacher, cafeteria worker, maintenance worker – is named the employee of the week. Those names go into a pool and toward the end of the year, an overall Employee of the Year is selected, according to Superintendent Brian Harvey.

“Mr. Davenport has been instrumental in taking our drama department to new heights,” Harvey said Monday.

Harvey read comments made by others who nominated Davenport for the award, calling Davenport a teacher who goes “above and beyond” and making a strong, positive impact on students and a “gift” to the district who continues to put OHS’s theater department on the map.

“There’s not an easier person to work with than John Davenport,” Harvey said.

Davenport has been with the OSD for 17 years. He has helped put on 100 shows at OHS during his time with the district. Since 2007, the OHS theater program has been nominated five times to represent American High School Theatre for the International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland and has won several awards at state and regional competitions.

“It’s a pleasure to be in this district,” Davenport said Monday. “No other place could give the support you’ve given (to the theater department), and I thank you for that and look forward to many more years to come.”