BYNG

My first teaching experience with Byng Public Schools began when I came as an undergrad Ed Field 2 college student to learn in Mr. Crabtree’s Biology and Chemistry classes in the High School Science Department.  The following semester, I came back to the same department classes as a Ed Field 3 undergrad college student.  I was then blessed to become a student teacher for 3^rd Grade under the supervison of Mrs. Shelley Benefield and Principal Bobbe Ballagh.  The next school year, I became a 3^rd Grade Teacher at Homer Elementary.  I served at Homer in 3^rd Grade until the birth of my oldest and long awaited son, Caleb.  In 2014, my youngest son, Easton, started pre-K at Homer and I came back to my Pirate family as a professional substitute at Homer, Francis, Byng Elementary, and the Byng Junior High.  During this time, I have had the opportunity to know, respect, and care a great deal about our Byng students and educators in all grade levels.  We have some pretty amazing young people that attend Byng as well as some pretty amazing people that care a great deal about their students!  In the Fall Semester of 2019, I served as the long term professional sub for Ms. Carla Husband in 8^th Grade Science. I loved every moment of it!  Starting in the Fall Semester of 2020, I was very excited and honored to serve the Byng Junior High and students that are very near and dear to my heart as their 8^th Grade Science Teacher. I was honored to be recognized as the 2021-2022 Byng Junior High Teacher of the Year. I have been a Pirate by heart for a very long time and it’s great to be back as an 8^th Grade Pirate Teacher again this year!

Prior to working at Homer Elementary, I taught 1^st and 2^nd grade in a self-contained classroom at McLish Public Schools.

I made one of the best decisions ever when I married my husband and love of my life, Toby Willoughby, in 1996. Toby is the Senior Pastor of A Place of New Hope Calvary of Ada, OK.  We are also the owners of Willoughby Farms of Ada, OK.  We mostly specialize in cattle, hay, bermuda grass roots, and pecans.  

We have been blessed with two sons, Caleb and Easton, that I am absolutely crazy about!  Caleb is a 2023 Byng High School Graduate and is now attending OSU in Stillwater in the pre-vet program. He plans to become a veterinarian who specializes in bovine embryology. (Go Pokes!  LOL! ).  Easton attends school at the Byng Junior High School and absolutely loves hunting,fishing, and Simmental cattle. Both boys are actively involved in raising their own cattle herds and show cattle as well as numerous areas of agriculture.  In the spring of 2023, Caleb was named the ‘22-’23 Star Farmer for SE Oklahoma and served as President of our 2022-2023 Byng FFA Chapter.  Easton is entering his first year of FFA this year. Some of our best family times are spent in our cattle show barn and farm where we spend a lot of quality time working together!

We have 2 dogs and a kitten.  Sassy is my all-time favorite registered Mountain Kerr dog to have ever owned and worked with! She is an absolute hunting machine while at the same time very sweet and loyal to as well as protective of my entire family. Remi is a registered Lab and a great duck hunting partner. She’s a ball of energy at all times.  Bleu is my kitten who was born at the end of the 2023 school year and who is ornery and sweet at the same time.  She loves being the center of attention and playing fetch. I don’t think we could spoil her any more than what we have already! Talk about having a personality and a half— she owns it!!! 

We also have several head of cattle. We run registered Angus, Herefords, Simmentals, Maines/Maintainers, as well as good, solid commercial cattle.  Oh, and we have one Gurnsey cross dairy cow and her Hereford cross heifer that are a hoot to watch! One of my all-time favorite cows is a 1900+ pound retired registered Hereford show heifer that we raised and named “Mya.”  I am very unashamed to say that she’s a pretty spoiled diva and it’s all my fault! #We’re not sorry about that at all!  LOL! She even has a special picture spot on the wall of our 8^th grade Science class and is discussed in our genetics lessons in the fall semester!  

 My life is never boring or dull to say the least!  I LOVE teaching what I consider to be the best subject at school—SCIENCE!  I think that everyone and anyone can find something in science to like because it literally encompasses all of the other school subjects and causes one to apply real-life to each subject at one point or another! And, scientific knowledge is continually expanding which is pretty awesome!  There’s always room to investigate and learn more! 

I also sincerely LOVE our 8^th graders at BJH!  They’re awesome young people who are a blast to be around! We all learn from each other on a daily basis!

I enjoy spending time with my husband and sons. And, I LOVE all things cattle!  One of my favorite places to spend family time together is the cattle barns at home and working together on our family farm operation.  I like cooking, fishing, quilting, crafting, and a ton of other activities. And, did I mention working with cattle yet?!!!  LOL!  I also enjoy riding atvs on the South Canadian River in the summer and reading good book series in the winter.  I enjoy studying the Bible and spending time with my church family as well.