May Ignite Passion Award

Mr. Jonathan Perri is North Oldham Middle School's recipient of the OCS Ignite Passion Award. Since joining the NOMS family in 2018, he has served hundreds of Mustangs as a math teacher who brings both rigor and positivity into his classroom every single day. Mr. Perri has been a steady leader at NOMS for years, but this year feels different and everyone can feel it. There is an energy he brings that signals he genuinely loves what he does, and students feel that love in return. It shows in the community he builds in his classroom, in the way students and families name him as a favorite year after year, and in the way he has poured into this school beyond his classroom walls.

This year alone, he has served as 8th grade team leader, sponsored both KYA and KUNA, and coordinated multiple field trips for our Mustangs. He even gives up his own lunch break — whether he's outside supervising students during a well-earned movement break or hosting a working lunch in his classroom to help students stay caught up and accountable. No matter the need, Mr. Perri shows up. He is a positive, all-in team player and the kind of educator who reminds us all why this work matters. Mr. Perri doesn't just teach math; he ignites a passion for learning that students will carry long after they leave these halls.