We have opportunities in place for districts to recognize our staff for outstanding customer service but felt we also needed a way for ESC employees to recognize each other. Each quarter will focus on one of our Four Dimensions.
For the first quarter, we focused on - SERVING OTHERS
See who was recognized and what was said about them below!
Alicia Ayers - "She has a classroom of Very Young Students (K-2) many of whom, until arriving in her class this year, have not ever attended a full day of school. This class is extremely challenging academically but even more so behaviorally. Despite that fact, she supports her staff and students every day, working hard to provide them with all they need to become successful and start the process of learning how to manage their behaviors, all while still managing some academic success as well.
To tell the truth, this award alone is not even close enough to celebrate Alicia’s hard work and dedication in serving her staff and students." and "To say Alicia's hands are full is an understatement, but her heart is more full! The dedication she puts into her students and classroom is amazing. She doesn't give up and she gives it her all. Alicia is consistent with her students and cares for each one. You can walk into her room and see the impact she is making!"
Joseph Bachman - "At 3:45 on a Friday afternoon, after a long day, Joe stayed with one of our parents to help her complete paperwork that was challenging due to a language barrier. When everyone else was ready to go home, Joe was working patiently with parents. Amazing!" and "So far Joe has been great at serving others, he's very attentive. Joe has made a great effort to get to know all the kids and staff and make sure everyone is heard. We all are looking forward to seeing the changes to come this year."
Leanna Belcher - "Leanna is a team player and willing to step in a serve whenever and wherever she is needed. She is always positive but also honest and that is what I love most about her. She isn't unkind, but makes sure her point gets across and she advocates for our staff and our kids and that is amazing! Thanks!!!!!"
Gabby Boucher - "Gabby takes the time to build rapport with her students and families and make sure that they are receiving the best educational experience possible. She overcomes challenges and asks for support as needed in order to best serve our students and her classroom as a whole. She is able to do the tough work now in order for our students to have a more successful tomorrow. I appreciate Gabby's willingness to go above and beyond for her students in and outside of the classroom and that I can count on her to be an advocate for the students within our programs."
Robin Boyd - "This team of ladies has shown so much grace and love to all of our new little faces in the face of so many changes at the beginning of this school year. This team has gone above and beyond to make every new little face feel comfortable and excited to learn, while also exceeding every work expectation. Congratulations Ladies, you all are so amazing!"
Morgan Brugler - "Morgan has really stepped up as a paraprofessional and demonstrated leadership in her role. She has supported our new program float in gathering the TeachTown curriculum and organizing it as well as explaining it. She jumped right in to help create their classroom calendar and bulletin board as well as help create tasks for the students. I really appreciate her initiative and willingness to help support others in the building. She is a future teacher in the making!"
Ashley Carey - "Ashley is always ready with a quick smile and willingness to help solve any problem! If she ever doesn't know the answer to my questions (which is very rare), she knows who to ask and responds promptly. She is a tremendous asset to our agency!"
Matt Carey - "Matt must have noticed that we had the main conference room reserved for our Related Services Opening Meeting. He reached out to Adrienne, Kristi, and me to ask what we needed for the meeting and how he could set up the table and chairs for us. Instead of arriving early on the day of to do this, we can now spend that time on other important work. Thank you, Matt!" and "He always makes sure everything is clean.if there's ever anything he can do for anyone he is on it. Matt is always looking for a new way to serve others. He's great at his job, and is always welcoming with a warm smile."
Ben Cash - "During his first week on the job, he encountered several challenges, yet remained committed to serving others. His dedication to being a servant leader shone through as he navigated everything with ease and grace. We're fortunate to have him as part of the ESC team."
Leigh Counts - "Leigh is filling in for a staff member who is off. Without hesitation, she volunteered to see students in a different county, an hour from her home on days she does not normally work. She has rearranged her schedule completely to make sure this work is done in a timely manner and within short timeframes. She has been proactive in getting student information as well as supervising an OT Assistant. She has communicated well with her supervisor and kept her informed! Leigh is amazing!"
Ashley Fletcher - "She is always kind and considerate to the autistic children that she serves. She maintains a routine in her class that helps those children learn."
Molly Gribben - "Molly does a great job helping our students, especially the ones who need a little extra. She's always right there with a visual schedule or transition object helping students get to where they need to be and helping them be at their best for learning." and "Molly is always making sure not only the student's needs are met but also her teammates needs are met as well. She is always the first person to ask "Where can I help?" or 'Is there anything you need?'"
Julie Hartsel - "Julie goes above and beyond to help her staff, students, and parents. She is an active member of our team - not just an idea person. Julie makes everyone feel heard and valued."
Chelsea Harvey - "Chelsea is a great resource for our students and families and goes above and beyond to push her high school students to exceed. Outside of her classroom, she is always willing to find new and innovative ways to update our building and programs and is there to educate, help out, and create new opportunities for our building, staff, and students to thrive. She has taken on a new role this year without even batting an eye and continues to grow and expand her teaching skill set. So proud of her!"
Elizabeth Henry - "Liz has had a challenging start to the 24/25 school year and has continued to serve our districts and students with a smile on her face. She is always willing to be flexible, do what is best for the students in her room, and work outside of the box to find the best opportunities. I appreciate her hard work and dedication every day and her willingness to help out others within her building as well!"
Alexis Hoeffel - "Alex is a very confident, caring, and professional young lady. This is her first year teaching and she cares for her kiddos and family. She is willing to help anyone. It is very refreshing to see a young lady with the work ethic that she has."
Kelly Jetter - "Kelly is new to our program and was hired as our program float. She has jumped right in and been a HUGE support to our classroom changes and in the organization of the classroom that had to move. She has taken the initiative to ensure that the curriculum, tasks, and rooms are in place before your students return. She has really taken the bull by the horns in this overwhelming situation. Thanks, Kelly for being a part of the team and being a team player!"
Elyzabeth Johnson - "Libby has tirelessly gone to bat for the preschool staff and is honestly concerned for their
well-being. She truly cares for her staff and wants what is best for them. She does her best to find solutions for everyday issues which is a tall order when it comes to the preschool." and "Libby takes the heat when we can't, and we appreciate her."
Denise King - "Ms. King always tries to serve others fairly. She approaches situations with a caring heart, and always tries to be understanding. Shes always available with a listening ear and a big heart. I'm lucky to have such a supportive teacher."
Karen Kleis - "Karen is a compassionate team member who is always thinking about how to best serve the district and her students. She does not hesitate to advocate for her students and always has their best interests at heart. She is a team player and is flexible with her schedule to help meet the team's needs. Karen is a great co-worker and an even better friend!"
Cecilia Kuss-Shivler - "We do a secret pal at our school where you give each other little gifts throughout the year. When my secret pal left the school and I wasn't getting anything, CeCe stepped up and was my secret pal (along with her assigned one) through the year so that I wouldn't feel left out. She regularly puts others ahead of herself and is kind in the process."
Tiffani Lebrick - "This team of ladies has shown so much grace and love to all of our new little faces in the face of so many changes at the beginning of this school year. This team has gone above and beyond to make every new little face feel comfortable and excited to learn, while also exceeding every work expectation. Congratulations Ladies, you all are so amazing!"
Angela Littlejohn - "This team of ladies has shown so much grace and love to all of our new little faces in the face of so many changes at the beginning of this school year. This team has gone above and beyond to make every new little face feel comfortable and excited to learn, while also exceeding every work expectation. Congratulations Ladies, you all are so amazing!"
Kennedy McCoy - "This team of ladies has shown so much grace and love to all of our new little faces in the face of so many changes at the beginning of this school year. This team has gone above and beyond to make every new little face feel comfortable and excited to learn, while also exceeding every work expectation. Congratulations Ladies, you all are so amazing!"
Molly Meadows - "Molly is such an amazing person. She has done so much for our classroom and our students. She takes on so many tasks and works so hard to ensure everything runs smoothly. She is such an integral part of our team and we honestly would not be able to do what we do without her!"
Nannette Mentzer - "Nannette knows her stuff about preschool. She is a fabulous resource for us and is always willing to help anyone- student, staff, or parent. If it weren't for her, I may not be where I am today. Thanks, Nan."
Kassydi Miller-Brown - "Kassydi is so amazing. She works so hard to ensure every student gets what they need. She also does such an amazing job teaching small group lessons and working 1:1 with students to help them become better students and citizens. She is such a strong asset to our team and we are so glad to have her in our classroom. We could not do what we do without her!"
Heather Newkirk - "She is always there to help without complaining and will go above and beyond for any of the staff or children."
Jessica Packer - "This team of ladies has shown so much grace and love to all of our new little faces in the face of so many changes at the beginning of this school year. This team has gone above and beyond to make every new little face feel comfortable and excited to learn, while also exceeding every work expectation. Congratulations Ladies, you all are so amazing!"
Rob Penn - "Rob has worked tirelessly all summer to improve our building at Yoder Learning Center. He has made improvements both inside and outside to make our work environment safe and beautiful for the staff and students. Rob goes beyond what is expected of him to do the very best for our program. He is always willing to help out when asked. If Rob does a job one can bet it is done with excellence and care all while trying to figure out how to best serve our program. He truly cares!" and "Rob has worked so hard to get the Yoder Learning Center ready for the school year. He also had to make so many changes last minute but rolled with the punches and worked so hard to get everything completely done for us. Thank you so so much Rob!"
Taylor Reigel - "Taylor is a Para in the Autism class. She works really well with the kiddos in her care. She is always willing to help her teacher, her kiddos, and others. She is very calm and soft-voiced."
Terri Schmitt - "Terri is filling in for a staff member who is off. She was given short notice and fit students into her schedule in a time that was reserved for her paperwork. She has communicated the schedule with her supervisor and has helped the OT department fill this gap without hesitation. Thank you for all you do!"
Julie Slaybaugh - "Julie shows up for her students every day. She is consistent and gives students the structure they need. She does more than expected without being asked. Julie is the glue in her classroom and it shows with her dedication to her job!"
Molly Stone - "Molly is a new paraprofessional to our program this year and she is a great addition. I see her regularly step in to help all the kids and staff in the preschool without being asked. She intuitively knows what the kids need and provides it."
Olivia Storer - "Olivia has really been a voice for this preschool. She is doing her best to keep us afloat, and we are thankful for that. She is ready to go to battle for her coworkers and her students. She is fierce and we love her."
Jessica Sweeney - "Jess has really demonstrated leadership in her role by helping support the other room para's learn their role and improve their skillset. She led a training today to help the room para's understand the new rubric and learn how to enter behavior data into PBIS. She was able to engage with them and encourage them in a way that they wanted to step up and learn and everyone has expressed excitement over receiving training and encouragement in these areas. Jess will continue to lead the room paras throughout the year in order to increase their skill set. Thank you, Jess!!!"
Karena Taylor - "She is helpful and very attentive to the needs of others."
Jackie Tingley - "Jackie has worked incredibly hard for the last 2 weeks to clean and organize her classroom move. The back classroom was a mess. There was a lot of trash and items that had been collected in that room over the year and it was a ton of work. Jackie was the only staff that came in on days off to work through the mess and organize it. I appreciate her efforts and dedication to her students so much. I admire her for taking the initiative to ensure the success of the classroom move and her work ethic to ensure that the classroom was clean and orderly for students to return to. Thank you, Jackie."
Marleen Toops - "This team of ladies has shown so much grace and love to all of our new little faces in the face of so many changes at the beginning of this school year. This team has gone above and beyond to make every new little face feel comfortable and excited to learn, while also exceeding every work expectation. Congratulations Ladies, you all are so amazing!"
Mark Townsend - "The beginning of the school year is always busy for Teachers and Staff. Add to that almost 30 volunteers showing up to beautify your grounds and build benches and your day gets a little more complicated. On Friday, August 23rd this is exactly what happened and Mark Townsend, a Career Education teacher handled everything with ease. He added 4 of his High School students to the volunteers, led all of them to the different areas that needed attention, and took care of everything they needed to benefit our school. This is just one of the many times you will find Mark giving of self to benefit others. He serves our school and community well!"
Mollie Verdier - "Mollie has organized her schedule to see students for a staff member who is off. She independently formulated a plan and presented it to her supervisor. She is always positive and a wonderful asset to the OT department!"
Sheri Walbright - "Sheri was kind enough to put me first when I needed to take some time off to care for my mom. She drove out of the way to cover for me for a few days so that the kids were able to meet their minutes while I was away. I know it was an inconvenience to her but she very graciously used her time to help me. Thank You, Sheri!"
Amanda Wilson - "Amanda has been busting her butt to make sure everything her staff needs is addressed. She works countless hours (outside of work hours) to ensure that any and all issues are taken care of. She also makes the time to praise her staff. It is refreshing to be acknowledged with positive praise rather than negative all the time."
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