Friday, May 15, 2015

Jones Named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year at Recognition Reception

Michael Jones of Culbreth Middle, was named the District Teacher of the Year at the Annual Recognition Reception on May 15 at Carrboro High.

Jones is a choral music teacher with 21 years of teaching experience.  He holds a bachelor of science degree in public school music from Norfolk State University.  Jones received a $1,000 check from the Bank of North Carolina, as well as gifts from area businesses.

Two Honor Teachers were also named on Friday.  They are Channing Bennett of Smith Middle and Mariella Mabe of Carrboro Elementary.  They each received a $500 check from the Bank of North Carolina and gifts from local businesses.

Other Teachers of the Year were recognized with $100 checks from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation (PSF) and gifts from local businesses.  They are:  Kim Chamberlin, Ephesus Elementary; Ghada Ramadan, Estes Hills Elementary; Allison Stewart, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Carla Gilchrist, Glenwood Elementary; Kennan Eaddy, McDougle Elementary; Lisa Frangipane, Morris Grove Elementary; Nicole Dixon, Northside Elementary; Gretchen Pegram, Rashkis Elementary; Tamara Edmonds, Scroggs Elementary; Donna Kauffman, Seawell Elementary; Stephen Rayfield, McDougle Middle; Megan Tolbert, Phillips Middle; Kay Johnson, Carrboro High; Jack Watson, Chapel Hill High; and Maureen Galvin, East Chapel Hill High.

Teacher of the Year gifts were provided by:  A Better Image Printing, Barnes and Noble at New Hope Commons, Chapel Hill Florist, Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, Office Depot and the Spotted Dog Restaurant.

Michael Jones, District Teacher of the Year

Channing Bennett, District Honor Teacher

Mariella Mabe, District Honor Teacher


The Mary Scroggs Award for Excellence in Providing Support Services recognizes one classified staff member from each school and several Lincoln Center departments.  The award recipient is Mark Foushee, a bus driver for the Transportation Department, who also received a $1,000 check.  Two Honor Recipients were named.  They are Teia McCall, a teacher assistant at Ephesus Elementary, and Scott Ursery, the HVAC foreman in Lincoln Center's Maintenance Department.  They each received $250.

Other Classified Staff of the Year, who each received $100, are:  Cheryl Edwards, school secretary, Carrboro Elementary; Turquoise Parker, teacher assistant, Estes Hills Elementary; Angela Tobon, teacher assistant, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Mary Battista, media assistant, Glenwood Elementary; Annie Washington, EC teacher assistant, McDougle Elementary; Debbie Wistner, teacher assistant, Morris Grove Elementary; Lynn Farrish, EC teacher assistant, Northside Elementary; Kim Caddell, receptionist, Rashkis Elementary; Shelby White, teacher assistant, Scroggs Elementary; Michael Allen, food service, Seawell Elementary; Kay Edwards, receptionist, Culbreth Middle; Robert Rudd, custodian, McDougle Middle; Deborah Watson-Baldwin, receptionist, Phillips Middle; Maximo Merida, custodian, Smith Middle; Donna McMillan, media assistant, Carrboro High; Nancy Green, receptionist, Chapel Hill High; Jeff Alguire, theater manager, East Chapel Hill High; Susan Brandt, secretary, Instructional Services, Lincoln Center; and Shawntae McKnight, technician, Information Technology, Lincoln Center.

Beth Murphy, school nurse at Rashkis Elementary, received the Exceptional Children Student Support Services Staff of the Year Award, as well as a check for $500.  The other nominees for this award are: Reyna Rivera, school social worker, Carrboro Elementary; Megan Mueller, school nurse, Ephesus Elementary; Patti Burke, school nurse, Estes Hills Elementary; Kerry Sherrill, school social worker, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Patty Moore, school social worker, Glenwood Elementary; Stacey Radar, EC program facilitator, McDougle Elementary; Angela Snider, school social worker, Morris Grove Elementary; Virginia Fox, school counselor, Northisde Elementary; Emily Serra, school social worker, Scroggs Elementary; Linda Williford, school social worker, Seawell Elementary; Matthew Straub, school counselor, Culbreth Middle; Maryellen Gollnick, EC program facilitator, McDougle Middle; Allison Blue, school social worker, Phillips Middle; Natalie Boylan, EC program facilitator, Smith Middle; Rita Simpson, autism support specialist, Carrboro High; Montez Thomas, school counselor, Chapel Hill High; and Gale Sendzia, EC program facilitator, East Chapel Hill High.

Classified and EC Staff of the Year gifts were provided by:  FSI Office and University Florist.

Other staff awards were also presented at the event.

Darlene Ryan of Glenwood Elementary was recognized as the district's Principal of the Year, while Coretta Sharpless of Northside Elementary was named the district's Assistant Principal of the Year.  Sherri Martin, executive director of high school programs and professional development, received the Award for Excellence in District Administration.

Kendra Suggs-Shealey of Lincoln Center was the recipient of the Jeanette Blackwell Mentor Teacher Award.  Jennifer Michalenok of Chapel Hill High was the recipient of the Exceptional Children's Award for Outstanding Contributions as a Teacher.  Diamond Jones of Northside Elementary received the CHC Public School Foundation Promising New Teacher Award.  Kirsten Venema of Ephesus Elementary was named the recipient of the Elmo's Award for Excellence in Teaching English as a Second Language and World Language. 

The Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate (BRMA) program presented two Excellence in Equitable Teaching Awards.  These award recipients are selected by the students in BRMA.  The middle school award went to Debra Freeman of McDougle Middle, and Dominic Koplar of East Chapel Hill High received the high school award.

Representatives of the Public School Foundation (PSF) were on hand to present both new and renewing Teaching Chairs.  Jay Wilson of East Chapel Hill High is the Elmo's Excellence in Teaching Mathematics or Science Chair.  Erin White of Smith Middle is the Zora Rashkis Chair in Middle School Language Arts.  Laura Boening of Morris Grove Elementary is the Upper Elementary Chair for Excellence in Teaching Innovation.

Renewing chair recipients also were honored on Friday.  Jack Watson is the CHHS PTSA Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Humanities.  Candace White of Glenwood Elementary is the Neil Pedersen Teachers First Chair. Ashley Laver of Rashkis Elementary is the Sockwell Chair for Excellence in Teaching in the Elementary Classroom.  Katherine Whittington of Phillips Middle is the Burton Stuart Chair for Promising New Teachers in Math or Science. Ashley Lang of East Chapel Hill High is the Bernadine Sullivan Chair for Excellence in Teaching English.  

Twenty-eight teachers were recognized for earning their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  They join the almost 300 other CHCCS teachers who have earned their National Boards.  They are:  Jennifer Ballew, Chapel Hill High; Katherine Bauer, East Chapel Hill High; Laura Beery, Chapel Hill High; Kristen Bergman, Estes Hills Elementary; Leigh Ann Bianchi, Estes Hills Elementary; Kathleen Blue, Phillips Middle; Robin Bulleri, Carrboro High; Christen Campbell, Chapel Hill High; Tony Carter, Smith Middle; Jami Cauthren, Rashkis Elementary; Courtney Clapp, Estes Hills Elementary; Sherry DelValle, Smith Middle; Catherine Guild, McDougle Elementary; Caroline Hatley, Glenwood Elementary; Dawn Jackson, Culbreth Middle; Virginia Kieckbush, East Chapel Hill High; Brian Link, East Chapel Hill High; Julie McCauley, Morris Grove Elementary; Mark Mosley, East Chapel Hill High; Daniel Murphy, East Chapel Hill High; Gina Pelligrini, Scroggs Elementary; Tiffany Robinson, East Chapel Hill High; Adam Sanders, Chapel Hill High; Justin Seifts, East Chapel Hill High; Megan Tabor, Culbreth Middle; Ray Thomas, Carrboro High; Jack Watson, Chapel Hill High; and Gretchen Westman, Morris Grove Elementary.

Seventeen employees were recognized for retiring from the district this year.  They include:  Roberta Barrett, Lincoln Center; Debbie Bolas, Carrboro Elementary; Rosemary Campbell, McDougle Elementary; Sheila Carrington, Chapel Hill High; Laura "Ann" Collins, Culbreth Middle; Patricia Farrington, Ephesus Elementary; Carol Gaunt, Estes Hills Elementary; Pat Hawkins, Seawell Elementary; William "Chuck" Hennessee, Culbreth Middle; Debbie LaMay, East Chapel Hill High; Sherri Martin, Lincoln Center; Robbie Nadas, Phillips Middle; Eileen Regan, Carrboro Elementary; Floyd Royal, McDougle Middle; Rita Simpson, Carrboro High; Madeline Thomas, Phillips Middle; and Joan Thompson, Transportation.

Employees were also honored for attaining milestone years of service with CHCCS.  Six employees have 30 years of service:  Frank "Coach" Camp, Smith Middle; Samuel Dawes, McDougle Elementary; Donna Gates, Chapel Hill High; Letitia Johnson, Phillips Middle; Regina Seymore, Carrboro Elementary; and Pamela Tedder, East Chapel Hill High.  

Employees with 25 years of service included:  Roberta Barrett, Lincoln Center; Jeane Brumley, Phillips Middle; Sheila Carrington, Chapel Hill High; Cindy Dillehay, Lincoln Center; Terrina Renee Edwards, Transportation; Deidre Foushee, Transportation; Catherine Foust Lane, Transportation; Natalie Gaston, McDougle Elementary; Cornelia Johnson, Scroggs Elementary; Kathy MacKinnon, Seawell Elementary; Devora Mann, Transportation; and Melissa Pearce, Estes Hills Elementary.

Employees with 20 years of service included:  Emily Bivins, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Karla Boreiko, Estes Hills Elementary; Marylyn Burnette, Morris Grove Elementary; Keith Cooper, Chapel Hill High; Jennifer Dykes, Ephesus Elementary; Kim Fearrington, Northside Elementary; Tijuana Goodwin, McDougle Middle; Avis Harris, Morris Grove Elementary; Warren Martin, McDougle Middle; Robin McMahon, Smith Middle; Valerie Miller, Lincoln Center; Ramanda O'Kelly Edwards, Rashkis Elementary; Debbie Phelps, McDougle Elementary; Eric Plow, Transportation; Jennifer Sparrow, McDougle Middle; Teresa Washington, Morris Grove Elementary; and Carolyn White, McDougle Middle.

The annual Recognition Reception is hosted in collaboration with the Public School Foundation (PSF).

"We are all inspired by the truly amazing performance of these dedicated professionals," said Superintendent Thomas A. Forcella.  "Recognizing and celebrating them in this public ceremony is one of the highlights of our school year.”



Pictures from the event posted on Facebook (after Monday, May 18).

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