.jpg)
Awards Handed Out At County Board Meeting
Sixteen Rockbridge County Public Schools teachers, administrators and staff were honored with awards at the Rockbridge County School Board’s June 11 meeting.
Three times a year, division staff are offered an opportunity to nominate their coworkers for a REDOT (Rockbridge Teachers Doing Amazing Things) award, then a team selects the winners.
Bonnie McCaleb, of Natural Bridge Elementary School, was one of those recognized.
“Bonnie is a staple within our school community. She knows and understands families and their situations,” said Rick Bain, the division’s human resources supervisor. “She offers a helping hand and maintains documentation for our school that is accurate and up to date.”
Three people from Central Elementary School received awards.
Of Kelly Jones, Bain said, “Kelly’s vision, wisdom, and passion for Central are apparent each and every day in all that she does, whether it be assisting with a student or simply sharing a laugh with a coworker.”
Also recognized were Liz Schmidt and Jerry Losh.
“Liz is a model teacher who goes above and beyond to make learning fun for her students,” said Bain. “She is a positive and contributing member of the school community and is passionate about learning.”
Losh’s work with the school’s B.E.A.R program and conscious discipline was noted.
“For the last two years, Mr. Losh stepped up and facilitated our after-school B.E.A.R program with the help of another teacher. His excellent organizational and people skills supported this program and it was a positive experience for our students and teachers,” Bain said.
From Mountain View Elementary, Christina Harlow and Jean Ramsey were given REDOT awards.
“Christina is an amazing teacher,” Bain said of Harlow. “Her class is so structured and well-organized. Her kindergarten class is reading and writing sentences. I was amazed at her class while she was teaching [the University of Florida Literacy Institute reading curriculum].”
Of Ramsey, Bain said, “Jean is a wonderful teacher who goes beyond expectations to connect with her students and help them achieve their full potential at Mountain View.”
“She does an amazing job of balancing the demands of completing her master’s degree with the daily needs of her students.”
Heather Moore, of Fairfield Elementary School, was recognized for her work both in and out of the classroom.
“Heather is continually going above and beyond to ensure her students are making growth and have a positive learning environment. In addition, she is constantly going above and beyond what her job description entails,” said Bain.
“She is always willing to jump in and help in whatever capacity is asked of her.”
Tricia Jarvis’s contributions to Fairfield were also noted.
“She goes above and beyond for our students every day,” Bain said. “She is thoughtful and does things quietly behind the scenes to support students with no desire to be acknowledged for her contributions.”
Maury River Middle School had two award winners: Leyna Hansley and Courtney Diette.
Of Hansley, Bain said, “She brings so much life and excitement into MRMS. She works tirelessly for all the students at the school and is a vital part of the team.”
Of Diette, he said, “She is creative and uses lots of different strategies to meet the needs of all here students. She is also leading the [Rockbridge County High School] forensics team to states.”
Gracyn Darrington and Erin Allen received a joint award for their work with Rockbridge County High School’s theater program.
“Erin and Gracyn spend a great deal of time coordinating the performances at RCHS. ‘Oliver Jr.’ is this year’s feature. They have brought back a theater program and the program is thriving,” said Bain.
Also from the high school, David Miller was recognized.
“Mr. Miller is a ray of sunshine each day. His smile and positive demeanor are infections,” Bain said.
“Mr. Miller does an excellent job connecting with students and helping students; especially those who struggle in the traditional classroom setting. We are blessed to him at RCHS.”
Three people from the school system’s central office, Lindsay Brooks, Emily Bennett, and Melanie Arritt, also received awards.
“Lindsay works with the [Individual Student Alternative Education Plan] kids and adult [education] and she goes above and beyond to help these kids and adults,” said Bain.
“She handles herself professionally in the most difficult situations. She calls parents and works with the people at the high school trying to keep the students in class and get them either a diploma or a GED.”
“Emily is dedicated to her work,” he said of Bennett. “She is wonderful with children of all ages and has fun activities to accomplish their goals.”
Arritt was recognized for her work in all division schools.
“Melanie can be seen throughout the county providing support to staff and students in all of our schools,” Bain said.
“Her skills as a behavior analyst have provided strategies and insight that support student learning and staff with implementing new strategies. She always has a smile and a kind word of encouragement.”
