fcps cares presentation from justice high school

FCPS Cares - July/August 2021

By Department of Human Resources
FCPS Cares
July 06, 2021

To recognize an employee with an FCPS Cares, please visit our submission page.

To view past submissions, please visit our previous submissions page.

FCPS CARES of the Month Recipients

Central Office

Felix Funes, Lorton Center

"The first things I heard at the bus stop this morning from other parents and kids alike: "I hope we get Mr. Felix again!" When Mr. Felix (Bus 100) arrived, everyone started clapping as he stepped from the bus to introduce himself to the kindergarteners and explain the safety rules to their parents. A new parent asked, "Wow, is he really that wonderful?" I said, "He is! If he had been reassigned --"and another mom jokingly chimed in to finish my sentence "We'd all grab PITCHFORKS!" 😂 (totally kidding, we're not farmers or Karens, but we definitely appreciate Mr. Felix!). Mr. Felix makes us feel safe. It is a long bus ride for our kids on the highway, and we never worry. He radiates kindness and is gentle with the students' feelings. They feel safe with him at the wheel. Thank you, Mr. Felix! Seeing you was a great start to the first day of school for all of us! It sounds silly to say, but with Covid and all the other 2021 concerns, just seeing good bus drivers like Mr. Felix helps us feel safer about having our kids in FCPS' care."

- a Bailey's Upper ES parent

Region 1

Reva Smith, Cooper MS - View a feature!

"Ms. Reva Smith is filling in for our cafeteria manager. With only two days' notice, she assembled her team, managed orders, and secured additional human resources so that we could successfully open our cafeteria for 1000 students during a renovation. She is calm, confident, and extremely helpful. I've never experienced a smoother dining experience for students on the first day. She's a natural problem solver. We are so lucky to have her. Thank YOU, Ms. Smith."

- Maureen McLoughlin, Cooper MS

Region 2 (Pictured)

Jamila Alarcorn, Rashawn Luckman, and Candace Hyman, Justice HS - View a feature!

"These ladies have worked hard all week to ensure that bus dismissal is as efficient as possible. By the middle of the week they brainstormed to reduce bus boarding time and they put their plan in action Thursday after school. They were able to cut boarding time in half. Their commitment to the entire school day is felt until the last bus pulls off of the Justice campus."

- Kimberly Taylor, Justice HS

Region 3

Maria Flores and Ingris Marquez Villalobos, Edison HS

"I have just moved to Edison High School from my previous high school and I brought all my materials to my new school. There was no room available to place all my containers and things. Two of the custodians, María and Ingrid, from the kindness of their hearts, helped me out to set out a piece of furniture, in which I was able to place tons of objects. Certainly, they were super collaborative, helpful, and kind. They are generous and with their help, the classroom is ready for students. ¡Muchas gracias!"

- Gloria Blumenthal, Edison HS

Region 4

Fred Allard, Robinson SS

"This year has posed a huge challenge for all parents and students, and the lifting for teachers - especially special education teachers - has been immense. As our son was entering his freshman year at Robinson Secondary School, we had a lot of concerns about his ability to perform in the online platform, as well as with the more rigorous requirements of high school. As a student with disabilities, our son frequently requires the oversight and redirection of teachers to remain on-task and to work to his potential. He is a great and entertaining kid, but his ADHD often gets the better of him. This year Fred Allard has gone out of his way on a regular basis to work with our son and communicate with us to support his learning. He did not let our son coaster through his learning with minimal participation and effort, but instead saw his potential and held him accountable for a high standard of learning. He was thoughtful and diligent in his approach to supports, assessments, data, and IEP goals. He made our family an integral part of the IEP team, and could not have been more understanding of our individual challenges. Mr. Allard even went out of his way to enlist other colleague's support in keeping our son engaged with preferred areas of learning. This wasn't just looking at this year, but looking forward to our son's long-term goals. This year and our sons' education were substantially benefited from his being assigned Mr. Allard as his case manager. He sets a high bar for himself, his students, and his colleagues while remaining kind and encouraging. He was exactly the teacher/mentor our son needed, and we are very grateful to have him work with our child."

- Robinson SS parents

Region 5

Amadu Jalloh and Mohamed Alie, Frost MS, Frost MS - View a feature!

"Mr. Jalloh was recently promoted from our building custodian to the Assistant Building Supervisor and he is excelling in this role! He has been a leader to our new staff, showing them how to complete their jobs with care and quality. Always responsive to staff requests, he is teaching the new crew members how to perform their duties with great care for customer service. We knew he was the best candidate for the job and he has not disappointed!"

"Mr. Alie was promoted to Building Supervisor over the summer and he is making it clear we made the right choice. Despite many obstacles, such as summer cleaning, staff shortages, and building renovation, he is on top of everything and had Frost cleaned, ready, and the classrooms fully set up for the 1st day of school. What a major task and we are amazed that he pulled it off. It is a daily occurrence when we remark how fortunate we are to have him!"

- Joe Berret, Frost MS

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Other FCPS Cares of the Month Recipients

Mary Crowson, Gatehouse Admin Center

"Many thanks to Mary Crowson for her guidance and assistance with the publication of the FCPS Multilingual Family Podcasts' blog page and updates. Ms. Crowson knows how important it is to keep timely information flowing to FCPS parents. Ms. Crowson's wisdom and insights have kept the process moving and our FCPS parents informed. Thank you so much!"

- Linda Ferguson, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Hy Au and Ruth Villegas De Perez, Terra-Centre ES

"We want to thank Hy Au (our building supervisor) and Ruth Villegas De Perez (our assistant building supervisor) for all their hard work to ensure our students are eating lunch safely every day at Terra Centre. They tirelessly move picnic tables indoors and outdoors, sanitize tables, and maintain our outdoor eating spaces for all of our K-6th grade students. All of our students are able to eat outside due to their herculean efforts!"

- Teresa Lewis, Rebecca Gidoni, and Julie Hart, Terra-Centre ES

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Leonardo Leonato, Laurel Ridge ES

"Mr. Leonato’s commitment to the safety and well-being of our students is astounding! Dismissal, especially during the first week of school can be quite hectic. When one of our students was not where he was expected for pickup, Mr. Leonato stepped into action to quickly resolve the issue. On a 90-plus degree day, Mr. Leonato ran home with big brother to personally check that our student was safe and sound at home. Mr. Leonato goes the extra mile for his students, literally!

- Sheila Bartley, Laurel Ridge ES

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Veronica Del Bagno, Rolling Valley ES

"Veronica was amazing handling our first two COVID cases while I (the principal) was out with a family emergency. She did an amazing job following protocols and alerting parents and staff as needed."

- Maureen Boland, Rolling Valley ES

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Daniel Patterson, Lake Braddock SS

"Daniel is a member of our security team at Lake Braddock who greets everyone who walks through our doors with a kind gesture and a positive attitude. He goes out of his way to say hello to every student he passes, is always extremely visible in the hallways and is forming relationships with as many students as possible. Thank you so much for going out of your way to connect with students."

- Maya Nardone Lake Braddock SS

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Courtney Klein, Lake Braddock SS

"While Courtney's title is Instructional Coach, Courtney does everything for everyone at all times. She is an integral part of our Math Department, our Instructional Support Team, our Instructional Council and basically every committee she is a part of. Courtney does anything and everything for everyone at all times and does it with a smith on her face. She is a ray of sunshine and is uplifting even during the most stressful experiences. I leave every interaction with more information, more positivity and all the answers. Courtney, we would be lost without you! Thank you for EVERYTHING!"

- Maya Nardone Lake Braddock SS

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Kristen Cunningham, Falls Church HS

"Kristen came to my room around 2:45 in the afternoon on the Friday before Monday's student arrivals. She came in person to let me know my schedule and classes I had changed rather than sending an email. I felt put out by the last second notice and she listened as I expressed my concerns."

- Heike Harrup, Falls Church HS

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Brian Schwenk, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Though Brian is brand new to this position, he has been outstanding in helping to trouble shoot everything from broken materials to technology issues, looping in outside resources when it fit. His quick responses, in depth knowledge, and patience have made the busy start of the school year so much better, enabling our students to receive the best hands-on science possible. Thank you!"

- Chrissy Brownson, Providence ES

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Charles Morse and Greig Warwick, Justice HS

"Charles and Greig have always gone above and beyond to meet student needs as the TSPCs at Justice - after a year and a half that really relied on them and a busy but effective distribution process this week I felt they need this deserved recognition. Thank you Charles and Greig!"

- Jason Kagarise, Justice HS

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Angie Cahill, Carson MS

"Mrs. Cahill was a great Algebra teacher to my son. In last year's virtual learning environment, she managed to keep him interested and he felt challenged. She is very patient and was available any time to answer his questions. RCMS is very lucky to have her."

- a Carson MS parent

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Carolyn Ostermann-Healey, Robinson SS

"I wanted to thank Frau Carolyn Ostermann-Healey for creating a learning environment filled with understanding and opportunities for my daughter in 9th grade. It was fate that our daughter did not get her 1st choice elective of ceramics. At first she wanted to try and change her elective, but after being greeted by Frau Ostermann-Healey during orientation, she was set to continue with her given class. Well, fast forward to the end of week one and our daughter has spent each night trying to read and understand the gifted German books from her teacher ,and practice the learned material. For all who know our daughter, she takes a deep dive into everything, but this time her teacher is right there with her. Thanks you or should I say danke schon."

- a Robinson SS parent."

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Bryan Buser, Gatehouse Admin Center

"Bryan has been working with our team to upgrade and improve our academy website. He has been so responsive and helpful! Thank you for everything, Bryan! I hope you have a well-deserved weekend!"

- Brett Garner, West Potomac HS

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Meghan Erman Fairview ES

"Ms. Ehrman went above, beyond, and below to help my 2nd grader. Ms. Ehrman, thank you for all of your hard work, compassion and willingness to do what it takes, we appreciate you!"

- a Fairview ES parent

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Sharron Lyons, Lemon Road ES

"I would like to recognize Sharron Lyons, kitchen manager at Lemon Road for her herculean efforts to ensure all lions are fed safely. During this first week, Sharron has organized the Lemon Road kitchen staff to supply breakfast in multiple locations and lunch both indoors and outside daily. She was an active part of the planning to ensure safe social distancing and outdoor dining and supports the admin and kitchen team every step of the way. Lemon Road feels so fortunate to have her leading this charge!"

- Ashely Castillo, Lemon Road ES

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Beth Webster, Westfield HS

"Beth messaged me on the first day of school when she noticed that we needed a sub for the week. Within hours she completed the necessary PD to become active and was in the classroom the next day! Beth, I cannot thank you enough for rescuing us once again. You are our deus ex machina!"

- Angie Thomas, Westfield HS

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Joanna Esty, Westfield HS

"Joanna helped us open the school year when a last-minute vacancy took us by surprise. Subs are the unsung heroes of the education world; we couldn't have made it through the week without you!"

- Angie Thomas, Westfield HS

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Shannon Jones, Stonecroft Transportation

"Shannon was quick to act in the best interest of a student and willing to work with our school in order to provide safe transportation. When a need occurred, she immediately began helping to identify solutions and didn’t hesitate to help, even after close of business."

- Megan Jeter, Deer Park ES

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"When we started the school year with an American Sign Language vacancy, Brittany immediately stepped up to assist the substitute with lesson plans. She also volunteered to teach an ASL 1 class during her planning time to ensure that the students started the school year right. She has spent several years building this program and cares deeply for our students."

- Angie Thomas, Westfield HS

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Danh Phan, Woodson-IT

"Danh is extremely professional and helpful. As a TSSpec things can always be hectic, and people like Danh are always needed. He went above and beyond helping a teacher with her projector. I can't thank him enough for his service. Thank you Danh!"

- Danny Mikhail, Katherine Johnson MS

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Michael Luley, Lake Braddock SS

"Michael Luley is doing a fantastic job as department chair of the Performing Arts department here at LBSS. He is always willing to assist his colleagues with any challenge or problem that they might have and he leads by example. He creates an exemplary and equitable learning environment for his band students while challenging them musically. Our students and faculty at LBSS are very fortunate to him on our staff!"

- Austin Isaac, Lake Braddock SS

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Mike McMarlin, Lake Braddock SS

"Mike McMarlin restored my classroom A/C!! My students and I are very grateful to return to temps in the 70s."

- Mike Edwards, Lake Braddock SS

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Herbert (Herb) Rodríguez, Westfield HS

"Herbert (Herb) Rodríguez is the best Building Engineer we could ask for. He keeps Westfield running like a top; no job is too big or too small! Whether it's fixing the AC in an entire wing or hanging a map or bulletin board, Herb is always there for us. ¡Mil gracias!"

- Angie Thomas, Westfield HS

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Rebecca Foley, Kimberlee Cardany, Rose Kraus, Mary Hatchell, Tori Meleski, Stacy Delaney, Sprague Technology Center

"We wanted to take a minute to say thank you to the ITFT members that support Schoology. We appreciate their dedication and positive attitudes as they methodically worked through the challenges of deploying a Learning Management System for a community as large as FCPS. Their efforts towards troubleshooting and researching issues saved our team time and resources. We commend them in being a part of making the division-wide rollout a success. We look forward to our continued collaboration. Thank you for all that you do."

- Michelle Andrews, Wilton Woods

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Amy Soos and Scott Darwin, Lake Braddock SS

"Amy and Scott came to our OTG Resource Teacher PD to assist in presenting an OTG database that they created at their school. They were patient, kind, and allowed time for multiple questions and possible recommendations. Amy and Scott are amazing and are doing great things at LB! We are thankful they are sharing their expertise with other FCPS staff to holistically support students!"

- Jillian O'Callaghan and Kyle Jimenez, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Kevin Brown, ChungKai Lam, Carlos Colon, John Elefantis, Edward Latuharhary, Anthony Messiano, Mohammad Mohammadi, Clinton Allen, Remigo Arteaga, Wilmar Recinos, Cheol Shin, Woodson Food Service Center

"The Food Service Warehouse Team has done an incredible job ensuring all schools have the food and supplies needed for breakfast and lunch. They have been extremely flexible given the unpredictable and changing needs each day, regardless of the challenge. The Food Services Warehouse Team is working tirelessly to ship out hundreds of additional cases of product each day and remain dedicated to supporting schools and serving our students."

- Maria Perrone, Energy Zone Food Service Center

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Soohee Kim, Energy Zone Food Service Center

"Soohee supported a successful start to the 2021-2022 school year by updating critical back to school resources and instructions and packing out materials and uniforms for all school cafeterias. Soohee accomplished all of this work while taking on new assignments and at a time when the office was short staffed. Her dedication and professionalism stand as sterling examples of how FNS employees rise to meet our challenges - no matter how much is asked from them every day."

- Maria Perrone, Energy Zone Food Service Center

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Laura May, Providence ES

"Mrs. May has been a far time favorite teacher of mine because she taught me no matter how difficult teaching was."

- a Providence ES student

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Amy Moore, South County HS

"Amy Moore is the Central Kitchen Manager at South County HS. Today, the Forestdale ES community was in need of Grab & Go meals due to the power outage and school closure. Amy assembled 400 lunches for bus distribution with only one hour of advance notice while preparing lunch for the students at South County, overseeing the weekly Meal Kit distribution, and providing food service support to her twenty-two assigned finishing kitchens. Amazing work during an already incredibly busy day."

- Maria Perrone, Energy Zone Food Service Center

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Jillian O'Callaghan, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Jill came to WPHS to help us create our list of students who have not yet attended school this year. She assisted in merging several different resources into 1 comprehensive list and then called several English and Spanish-speaking families to assist them in returning to the building. Her help supported many families and gave us a framework to continue to do so. I am incredibly grateful!"

- Jess Terry, West Potomac HS

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E.W. Nowland, Hayfield SS

"I just want to take a moment to commend EW on his work with a student this afternoon. Many times the little things that we do throughout the course of the day may seem trivial/small or just go unnoticed, but have Great Meaning to others. His efforts to help and support a young student retrieve her lost phone and try and make sure she got on her bus could have been traumatic for any child, but his calm and supportive demeanor as he worked the student through this until she got the phone back was the key to success. I’m sure this effort will not be soon forgotten by that student, and I felt strongly enough to share. Thanks EW for ALL that you do!"

- Tim Dodson, Hayfield SS

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Brandon Gilbert, Lake Braddock SS

"Mr. Gilbert did an AMAZING job with Band Camp at Lake Braddock in August! Our program is lucky that he was hired for the 2020-2021 school year, but we didn't realize just HOW lucky until the band returned for in person marching. He was patient, professional, and made sure the students were having FUN! There are so many administrative responsibilities leading up to the start of school that the head director had to handle. Having Mr. Gilbert as part of our program is essential to the program's success. We can't wait to see the show this year!"

- a member of the Lake Braddock SS community

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Megan Counts, Frost MS

"Megan has done an exceptional job serving our school, even throughout all the changes that reopening brought us this spring. She was a welcoming presence at arrival and dismissal, the hallways and always knew the children's names which is no small feat! We will always appreciate her contributions to our community even now that she has moved on to lead at the middle school level."

- Jessica Stowe, Laurel Ridge ES

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Heather Norton, Cunningham Park ES

"As a new ESOL teacher, I have had a large learning curve to get to know the ins and outs of working at Cunningham Park for the 2021-22 school year. That task has been made much easier by the friendly, open and understanding support of my new ESOL Lead Teacher, Heather Norton. I feel like I have inundated her with questions and concerns, and she has handled all of my queries with aplomb. Thank you Heather for making this first couple of days a generally pleasant experience here at CPES."

- Matthew Hupp, Cunningham Park ES

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Shannon Jones, Stonecroft Transportation

"I just wanted to take a second and send a huge shoutout to Shannon Jones, our transportation supervisor. To put it mildly, the first day dismissal for busses was crazy. This was completely unavoidable and out of both our and Shannon's control. However, Shannon went above and beyond to make it manageable. After speaking with us on Tuesday, we made some adjustments and dismissal was incredible. I can't imagine how hectic transportation was the first two days but Shannon stepped up, overcome, and made us feel as if we were the top priority. We are so thankful to have a resource like Shannon Jones here at Westfield!"

- Tony DiBari, Westfield HS

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Kathy Nealon, North Springfield ES

"Kathy is a teacher, friend, and co-worker that goes above and beyond in all situations. Most recently, she spent the night before the first day of school watching my own kids while I went to the hospital with a concussion. The night before the first day of school is always full of last minute preparations, a mixture of emotions, and definitely a lack of time. Yet, Kathy put aside her needs to help me out (once again). Not only does Kathy always help her co-workers, she consistently puts an enormous amount of time, thought, and energy into making every experience engaging and meaningful for her students. It's inspiring to teach with Kathy, and everyone around her is lucky to benefit from her caring nature."

- Ali Mallon, North Springfield ES

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Griselda Mendoza, John McCaughan, Michele Johnson, Brad Allen, and Ashley Gern, Katherine Johnson MS

"Yesterday was the first day of school, and laptops were distributed to the wrong locations at Katherine Johnson MS. These amazing people dropped everything they were doing to help. I really wanted to give a special shoutout to Gigi Mendoza, John McCaughan, Michele Johnson, Brad Allen, and Ashley Gern. The tech team at KJMS is grateful for the effort that was put in. Everyone was upbeat, smiling, and happy to help. I am personally blessed to know and work with people like this, because without people coming together… nothing would ever get done. Thank you so much for all you do!"

- Danny Mikhail, Katherine Johnson MS

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Kelsea Owens, Katherine Johnson MS

"I have worked at a lot of different schools, with lots of different people, and I have never worked with anyone more dedicated, caring, and patient. Kelsea is truly a blessing to work with and I know everyone at KJMS would agree. Yesterday was the first day of school and we had a bit of a laptop distribution issue. Kelsea stopped everything she was doing to help. She always comes up with great ideas and I am so lucky to work with her."

- Danny Mikhail, Katherine Johnson MS

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Darius Broadus, Sideburn Support Center

"Frost has struggled with consistent A/C and Darius has been working tirelessly to solve each and every problem that comes up, which is no feat for our large, aging building that is currently under renovation. All staff had A/C for the first day of school and we appreciate his efforts in making it possible!"

- Joe Berret, Frost MS

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Karly Glasscock, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Karly was a total rock star today and provided amazing support to our students and to our team. The first day of school is always exciting and challenging and we are so grateful that Karly was able to be with us as we started the day and kicked off the year!"

- Heather Bousman-Stanczak, Katherine Johnson MS

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Jennifer Melnyk, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Jen was a total rock star today and provided amazing support to our students and to our team. The first day of school is always exciting and challenging and we are so grateful that Jen was able to be with us as we started the day and kicked off the year!"

- Heather Bousman-Stanczak, Katherine Johnson MS

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Brandon Gilbert, Lake Braddock SS

"Mr. Gilbert has worked tirelessly with our marching band students over the summer to ensure that their return to the field was monumental. His dedication, passion, and enthusiasm were evident as they performed for faculty and parents. Mr. Gilbert is an asset to the Bruin Nation and we appreciate all that he does."

- Jennifer Harris, Lake Braddock SS

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Michael Edwards, Sprague Technology Center

"On the Friday before the first day of school, I was frantically trying to get ready for the opening of school, when I realized that I made a BIG mistake erasing data in a program that we use to circulate equipment. I emailed Mr. Edwards and he told me that unfortunately there was no way to undo my mistake and that I would have to manually re-enter over 200 records. I was upset at myself, knowing that it would take hours to recover from my mistake. Mr. Edwards recognized my distress and offered to enter half of the records for me, while I did the others. I gratefully accepted his offer, and when he finished his half and realized that I hadn’t finished my half, he offered to finish the rest for me. I know he stayed at work late on a Friday afternoon, just to help me. He is the epitome of what FCPS Cares is about!"

- Mindy Klein, Hayfield SS

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Sam Ramatowski and the Longfellow School Counseling Team- Vaughnetta Caldwell, Lorraine Marshall, Jill Scharl, and Bruce Walker, Longfellow MS

"Mr. Ramatowski, Longfellow School Counselor, created an outstanding system to distribute school supplies, to students in need, before the start of the school year. He personally reached out to families, collected supplies from the community, and assembled backpacks, filled to the brim, with essential materials. Mr. Ramatowski created individual driving routes, complete with maps, for each counselor. The Longfellow School Counselors came together to make personal deliveries to over 40 homes. After two days of late nights at school supporting Open House, the counselors spent a third evening visiting over 40 students to deliver supplies and to ensure they have all they need to be successful Lancers on day one of the 2021-22 school year. Thank you Longfellow School Counselors!"

- Marissa Brooks, Hughes MS

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Megan Sidari, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Megan is FCPS’s best-kept secret! With her kind heart, deep understanding of FCPS, and overall genuine desire to help, I truly couldn’t be more grateful for having met her. Megan continues to open up her time, knowledge, advice, and support to me and as a teacher who is new to Virginia/Fairfax, she has become my life jacket. Megan- you are appreciated beyond measure, thank you!"

- Jaimie Ehardt, Flint Hills ES

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Stef Vestal, Glasgow MS

"Last year Ms. Vestal was the teacher sponsor for the Community, Service, and Leadership club. Through this club, she really encouraged the kids to be a part of their community even during COVID (ensuring safety as a #1 priority), including a Glasgow clean-up and care packages for people in our community. It’s really important for our children to recognize that they can still help others during a difficult time for all and she really helped to emphasize that last year!"

- a Glasgow MS parent

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Dennis Stephens, Springfield Estates ES

"My son was in Mr. Stephens' virtual AAP class for the 2020-21 school year. My son and I really appreciated all the care that Mr. Stephens put into teaching the class. We found him to be genuine, kind, and reliable. My son appreciated getting the individual attention when he needed it. We appreciated how he taught the students to take responsibility for their own work. It was a hard year for everyone, and it couldn't have been easy for teachers to learn the new technologies, but Mr. Stephens found a process that worked. Thank you!"

- a Springfield Estates ES parent

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Paula Clark, Lorton Center

"Paula Clark is a Baker for Area 2, she has been working very hard. Paula goes in early and stays late until the job is done. Area 2 is lucky to have Paula Clark."

- Lewis HS former parents

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Nina Sanders, Robinson SS

"My tenth-grade daughter recently sent this to her guidance counselor regarding her math teacher from last year. I was just wondering because I had her as a teacher last year and the learning environment she created was incredible, especially during a pandemic year. Her level of organization, the tactics she used for teaching, and her kindness helped me grow as a student and a person, and I'd love the opportunity to be in her class once again. I honestly cannot speak more highly of Ms. Sanders. She came in midway through the year during an already difficult time due to COVID and virtual teaching. Despite this, she quickly assessed the knowledge of both the class and myself as an individual and was able to get us through so much material in a way that we both understood it and were able to successfully apply it. Ms. Sanders went above and beyond in her teaching, but she was also a friendly face that I always felt comfortable going to when I needed help with the material. Math is by far not my strongest subject, but this past year I finally felt like I had a grip on the material due to Ms. Sanders' teaching."

- a Robinson SS parent

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Matt Watson, Wilton Woods

"Matt is a true team player. When we needed help to get account access in place quickly for a project I was working on, Matt found a way to make it happen. He listened to the needs and very quickly did research to find the best solution. Not only did he deliver a solution as promised in a short time frame, but he also made sure it was implemented in a user-friendly way. Thanks for all your support Matt!"

- Sarah Niel, Sprague Technology Center

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Raquel Snyder, Herndon ES

"I had the pleasure of working with Raquel at the Herndon Open House this evening. --and I do mean working. She was quick to see what the families needed as far as any assistance and had me chipping in to help immediately while she worked tirelessly. The families of Herndon are so lucky to have her caring, positive energy directed toward them. She is dedicated to helping them. Her enthusiasm is contagious and we are lucky to have her."

- Elaine Tholan, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Lance Fogleman, Dranesville ES

"I had the wonderful experience of going on the Dranesville Welcome Walk today with Lance and other Dranesville staff. The students were so excited to learn he was their teacher. A few past students were so excited to see him in their neighborhood, they were yelling out of home windows and cars to greet him. What a testament to building relationships with students. We all know how important this is to the best learning. Thank you Lance for caring so much about your students."

- Elaine Tholan, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Jeanette O'Malley and Katherine Andersen, Oak Hill ES

"One of my track and field athletes lost an elementary school graduation gift bag that he was using for practice. I reached out to Oak Hill Elementary school staff and they went above and beyond to find a replacement bag. They couldn't find one right away but 8 months later they discovered one and sent it over. I was moved that it was still on their mind and they were able to assist this student in recovering a valuable keepsake."

- Jason Franks, Chantilly HS

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Loreal Crumbley, Gatehouse Admin Center

"Loreal Crumbley has been so patient and helpful as I return to work to support new and veteran teachers. She immediately returned my numerous emails and phone calls for advice about procedures I should have remembered. She even called me from her home. Thank you, Loreal for your support."

- Jan Grosvenor, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Heather Kunz, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Heather created a thorough and comprehensive staff presentation explaining the function of the Local Screening Committee and the procedures for initial and reevaluation referrals including expectations of the staff. She then provided this presentation for three one-hour sessions for all school staff. Heather did all this with a high degree of professionalism and extensive knowledge. She was patient and kind with all attendees and answered questions effectively."

- Marsi Beschel, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Nathaniel Gibson, Forbes Place

"Nathaniel was at Pulley last night helping move furniture out of the school to the warehouse. It was around 6 pm when I left, and he and his partner were still working!! Nathaniel was amazing, very professional, courteous, and a joy to talk with. I just want to recognize Nathaniel's hard work and dedication to his job. When my staff came to work this morning, our hallways were clear of unneeded furniture, which has a positive impact on our staff morale. Thank you, Nathaniel!!!"

- Peter Kelly, Pulley Career Center

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Arthur Hunter, Forbes Place

"Arthur was at Pulley last night helping move furniture out of the school to the warehouse. It was around 6 pm when I left, and he and his partner were still working!! Arthur was amazing, very professional, courteous, and a joy to talk with. I just want to recognize Arthur's hard work and dedication to his job. When my staff came to work this morning, our hallways were clear of unneeded furniture, which has a positive impact on our staff morale. Thank you, Artie!!!"

- Peter Kelly, Pulley Career Center

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Kristen Coyne, Gatehouse Admin Center

"I want to shout out Kristen for helping to process a newly hired teacher in time to open school and start with his classes on the first day of school. She was tenacious in getting the paperwork processed and supporting the teacher through the entire process. So thankful for her hard work!"

- Christina Cashman, West Potomac HS

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Julie Yocom, Sprague Technology Center

"I called Julie about something that we had been trying to accomplish for several weeks and within a very short period of time, it was resolved! She epitomizes professionalism and caring to help us get school started smoothly for Monday!"

- Craig Herring, Whitman MS

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Stephanie Bluestein, West Potomac HS

"Stephanie was the counselor for the Summer Credit Recovery session and stayed extra time with one of my students who missed the first couple of days and worked with her to make sure that she got the requisite number of minutes for credit for attending the summer session. She went out of her way to help my student. Thankful for people like her."

- Garth Porter, West Potomac HS

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Cathy Gundlach, Glen Forest ES

"Cathy is always willing to offer a lending hand. This week, she has helped her team prepare for the return of students next week. Specifically, she took the time out of her day to help me with my technology needs and making my room student-ready. Although we are not on the same team this year, she still used her time to assist me. I am grateful for her kindness and to have her as a colleague. Thank you, Cathy!"

- Rachel Piptone, Glen Forest ES

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Kathy Reese, South County MS

"Ms. Reese went above and beyond to help my daughter with a schedule change. She is incredibly responsive to my emails, and her efforts have made the transition back to school so much less stressful for my daughter. She helped us out at the school's open house and I am just so appreciative of everything she does. South County Middle School is lucky to have such a wonderful, professional, kind DSS."

- a South County MS parent

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Aaron Curtis, Forbes Place

"Mr. Curtis and his team have been extremely helpful to Pulley Career Center. He has been responsive and flexible with dropping off and picking up furniture items in an extremely timely, and professional manner. Mr. Curtis and his team are very much appreciated! Thank you!!"

- Peter Kelly, Pulley Career Center

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Sher Nasir, Sprague Technology Center

"As we were working on launching the Employee Hub, Sher has come to our rescue many times. Each time we brought him a concern or question, he promptly provided answers and solutions. If there is a way to accomplish something; Sher will make it happen. He often comes up with solutions that are even better than what the group proposed, let alone thought was possible. Sher is not only knowledgeable, but he is also truly happy to help people and that is evident in every one of his interactions. Thank you, Sher, for all that you did to help with the smooth transition from the old FCPSnet to the new Employee Hub! Your advice and efforts are deeply appreciated!"

- The Employee Hub Team

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Scott Dreier, Lake Braddock SS

"Scott is amazing! He is an expert in fixing all things technology-related, and if he doesn't know how to fit it-he figures it out! He explains things very well and doesn't make you feel crazy for asking. Scott, we would be lost without you!!"

- Maya Nardone, Lake Braddock SS

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Rebecca Cruley, Fairfax HS

"I appreciate Rebecca Cruley so much. FCPS in general does a tremendous job navigating the many changes that come particularly with this pandemic. I found myself navigating a new staff. I reached out to Rebecca for resources and supporting and she quickly responded and helped me with the steps that I need to go to support our student community. All the while, she is all the way across the county doing her own job. I appreciate that FCPS has been able to retain educators like her. West Potomac would definitely welcome her (if she ever wanted to come this way) if I am not speaking out of turn. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"

- Schavion Smith, West Potomac HS

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Michele Cross, Gatehouse Administration Center

"Michele Cross was instrumental in assisting with the Human Resource virtual portion of the Great Beginnings Summer Institute again this year. Michele developed the google doc that new teachers used for HR questions. Michele also sent the email blast to all new teachers with the links they needed to watch videos, check resources, and educate themselves prior to asking questions. She worked late to create a spreadsheet that HR staff used to speak live with the new teachers to answer their questions. She monitored and updated the spreadsheet the entire day HR staff was calling new teachers and kept everyone in the loop. She is a colleague who knows how to create a caring culture while building positive relationships. Thank you, Michele, for working with me and for helping to make this virtual event a huge success."

- Shelli Wayland, Gatehouse Administration Center

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Ana Pleitez, Gatehouse Administration Center

"Ana was a huge help with the bag distribution portion of the virtual Great Beginnings Summer Institute. Even though GBSI 2021 was virtual again this year, vendors had the option to provide items that new teachers would typically pick up when visiting them during the in-person event. Ana worked to make over 1,600 packets of information that would go into the bags along with the vendor items. She then worked with me to pack 1,600 bags with approximately 20 items in each bag. The bags were then separated by the number of teachers new to FCPS in each school, packaged, and shipped to the lead mentor at each school for distribution. Ana is a colleague who is collaborative, caring, positive, and supportive of all HR – Business Services initiatives. Thank you, Ana, for working with me and beating the deadline. Another way that we were able to make this virtual event a success."

- Shelli Wayland, Gatehouse Administration Center

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Bryan Buser, Gatehouse Administration Center

"Bryan Buser did it again! He went above and beyond to support the virtual Great Beginnings Summer Institute this year with a collaborative, and responsive attitude. Because the event was virtual for the second year, Bryan recreated an all-inclusive website, complete with comprehensive videos, information, and answers to questions for new hires. He created six different tiles (FCPS Resources, Human Resources, Information Technology Resources, Associations, Health Care Vendors, and Retirement/Tax-Deferred Accounts). Under each one of the tiles is everything a new and current employee need. New teachers had access to these resources prior to the GBSI 2021 kickoff allowing them to use the information when meeting with vendors and departments virtually. Teachers appreciated the one-stop online virtual shop that they can also use throughout the year. Bryan made suggestions and communicated at all hours of the day and night during the redevelopment phase of the web pages. He updated information as it was being sent and dealt with hundreds of emails from me in addition to his regular work. Bryan is an amazing, positive, supportive, collaborative, and committed co-worker. It is a pleasure to work with him on different projects throughout the year. Thank you, Bryan, for helping to make this virtual event a success again!"

- Shelli Wayland, Gatehouse Administration Center

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Llexell Evangelista, Sprague Technology Center

"Llexell went above and beyond to assist me with HR information that needed to be printed and placed in the 2021 Great Beginnings Summer Institute bags that were sent to schools for distribution. Llexell is an individual who collaborates and builds relationships with everyone he meets. He is respectful, upbeat, caring, and always goes above and beyond to make any situation or event like the Great Beginnings Summer Institute a total success. This program has multiple layers of logistics and this year because we were virtual again, it added additional layers. This showcased the quality collaboration between multiple offices, and the superior work happening in FCPS. The Great Beginnings Virtual Summer Institute was an enriching, engaging experience for new teachers and reinforced that ordinary things create extraordinary results! Thank you for making my role in the process a little easier."

- Shelli Wayland, Gatehouse Administration Center

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Denise Coniglio, Gatehouse Administrative Center

"Denise has been a wonderful partner and collaborator. Every time we need her, she is thoughtful responsive, and supportive. She makes our staff feel valued, seen, and affirmed. She is a great listener and very organized. I am so very grateful for her support and understanding of the complex needs of my teams as well as her advocacy. Thank you, Denise!"

- Leona Smith, Willow Oaks

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J. Brian Mason, Herndon MS

"Mr. Mason's passion for Social Studies encourages students to develop skills as critical and historical thinkers. His classroom is a safe space where students can come as they are and leave feeling empowered to (as he himself says) "make their corner of the world better." As Social Studies Dept. Chair, Mr. Mason leads from the heart and works tirelessly to ensure each member of our team feels heard and valued. He mentors younger teachers and guides them as they begin their journeys in education, providing support and encouragement along the way."

- Jordyn Pistilli, Herndon MS

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Susie Britton, West Potomac HS

"Ms. Britton was the Principal for the Summer Credit Recovery Program for West Po, and she handled the students and the teachers with kindness and positivity. She was awesome. Susie is an Asst. Principal at our school, and though I am a career switcher and a new teacher, she helped me by showing that caring about the students was most important."

- Garth Porter, West Potomac HS

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Matt Carlock, George Coe, Brad Smith, Becky Chill, Maren Hoover, Mary Ann Cohen, Zach Fidel, and Steve Przywara, West Potomac HS

"Want to express my gratitude for you all taking on the mantle of CT Lead this year. Thank you! Let's rock it!"

- Brian Bishop, West Potomac HS

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Celina Morgan, Katie Van Nuys, and Lindsay Boerger, McLean HS

"Worked really well together moving WHII to a thematic structure over the summer."

- Emer Johnson, McLean HS

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Cara Bremer, Holmes MS

"Cara does a tireless job helping all of our CTs plan instruction that is scaffolded for our English Learner population. She consistently and without hesitation helps to create materials and assessments designed to provide access to our EL students. Her efforts have helped to make us all more conscious educators."

- Kyle Drake, Holmes MS

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Chuck Koch, Chantilly HS

"During the virtual year, Mr. Koch went above and beyond by being lead of the Honors World History I sub-team. He took on much responsibility and work to help all the team as a whole to make sure we were meeting the requirements of the county, manage expectations of students, and somehow keep us all sane. Only the wisest of captains can sail a ship home."

- Ryan Childress, Chantilly HS

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Barb Caley, Robinson SS

"Barb is probably one of the best people I have the privilege to work with and to know as a person and friend. As a department chair, she respects our time by efficiently and thoroughly disseminating the information and resources we need to succeed in our classrooms. She is genuine and kind; she checks in with us to make sure we are not just "doing our jobs," but that we are in a healthy place and working towards a balanced work/home life. I could continue to sing Barb's praises and document her impact on me and our department, however, this post would then-rival Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in its length and lofty vocals. Therefore, I will wrap up my Ode to Barb Caley with this final note: it is my privilege to work with Barb, to seek her input, to work through challenges with her, and to have her as a friend and colleague."

- Randee Wittkopf, Robinson SS

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Stephanie Mellone, Jackson MS

"Stephanie Mellone was my mentor last year as I began my first year of teaching in the midst of a pandemic. Her guidance, flexibility, compassion, and seeing her genuine passion for social studies and students kept me grounded throughout the year. Even though she is not my mentor anymore, I still look up to her!"

- Kaia Lazo, Jackson MS

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Stacey La, Dunn Loring Center

"Thank YOU, Ms. La, for your excellent customer service. Ms. La goes out of her way to help whoever asks for assistance. It could be a custodian who needs assistance with his supply order or MyTime. It could be a parent who needs directions for central registration. It could be a colleague who needs to set up her technology equipment. Ms. La always responds with a smile and a "Yes, I can help." She's so talented. She can respond in five languages. Thank YOU, Ms. La!"

- Linda Ferguson, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Donna Swilley, Twain MS

"Donna has helped me correct a busing problem for my daughter. We had a great conversation, and I enjoyed talking to her. However, I got two auto weird emails that made it seem like the problem wasn’t fixed. I was upset by it (and overreacted a little) and Donna went out of her way to be very friendly and fix the problem. Donna is an awesome person! She now feels like a friend. Thank you again, Donna!"

- a Twain MS parent

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Monica Schmitt, Kilmer MS

"I want to thank and commend Monica Schmitt for her steadfast support in helping our son who had an IEP, now 504 through distance learning and the many changes in the way school functioned during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Our family was able to meet our son's needs to the best outcome possible due to Monica's calm, knowledgeable, reassuring advice and support whenever we needed her. She was a consistent and reliable voice of reason and knowledge when we needed it most and we are very grateful."

- a Kilmer MS parent

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Carolyn Henry, Stonecroft Transportation

"She has always been so attentive and personable with my special needs son. He is in a wheelchair and she makes every morning fun for him. He was so excited to get on the bus for ESY. Thanks for making him feel so special!"

- a member of the FCPS community

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Tom Parker, Gatehouse Administration Center

"Tom was extremely responsive and helpful. He provided timely, meaningful and expert assistance. Fairview thanks you for your outstanding service!"

- Meghan Ehrman, Fairview ES

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Brittany Hayman, Twain MS

"Thank you for sharing your time and expertise to lead a Schoology Summer Learning Practitioner Stories session in support of Schoology division rollout. Your perspective as a Schoology pilot teacher is invaluable, and we are grateful you chose to share your experiences. Over 1100 teachers participated in these learning opportunities, thanks to your willingness to lead sessions. Thank you again!"

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Renee Harvey, Twain MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Alison Hager, London Towne ES

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Becky Barnes, Westfield HS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Krista Hennessey-Jacks, Westfield HS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Kimberly Yeo, Twain MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Tracy Magwire, Stone MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Charles Quinlan, Stone MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Sara DeLuca, Churchill Road ES

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Sara Kahrs, Cooper MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Meaghan Leslie, Twain MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Adam Hoo, Edison HS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Cheryl Bamdad, Churchill Road ES

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Jessica Suh, Westfield HS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Rebecca Cousins, Willow Oaks Admin Center

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Kenny Torres, Langley HS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Elward Crianza, West Springfield HS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Rachel Wolfe, Cooper MS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Megan Stanley, Cooper MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Laura Gilmore, Cooper MS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Nicholas Western, Edison HS

- Andrea Martin Jones and Sharon Dickens, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Elizabeth Jackson-Pettine, West Springfield HS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Ashley Karraro, West Springfield HS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Janelle Roman Nieves, Twain MS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Jennifer Kuchno, Fairfax Virtual HS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Lisa Leno, Westfield HS

- Sharon Dickens and Andrea Martin Jones, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Mary Olsen and Carleen McKenzie, Lake Braddock SS

"Guery Cespedes and his crew (Hannah Ampong, Emma Aguirre, Luz Zamora, Francisco Tejeda Menjivar, Eduardo Huerta and Daud Ahmed) were incredibly helpful to us upon our return to the building on 8/11 and 8/12. Given our unique interactions with students, we needed our bulky and heavy office furniture completely rearranged. Guery and his crew not only willingly accommodated this request, they did so within 15 minutes of our requests. They took the time to make sure we were completely satisfied with the placement and repositioned materials once they were finished. On a daily basis, this entire crew works extremely hard to keep our school clean and beautiful. We appreciate them so much for all they do."

- Guery Cespedes, Lake Braddock SS

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Danh Phan, Vinh Tran, Eric Oden, and Sung Kim, Woodson - IT

"I pulled up to the front door of Gatehouse Admin Center in the heat of the day with 20 large cases of water in a vehicle that needed to be unloaded. These four gentlemen had just completed a job on the 5th floor and were walking out of the building. They saw me and immediately jumped into action to assist. Instead of taking 20 minutes or more, we were done in just 10 minutes. They loaded the dollies and pulled them into the building. They could have just kept on walking to their trucks but instead, they stopped and helped. This is what FCPS Cares is all about. Employees helping employees with a smile! Thank you all for your assistance!"

- Shelli Wayland, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Maria Tedesco, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Maria shows that FCPS Cares by being an amazing administrative assistant in supporting the Great Beginnings Summer Institute 2021 in any and every way possible. She booked rooms, discovered accommodation options, ordered supplies, and organized materials all with a smile on her face! We could not have done it without her! Thanks, Maria!"

- Melissa Johnson and Diana Ree-Reeder, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Elizabeth Soteriou, Annandale HS

"This year there was a delay in the admittance of students coming to Thomas Jefferson. Elizabeth took time away from her duties at Annandale and put in extra hours to assist in getting TJ freshmen into the TJ database in a very tight timeline. Without her help, we would not have been able to complete the tasks needed for us to open. She is a rock star!"

- Rae Kobren, Thomas Jefferson HS for Science and Technology

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William "Billy" Lariscy, Gatehouse Admin Center

"Billy serves our organization in the position of Field Construction Rep on the Renovation Team at Cooper MS. If you're lucky enough to catch up with him (he IS perpetual motion) you will quickly learn that he is a subject matter expert, dedicated team player, and motivational leader for the scores of contractors he directs each day. He deals with school admin, trades workers, OFM, constituents, and his direct reports with tact and respect while providing accountable leadership and a safe work zone throughout his job sites. If you can get him to hold still long enough, thank him for his service."

- Randy Fricks, Merrifield Support Center

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Will Bushey, Forbes Place

"I spoke with Will concerning my retirement options and health benefits after retirement, frankly I was lost. Will was super! He explained the how's and why's of retirement to me and then sent me links to all YouTube videos concerning planning for retirement, estimating my monthly benefits and Health benefits in retirement, plus a retirement checklist. I feel Will went above and beyond in customer service. He truly is an employee that cares and shows it!"

- Robin Vogel, Energy Zone Food Service Center

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Jack Hagwood, Rocky Run MS

"Jack is our building supervisor and has gone above and beyond in helping us get ready for the school year. We appreciate his willingness to move and install bookshelves in our new music library, put tables together, secure lockers to the walls for our custodians, and just about anything else we ask him to do! Thank you so much, Jack - you make a difference."

- Christine Sciabica, Rocky Run MS

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Tara Sanz, Glasgow MS

"Tara Sanz has gone above and beyond to support the FCPS National Board Certification Program. She has taught the course supporting new candidates in prior years and this year has been instrumental in starting a Pre-Candidacy program. This program prepares teachers to pursue National Board Certification, a major career milestone and for many, their first step into teacher leadership. She has been collaborative, flexible, and generous in sharing her expertise to develop this program and support potential NBCT candidates. She is always open to taking on responsibilities within the program and the Pre-Candidacy program would not have been so successful without her involvement as the instructor of the Academy course and collaborator on the content. Thank you, Tara!!!"

- Sara Royer, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Nubia Revilla, Key MS

"Nubia is a very experienced teacher. She is also a very kind and generous person. This week while we were in a workshop she shared many resources, ideas, and strategies with me to such an extent that she became the best facilitator, professor, and colleague to help me understanding the IB framework since I am new to the IB environment. I want to express my gratitude to her, and this is just a little token of my appreciation."

- Gloria Blumenthal, Edison HS

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Paul Osei Akrasi, Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, and the entire Woodson custodial staff, Woodson HS

"Woodson was one of the host sites for this year's 2021 Leadership Kickoff Conference. There was a lot of work to be done in a short turnaround and very few issues to handle in order to get set up for the kickoff in time. This is all due to Paul, Emmanuel & the entire custodial staff at Woodson. They were Amazing!!! They were very patient, kind, and quick in responding to all requests that were sent their way. Not once did they ever make us feel like we were hassling them when we requested something else. The entire staff was great about checking in with us regularly to ensure we had what we needed and they did it all with a huge smile. I am so grateful for all the hard work the entire custodial staff put in to ensure that the Leadership Kickoff went so smoothly. We can not thank you enough for everything you all did to help make this a great event for all those who attended. Thank you and I hope you all have a great start to your school year!"

- Ellen Hagan-Bowerman, Woodson HS

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Sue Kalbaugh, Gatehouse Admin Center

"Today is just one day that Sue has helped me. There have been many. Every time I call her or email her she is very responsive. Within minutes yes minutes she responds to my email has a solution and calls me to see if I have what I need. I really appreciate her follow-up and making sure I understand what I am doing. Thanks so much for all you have done for me and others in the schools! You are a rock star!!"

- Linda Layton, Rose Hill ES

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Susan Ellis and Oscar Melendez, Sprague Technology Center

"Special thanks to Susan and Oscar for remoting in and fixing my computer's interface to the FCPS server."

- Anne Marie Aschenbrenner, Graham Road Community Center

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Matthew Norton, Gatehouse Admin Center

"Simply stated, Matthew Norton is incredible. It is currently an incredibly busy time of year and a lot of energy in regards to staffing and budgeting. Matthew is the calming, calculated voice in the room. We reached out to Matthew with some time-sensitive questions and he made himself immediately available. He extended his time to answer our questions thoroughly, offered authentic feedback, and provided more clarity around the process. I certainly left my experience with Matthew better prepared to serve my school and community. Westfield and FCPS are fortunate to have a resource like Matthew Norton."

Tony DiBari, Westfield HS

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Jacki Wilson and Susie Ellis, Gatehouse Admin Center and Sprague Technology Center

"Having lived in NY my whole life, surrounded by family and being fortunate enough to teach in the very district I grew up in, I decided it was time for me to make a change. I recently moved to VA and started my position as a special education teacher/local screening chair. After a few long days of trial and error in the training system and searching online for assistance, I couldn't have been more grateful to have come into contact with Susie and Jacki. Both of these two women separately took time out of their busy day(s) to stay on the phone with me, a complete stranger, for nearly 45 minutes at a time. They helped me with anything that they could, far beyond what their role description is. Jacki and Susie, thank you both for exhibiting such kindness and patience. For the first time since I've arrived in VA, I felt a lot closer to "home" just having you both on the other end of the phone willing to help."

- Jaimie Ehardt, Flint Hill ES

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Russel Wade and Maria Canas, West Springfield HS

"I was part of the team from OPLFE supporting the 2021 Leadership Kickoff at West Springfield High School. There was much work to be done in a short turnaround and a few problems to be worked out with space and furniture in order to get set up for the kickoff in time. Russel and Maria and the entire custodial staff at West Springfield were INCREDIBLE. They were patient, kind, and fast in responding to requests. They provided options for solutions to problems and never once did we feel like we were hassling them. They checked in with us regularly to ensure we had what we needed and they did it all with a smile. I am so grateful for all they did to ensure the kickoff went so smoothly. I hope you all have the best school year!"

- Katie Eustis, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Paul Osei Akrasi, Woodson HS

"After the Region 5, Leadership Kickoff meeting at Woodson HS, my assistant principal and I were standing outside of the cafeteria trying to figure out how we were going to get all of our materials (including a heavy bin) out to our car. Mr. Osei Akrasi came by and asked if we needed help. We asked him which door would be closest to the parking lot. Instead of directing us to the nearest door, he loaded our things onto a cart, wheeled it out to our car, and loaded our things for us. The entire time, he did this with a smile and friendly conversation. What a professional, warm member of the Woodson custodial staff!"

- Natalie Lorenzi, Cub Run ES

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Lori DeSantes Waldack, West Potomac HS

"Ms. DeSantes is the Principal's AA at West Potomac HS and has been extremely helpful in helping me transition over to WP. For some time, I did not have access to many of the FCPS tools and portals, and Ms. DeSantes was so responsive to my needs and requests. They will slow down...I swear :) Thanks for all your help and support thus far! Let's have an amazing year!"

- Brett Garner, West Potomac HS

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Sejal Parekh, West Potomac HS

"Ms. Parekh is one of the two outstanding TSPEC's at West Potomac High School! Being new to the WP community, she has been SO helpful in getting me set up with all my technology needs. I feel like I have asked her a million questions and each time she responds in a most helpful and welcoming nature! TSPEC's are critical to our instructional success and we are lucky to have such a supportive one in Ms. Parekh! Thank you for all your help thus far and I swear...the questions will slow down eventually. :)"

- Brett Garner, West Potomac HS

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Jennifer Barbour, West Potomac HS

"I wanted to give a quick shout to Ms. Jennifer Barbour, the Administrative Assistant for West PO Academy! Being new to the department, I feel extremely lucky to have her in the office. She has been sooo kind, welcoming, and helpful during my transition. I am excited for the school year and to have her on our team. Thanks for all you have and will continue to do to support our kids and community, Ms. Barbour!!"

- Brett Garner, West Potomac HS

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Jacquie, Naughton, Lake Braddock SS

"We have been SO lucky this summer to have such an amazing school leader for our credit recovery students at Lake Braddock. Jacquie, you have been our Yoda and our staff wants to share the positive impact you had not only on our lives but our students as well. Jacquie has worked tirelessly prior to and during both sessions to ensure all goes smoothly. Jacquie makes the school a little bit brighter, and of course, a whole lot of fun! The school spirit/dress-up days and surprise snacks were thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by all. Jacquie has this uncanny and creative way of knowing exactly who will be wonderful at whatever task or responsibility is needed, even if that person doesn’t know it yet. She was strategic in pairing staff and students together. SO many positive student-teacher relationships have been formed (and will now continue into the future). Jacquie is super patient, incredibly fair in her decisions, and has a positive energy that transfers to whoever she is interacting with. Jacquie gives students as many chances as they need to succeed WITHOUT lowering the bar. Jacquie makes it a top priority to get to know all students personally. She greets students by name each morning and then waves them goodbye every afternoon. Jacquie adds value to the many people she comes in contact with. Her spirit is electric and contagious. My summer school experience was awesome largely due to Jacquie and her support and caring manner. She cares deeply for students and when she sees a student who needs extra help or attention, she goes out of her way to make sure they’re taken care of. Jacquie is extremely patient – with both kids and adults. She also genuinely trusts us as professionals, which has been a breath of fresh air. All of Jacquie’s staff meetings were informative and well-organized. Even though we only had two three-week sessions, I’ve never left a check-in meeting or Teacher Workday training feeling like “this couldn’t be an email”, which speaks to her skills as a principal/administrator and demonstrates to her staff that she values their time. Her demeanor and attitude are contagious and wonderful to be around. Summer school has been swimmingly delightful BECAUSE of Jacquie's leadership. Jacquie presents as relaxed, yet extremely effective and efficient. She handles the dramas with calm, kindness, and rationale. It has been difficult to really take notice of any chaos or kids not where they are supposed to be. I am not saying that it has been easy or that Jacquie has not had any challenges, but she handles these daily speed humps with grace, a positive demeanor, and professionalism. She really is an amazing person and she has worked hard to establish relationships with each and every colleague and student. Jacquie never ceases to amaze me with her extraordinary devotion to students. She brings tremendous energy, creativity, and compassion always! Summer school has run smoothly, and the kids have not only attended but engaged with adults, one another and mastered the content. I felt honored that Jacquie hired me. It became crystal clear that she wanted a positive experience for all students and trusted that I could provide this. Jacquie's dedication to our kiddos is unwavering and obvious that it really puts me in awe. I don’t know where all of her compassion comes from, but I’m glad she’s got it!! And I’m not talking about just in summer school but throughout the year, it’s just that I got to witness it more up close and personal in summer school and it truly is inspiring and these kids are so lucky to have her Simply put, Jacquie, YOU ARE A ROCK STAR! You put together an all-star team and provided us with all the support we could EVER want or need. We have been blessed to be a part of this experience. We connected and formed positive relationships with some of our most special students and felt like we had a sense of purpose in doing this important work. Our students were SO successful in attending and completing their coursework, which sets them up for a better new school year. Both staff and students loved and looked forward to coming to school each day and it is largely due in part to your smile, kindness, and overall genuine concern for each and every one of us! Thank you, Jacquie, for being an amazing colleague and always looking for the good in others. You use your talents and strengths to your advantage and thus have created an environment where people want to engage because they feel appreciated, seen, and heard."

- Amy Soos, Sierra Alexander, Jennifer Bury, and Raine Bradley, Lake Braddock SS

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Leslie Leisey, Poplar Tree ES

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your BETR together podcast is such an inspiration for many. The energy you bring, the resources you share, and the conversations you intentionally engage in are so powerful. Thank you for connecting us to so many important ideas! Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Jason Covey, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Nate Poumade, Robinson SS

- Jason Covey, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Lisa Prillaman, Greenbriar West ES

- Jason Covey, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Christie Day, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your session on Portrait of Graduate challenged participants to reflect on their instructional responses to the pandemic, and consider how they might create spaces that authentically serve their students. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!."

- Jason Covey, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Jeff Lonnett, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your session on Portrait of Graduate challenged participants to reflect on their instructional responses to the pandemic, and consider how they might create spaces that authentically serve their students. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Jason Covey, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Craig Perrier, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Craig has (again!) provided a complete level of support for teachers teaching credit recovery for social studies. He has made himself available for help and questions, sought feedback on updated materials, and provided a level of support that exemplifies best practices."

- Gretchen Snyder, Westfield HS

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Abbey Miller, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your session on Portrait of Graduate challenged participants to reflect on their instructional responses to the pandemic, and consider how they might create spaces that authentically serve their students. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Jason Covey, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Angela Porter, Stonecroft Transportation Center

"This lady is always happy, personable, and a joy for my son to see every morning to get on the bus. We have had many bus assistants in the past but never one who was so helpful, polite, and fun! She already goes the extra mile to make my son feel special."

- a Hutchinson ES parent

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Melanie Knowlton, Robinson SS

"Thank you Melanie for doing such an amazing job representing our SSA community. I appreciate the time you took to prepare the presentation for our meeting. I am so lucky to have a colleague like you. :-)"

- Annie Eisman, Cooper MS

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Ghazala Amjad, Mount Vernon Woods ES

"Ms. Amjad is one of the stellar ESOL Teachers at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary. I have had the pleasure to work with her over the past 5 years, but rarely directly in my classroom. I was thrilled to learn that Ms. Amjad was assigned to work with my class during Bridge to First Grade this summer. An outside observer would never know that Ms. Amjad had only 4 ESOL students in my class with who she was tasked to work. Each morning, Ms. Amjad would travel from table to table and work with every student in the class. Whether we were practicing our beginning sounds, cutting skills, identifying numbers 1-20, or exploring centers, Ms. Amjad never hesitated to co-teach and assist all students in being successful learners. Ms. Amjad took copious anecdotal notes regarding the academic and social-emotional needs of each student, which will prove helpful to classroom teachers in the fall. When my teacher assistant was absent, Ms. Amjad skipped her planning time to ensure that I had additional support in the classroom. I cannot rave enough about how professional, collaborative and kind Ms. Amjad was this summer and how her presence benefited our class. Ms. Amjad is a rare gem and I am honored to have her as a colleague!"

- Dorothy Wright, Mount Vernon Woods ES

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Pam Galietta, Rocky Run MS

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your coordination of and participation in the Digital Citizenship Socratic Seminar helped us promote student voice and a shared responsibility model. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Nishi Langhorne, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Charlotte Quigley, Little Run ES

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your session on "Creating with Littles" provided concrete strategies for fostering student agency, even at a young age, and utilizing Schoology to promote student creation. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Nishi Langhorne, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Heather Ziab, Herndon MS

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your Middle School Support Circle Gathering was a great opportunity to build community and support one another while preparing for a new school year. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Nishi Langhorne, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Shane Zavala, Liberty MS

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your Middle School Support Circle Gathering was a great opportunity to build community and support one another while preparing for a new school year. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Nishi Langhorne, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Marissa Petty, Key MS

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your session on "Back to Blended" reminded us of the importance of personalizing learning through blended learning strategies. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Nishi Langhorne, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Lindsey Fisher, Langley HS

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your session on "Back to Blended" reminded us of the importance of personalizing learning through blended learning strategies. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Nishi Langhorne, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Rachel Baxter, Marshall HS

"Thank you for facilitating a meaningful learning opportunity during our FCPSOnward UnConference and helping us actualize the five key messages of FCPSOn. Planning and facilitating takes time and demonstrates your commitment to supporting FCPS, even when outside of the scope of your own school. Thanks to you and your efforts, this event was relevant, engaging, and inspiring. Your session on "Back to Blended" reminded us of the importance of personalizing learning through blended learning strategies. Again, thank you for supporting this event while also modeling the use of our new LMS, Schoology. You are an instructional leader and trailblazer and are helping us move #FCPSOnward!"

- Nishi Langhorne, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Tim Signorelli, Justice HS

"Tim supported the learning of FCPS SBTS community by facilitating a professional learning session on using Twitter chats to support professional growth. We greatly appreciate the time and effort he made to support his colleague's learning."

- Ken Martin, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Grace Yi and Jane Flegal, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Grace and Jane partnered with two teachers to facilitate a highly impactful session for the FCPSOnward Unconference entitled Engaging Multilingual Families for Digital Literacy. Grace and Jane modeled best practices for online learning (Thanks for introducing me to the waterfall strategy!) and created space for participants to share their own stories and experiences with engaging families. They also shared high-leverage resources and tools for two-way communication with families. This session was incredibly beneficial to the school-based and central office learning leaders who attended. Because we know that family engagement is so vital to student success, this session will continue to reap positive impacts for students and families across FCPS. We are so grateful that Grace and Jane facilitated such a meaningful learning experience!"

- Leslie Borkenhagen, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Alanna Dushok, Westlawn ES

"Alanna supported the learning of FCPS SBTS community by facilitating a professional learning session on using Twitter chats to support professional growth. We greatly appreciate the time and effort she made to support her colleague's learning."

- Ken Martin, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Maria Duncan, Langley HS

"Maria partnered with members of the ESOL team in ISD to facilitate a session for the FCPSOnward Unconference entitled Engaging Multilingual Families for Digital Literacy. During the session, Maria shared her own experiences and strategies for engaging families, while pointing to high-leverage resources and tools. This session was incredibly beneficial to the school-based and central office learning leaders who attended. Because we know that family engagement is so vital to student success, this session will continue to reap positive impacts for students and families across FCPS. We are so grateful for the time that Ally took out of her summer to help facilitate such a meaningful learning experience! This shows her incredible commitment to FCPS."

- Leslie Borkenhagen, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Ally Talbot, Kings Park ES

"Ally partnered with members of the ESOL team in ISD to facilitate a session for the FCPSOnward Unconference entitled Engaging Multilingual Families for Digital Literacy. During the session, Ally shared her own experiences and strategies for engaging families, while pointing to high-leverage resources and tools. This session was incredibly beneficial to the school-based and central office learning leaders who attended. Because we know that family engagement is so vital to student success, this session will continue to reap positive impacts for students and families across FCPS. We are so grateful for the time that Ally took out of her summer to help facilitate such a meaningful learning experience! This shows her incredible commitment to FCPS."

- Leslie Borkenhagen, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Western Fairfax VIP Camp, Rocky Run MS

"This amazing team provided these middle school students five amazing weeks! We really appreciate their time and dedication. My daughter and her friends looked forward, every morning, to spending another day at camp. The program included a great variety of options including art & crafts, academic electives, and sports. Mr. Julio Dejo did an amazing job running the futsal group. Thank you for creating an opportunity like this one."

- a Johnson MS parent

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Andrew Carroll, Fairhill ES

"Mr. Andrew Gracen Carroll is an incredible PAC teacher who successfully taught my kid with special needs to tolerate wearing a mask via virtual learning. Mr. Carroll not only prepared an individualized weekly lesson plan for each kid in his class but also provided additional/optional study resources and materials to meet each kid's special needs. Besides virtually educating my kid, Mr. Carroll was also patient in coaching me twice per week. Though I always went over our time coaching sessions because of the tons of questions, he was never impatient to answer even a tiny question from me. I would say that educating a group of kids with special needs was a tough job, especially in a virtual environment. This was the first year that Mr. Carroll leads a PAC class, he did such great work and I believe he will keep successful in his future special education career."

- a Fairhill ES parent

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Chevette Mooney, Transitional Support Resource Center - Graham Road Community Center

"Mrs. Mooney was an amazing, caring, and kind Administrator for CCR. Her respect for the students and staff was evident and the students wanted to do well because of her encouragement and enthusiasm. Mrs. Mooney did a wonderful job this summer supporting students and staff at Graham Road. I look forward to having the chance to work with her again."

- Ann Gary, Transitional Support Resource Center - Graham Road Community Center

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Susan Ellis, Sprague Technology Center

"Dearest Susie! You ROCK! The day before I retire and you save me once again. Thank you for helping me get back on track with Google!"

- Evie Ifantides, former FCPS employee

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Joy Gordon, Sprague Technology Center

"Dearest Joy! You ROCK! Jane Flegal and I could not have had a successful summer school program without you! Thank you for all your guidance and support with ZOOM and Schoology!"

- Evie Ifantides, former FCPS employee

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Blanca Argueta-Ochoa, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Dearest Blanca, Thank you for all your help with our Itinerant Teachers and helping them get their laptops reimaged. You were a big, big help with the transition!"

- Evie Ifantides, former FCPS employee

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Jenny Sample, Oak Hill ES

"My 3rd grader lost his grandmother early this year. Mrs. Sample was so kind to counsel him through this severe loss and throughout the year was very compassionate to not just my child but the entire class during such a difficult school year. Her empathy and congeniality are genuinely heartfelt and is the perfect role model for not just children but parents as well."

- an Oak Hill ES parent

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Melissa Hoot, Cooper MS

"Melissa created and lead a 4 day series around Schoology and the Workshop model to support staff at Frost and other schools. She was kind and patient as the participants climbed the learning curve of the new LMS. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences as a pilot school member and as a fellow middle school educator."

- Laura Reed, Frost MS

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Patty Courtney, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"As newly hired Career and Transition Services (CTS) staff come to Willow Oaks to pick up their computer and receive work schedules, Ms. Patty Courtney goes above and beyond to welcome them. She greets newly hired staff in the lobby, so they do not have to struggle with the elevators or navigate through cubicles. Her friendly demeanor and patience as they log in to all FCPS applications on their staff-issued laptop for the first time is priceless. Today, a new hire had to bring in her toddler and Patty was ready with gifts for the daughter to play with so the new staff could focus on onboarding. CTS appreciates Patty Courtney for the positive welcoming experience that she provides to new staff that contributes to creating a premier workforce!!!"

- Sarah Blake, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Jessica Worrall, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Thank you, Ms. Worrall for being such a wonderful customer service ambassador for FCPS. The work that you do with the private schools on monitoring the distribution of the CARES Act funding is exemplary. You offer attention and personalized service to each of the schools. Way to go!"

- Linda Ferguson, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Sykeithia "Skyy" Bollers, Key MS

"This summer Ms. Bollers was presented with the opportunity to begin a community garden at Key Middle School. All I asked her was if she was interested in leading this as an enrichment period part of our Key Academy: IMAGINE & Young Scholars Program. She not only took the lead but she brought her passion into the classroom and to the garden. She was able to create lessons that quickly engaged students in the topic, created opportunities for higher-level thinking, and found activities for students to have hands-on experiences. As an effort to help weed the outdoor space, she created a lesson about root systems- I have never seen so many middle school students so excited to pull weeds and identify the root systems found! We are so grateful for all her time, effort, and dedication that she put into creating these lessons and activities during Key Academy this summer!"

- Daisy Gomes, Key MS

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Katie Eustis, Michelle Cottrell-Williams, and Rob Kerr, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Katie, Michelle, and Rob are providing summer learning opportunities for staff from OPLFE to engage in learning and dialogue around equity. Their efforts have provided a safe space for continued learning, vulnerability, and the advancement of equity efforts I have been honored to be included as a former member of OPLFE and thank them from the bottom of my heart for their ongoing efforts and passion for equity."

- Emily Preston, Flint Hill ES

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Sree Hareesh and Matt Barber, Providence ES

"I would like to extend a gigantic thank you to Matt Barber and Sree Hareesh. They were the Instructional Assistants who helped with my Summer SOAR class. I could not have done it without them. They both have a good rapport with the students and, every day, they show that they CARE. If a student is upset, they take the time to try to find out why. They share their ideas and expertise, and their insights related to what individual students say, or class discussions. They have been instrumental in creating our supportive SOAR class community, and have been understanding and supportive when things do not go as planned. Matt has become King of the Temperamental Smart Board (the HDMI cord has a loose connection) and it always seems to magically work when he touches it and King of Opening Oranges for the kids during lunch. Sree knows what I need before I even know what I need! Every day they exemplify that FCPS Cares. Whether it is giving an injured child a band-aid or giving a student the gift of their time, they are “on it” and I am so thankful to be working with such caring people! Sree and Matt thank you both for all your help and for being such glowing examples of FCPS Cares!"

- Stacy Greene, Providence ES

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Shannon Mueck, Silverbrook ES

"Shannon Mueck is a champion for children. She is currently leading Silverbrook’s summer program as director. Mrs. Mueck’s goal is for all students to have fun while learning. She involves all staff in decision making, while always keeping kids’ needs at the forefront. Mrs. Mueck is always upbeat and excited for the day. Her energy and outlook rub off on all staff and students who encounter her. Behind the scenes, Mrs. Mueck is ensuring all activities are fun and engaging for students, checking in with teachers on student engagement, organizing breakfast and lunches so no child learns hungry, and communicating with parents. She leads a team of educators to organize and execute Wacky Wednesday and Fun Friday activities. You can feel the excitement and caring culture the moment you walk into the building! It is an honor to work alongside Mrs. Shannon Mueck. She is an inspiration, a role model, and a leader to all who encounter her. Thank you, Shannon Mueck, for ALL you do!!!!"

- anonymous, Silverbrook ES

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Karen Russell, Providence ES

"I would like to give a HUGE round of applause to……(drum roll please)…….Karen Russell. Karen is the Site Director at Providence ES. She has worked tirelessly to ensure that everything with Bridge to K, SOAR, and Young Scholars runs smoothly. She selected the teachers (and I am SO grateful to be one of them!), the IA’s, and the resource staff, and thanks to her, our CARING team is working miracles. The students arrive with smiles and leave looking forward to the next day. She supports all her staff and makes sure they have everything they need to be successful. She visits different rooms and connects easily with the students. In SOAR we are talking about persuasion so she may even be persuaded to buy popsicles! Karen, thank you for the smiles you bring to students and staff every day. All one has to do is look at the smiling faces arriving at PES to know that you have cultivated a community of FCPS CARES!"

- Stacy Greene and Janice Suitte, Providence ES

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Nina Holton, Providence ES

"I would like to give a huge shout-out to Nina Holton. She is the SOAR SPED Resource teacher at Providence ES. She is absolutely amazing and works her CARING magic every day. She came to my classroom and assessed students, she works 1:1 with students in one of my reading groups, AND whatever I request/need magically appears before me! I have asked for games, 100’s charts, alphabet charts, sleeves for dry-erase activities (and more!), and abracadabra – Nina has produced it all and more! When she noticed that I was doing an activity with the class, she gave me a resource to reinforce that activity. Nina is a shining example of FCPS Cares because she cares about the students and about meeting every child where they are and giving them exactly what they need. Thank you, Nina, for all you do! I am so thankful to have you as a colleague at Providence!"

- Stacy Greene and Janice Suitte, Providence ES

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Elizabeth Hernandez, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"While managing multiple curriculum projects across various areas, I needed help getting teachers ready for their summer credit recovery session. I reached out to Elizabeth who immediately responded with support for ways to get teachers the support they needed that same afternoon. I appreciate the responsiveness and collaboration that Elizabeth always brings!"

- Yaara Crane, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Richard Stegman, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"While managing multiple curriculum projects across various areas, I needed help evaluating a Physics unit to be ready on a very short deadline. I reached out to Rick, a former Physics teacher, and he immediately jumped onto a virtual meeting to help me to problem-solve. His help was invaluable and will help to provide a high-quality curriculum for the Return to School in August!"

- Yaara Crane, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Sarah Niel, Sprague Technology Center

"Sarah took time out of her day to virtually meet with me one-on-one to support me with understanding and navigating the new Employee Hub. She spent 30 minutes giving me a personal tutorial on how the Hub works and how to organize my personal profile to ensure success. Our session was very informative and has provided me with the knowledge to support others as they transition to the Hub. Sarah was patient, friendly, supportive, and very knowledgeable. She exemplifies the caring culture of FCPS."

- Josh Douds, Centreville ES

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Matthew Robinson, Mountain View HS

"Matt is a security assistant that is a dedicated and wonderful asset to the credit recovery program at Mountain View. Matt engages with students in a highly positive and meaningful manner through sports activities and social interactions while giving students a chance to learn through a teachable moment. His interactions with students are very inspiring. Whether there is a student crisis, a student needing encouragement, or guidance needed, Matt always steps up to the plate and brings the best out of our students."

- Anthony Tran, Justice HS

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Sarah Nguyen and Megan Spain, Sprague Technology Center

"Sarah and Megan have done an amazing job supporting Summer SIS users. This summer has been extremely busy and challenging due to increased participation in summer courses. Megan and Sarah have remained calm, upbeat, and patient while providing amazing support to teachers and summer administrators. They both have superb communication and trouble-shooting skills that saves my team time and effort. Their efforts are appreciated, and their work has greatly contributed to the success of summer programs. Thank you all for going above and beyond!"

- Michelle Andrews, Wilton Woods Center

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Rashad Harris, Key MS

"Rashad went above and beyond to help us work with a student. He came into the classroom and talked through the data and observations we had been seeing. He helped us create an ABC data checklist based on what we had documented and been seeing. He spent the whole morning talking through each section of the datasheet with us. After we talked through it, he went back and cleaned it up. Then he came back to look at it with us to make sure it was in line with what we were seeing. Rashad helped us find a better way to take data to find ways to help the student. It was a great learning experience and teamwork opportunity. He has the best interest of not only the students but how to help teachers learn and be successful. I am very thankful to have had a chance to work and collaborate with Rashad."

- Lauren Morlando, Key MS

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Erika Stavropoulos, Key MS

"Erika has been an amazing support during ESY. She changed her schedule around to be able to help support the classroom and this one student who needed some extra support. She has been here day in and day out, all day in the classroom helping come up with a plan and working with the student. Erika is already planning ahead on how to help this student transition to the second ESY session and transition back into the classroom for the school year. It has been such a pleasure to work with Erika and learn from her. She has gone ahead and beyond and is still doing whatever she can. Erika has the best interest of the students in mind and wants to do whatever it takes to help the students."

- Lauren Morlando, Key MS

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Tomas David Lopez, Woodson Complex

"Mr. Lopez assisted us with finding a placement for our new tent structure. He then provided additional support in addressing some concerns in regard to safety and our playground. He was extremely knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile for us!"

- Rebecca Gidoni, Teresa Lewis, and Julie Hart, Terra-Centre ES

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Sonia Mial, Transportation Attendant

"I met Sonia as students were being dismissed from Hutchison ES programs last week. She fully explained to me the job she has been doing as a bus attendant. She and her colleagues talked in a very caring manner about their work with our students. It is so obvious that she cares deeply about her students and her job. Her job and her dedication to it cannot be overlooked!!"

- Elaine Tholen, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Ann McNuss, Stonecroft Transportation

"I met Ann as students were being dismissed from Hutchison ES programs last week. She fully explained to me the job she has been doing for the past 26 years as a bus attendant. It is so obvious that she cares about her students. Her motto is "Get to know your student". She said that even if a student cannot speak, she can tell how they are feeling by their eyes and she does her best to get them what they need. As she pointed out, the bus attendant is often the first FCPS person the students see in the morning and the last person they see as they go home. So her job and her dedication to it cannot be overlooked!!"

- Elaine Tholen, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Nitin Bhatia, Sprague Technology Center

"Nitin worked tirelessly this summer, responding to a multitude of emails and Meet chats, to enroll 80+ teachers into the Zoom 401 group for the Online Campus. With several staff members and over 120 families traveling to 50+ different countries while teaching/attending classes this summer, Nitin and the FASTeam worked to ensure students and teachers had access to their synchronous classes without interruption. Thank you!"

- Joy Gordon, Sprague Technology Center

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Keith Walker, Sprague Technology Center

"Keith went above and beyond to help get one of our data systems back up and running after a recent update was applied. He was able to solve the difficult problem despite not actually knowing how to use the program he was fixing. He combed through hard-to-read internet research and tried several possible solutions before finding one that worked. He did all this while keeping a calm and courteous demeanor, and without getting flustered by any roadblocks. Thanks, Keith!"

- Shawn Heilemann, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Nathaniel Jenkins, Sprague Technology Center

"Nathaniel was extremely helpful in assisting me with troubleshooting technical difficulties I was having with my work iPhone. He also advised me in adjusting my settings for upcoming international travel. He was personable, patient and genuinely wanted to ensure that I was set up properly on a late Friday afternoon before the weekend. FCPS is very fortunate to have this outstanding employee."

- Frances Ivey, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Tamra Ferreira & Luke Frels, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"I want to thank Tamra Ferreira and Luke Frels for leading the coordination of a great night out for teachers and their families who were invited to enjoy a free orchestral concert at Wolf Trap. Wolf Trap is a value Ignite Partner for Fairfax County Public Schools and in early June they called offering free tickets to 450 FCPS educators. The trick was that the educators needed to be communicated with and then coordinated, and sectioned off in COVID pods. Tamra said "yes we can" and Luke took the "baton" and orchestrated the effort. While Wolf Trap's offer was an acknowledgment that others in our community recognize the hard work and the dedication of educators, Tamra and Luke's leadership proved that that hard work is always ongoing. Thank you both!"

- Jay Garant, Gatehouse Admin Center

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Charlie Richardson, Steve Passino, and Michael Lin, Edison Support Center

"Charlie was at our school for reported AC issues. At the same time, a large kiln had just been delivered to our school. The driver was unable to bring the kiln indoors which was a huge task! Charlie called a couple of colleagues who responded in minutes and were able to assist our custodian with bringing the kiln indoors. These guys saved the day! They were quick to lend support and a helping hand. FCPS is fortunate to have them!"

- Ellen Lambert, Hayfield ES

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Simon Tham, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Shout out to Simon Tham! Simon has been supporting us with MYPDE training and support through some challenging staff transitions and deadline pressures. Simon is always willing to help. He is patient no matter how many times we reach out to him. He is always kind, which is crucial during this time of transition for all of us. We appreciate Simon and value his positive attitude."

- Vickie Shoap, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Kathy Eckert, Sprague Technology Center

"The Teaching Materials Production Center, TMPC, has been a high-performance entity for years but it has only been since Kathy Eckert joined IT Service Management and eventually took over the role of programming guardian that the shop has been able to elevate its service model. To function effectively a chargeback service like the TMPC requires a solid accounting backbone to manage the incidents generated by schools and centers throughout FCPS. When RequestIT began in 2008 the TMPC, a unique part of the Department of Information Technology was provided with a special application to handle all their incidents or tickets. As with any new business model aspect, there were growing pains aplenty. The new service, not completely intuitive, put TMPC personnel on a learning curve taxing user and customer patience alike. Time and increased familiarity with RequestIT pushed many issues aside but it was not until Kathy Eckert started with IT Service Management in 2019 and subsequently made the TMPC her mission that this largely unseen module began to more completely fulfill the level of service which had originally been envisioned. Since then Kathy has been a behind-the-scenes angel for the TMPC. She anticipates issues and acts proactively taking full ownership of problems and seeing them through to their resolution. Kathy’s process never fails to consider timeliness as an integral part of any issue, and she is unfailingly prompt to answer any sort of question. Kathy’s unflinching resolve and her capacity to completely empathize with TMPC RequestIT users is an invaluable asset not only for the TMPC but for future users of this system who will benefit from her meticulous documentation of the processes she has helped to refine. Kathy’s tireless work in support of TMPC activities underlines her professionalism and programming expertise and her advocacy for the TMPC ranks her among the most favored of their partners."

- Mark Hyer, Sprague Technology Center

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Raegan Hanson, Willow Oaks Admin Center

"Raegan has dedicated countless hours as a thought partner and expert regarding collaborative teams and the instructional cycle. She has helped move Middle School English Language arts forward with her knowledge and expertise. Her willingness to support others and collaborate is unparalleled and has benefited so many teachers and students as a result."

- Meg Mascelli, Willow Oaks Admin Center

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Ginger Talbert, Gatehouse Admin Center

"I would like to appreciate Ginger Talbert for assisting me with accuracy and constant communication during my transition from working with FCPS and moving to North Carolina. I appreciate her professional service."

- a FCPS retiree

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Karrissa Watson, Lorton Center

"This morning I called Ms. Watson with not one but two student transportation issues. Ms. Watson quickly traced both problems and said she would get back to me. Before my students left, she had called me back and already solved both issues. Her responsiveness supported two different students' successful transition into school in the morning. We are grateful!"

- Leslie Lauth-Torres, Cherry Run ES

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Hellen Cortez, Dunn Loring Center

"Just wanted to say that Hellen Cortez is a great example of dedication and support towards student success at FCPS! She has helped all of us during summer school over the years but today she was able to join my Schoology zoom session. As I was explaining the final project to all the students, she was able to guide the Spanish-speaking students. She even stayed for the Q & A session. Really appreciate her help now and always. Thank you, Hellen."

- Rubina Haleem, Chantilly HS

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Edwin Chaenkwok and Tanka Khadka, Lorton Center

"Edwin and Tanka went above and beyond to support FNS and serve Meal Kits on the new summer bus routes. FNS is so appreciative that these Transportation employees didn't hesitate to step in and ensure meals were served. Thank you for all that you do!"

- Maria Perrone

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FCPS Cares - July/August 2021

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FCPS CARES of the Month Recipients

Central Office

Region 1

Region 2 (Pictured)

Region 3

Region 4

Region 5

Other FCPS Cares of the Month Recipients

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FCPS CARES - July/August 2022

FCPS CARES - July/August 2024

FCPS CARES - July/August 2023

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