Pictured, from left to right: Richard Benjamin, SERT program manager; Richard Dorsey, training specialist; Karen Anderson, LEED program specialist; Larry Hurd, building service trainer; Dianne Jones, director, Division of School Plant Operations; June Acha-Morfaw, training specialist; Peter Park, team leader, System-wide Safety Programs; and Keith Snowden, building service area supervisor.
The MCPS Division of School Plant Operations has been recognized with the School Environmental Health Champion Award given by the Maryland Environmental Health Network. The award was presented at a statewide workshop on green cleaning in Maryland schools. During the workshop, school district staff throughout the state spent the day at Robinson Nature Center sharing tools, real world best management practices, and lessons learned in order to learn from their peers leading on green cleaning in schools.
The award acknowledges that MCPS has established cleaning programs that make substantive changes to reduce or eliminate toxic cleaners. It also recognizes leadership in the development of written policies and comprehensive green cleaning programs that comply with Maryland’s new law.
Maryland is one of only 11 states to pass a law mandating green cleaning in schools. Green cleaning means using products that are environmentally friendly and do not harm human health.
Nominations Open for Counselor of the Year Awards
The MCPS School Counselor of the Year Awards honor the dedication and hard work of counselors — one each at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Staff, administrators, parents and students can submit nominations.
To be nominated, counselors must be actively working as a counselor in MCPS and have worked for the system for at least three years. Nominees also must show outstanding leadership; understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents and cultivate their self-esteem; foster collaborative relationships with colleagues, students, their families and the community; and use data to help drive decision-making.
Online nomination forms are available here.
Nominations are due Friday, March 11. The deadline to submit an application is 4 p.m. on Friday, April 8. Send nomination materials to Veronica Grabnegger, School Counseling, Residency and International Admissions, 4910 Macon Road, Rockville, MD, 20852.
For more information, contact the School Counseling, Residency and International Admissions office at 301-230-0686.
Counselor of the Year Award Program
National Association Honors Head of Food Services and Nutrition
Marla R. Caplon, director of the Division of Food and Nutrition Services, has won a 2015 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award. She was recognized for her work as part of the Montgomery County Department of Recreation’s Food, Fun & Fitness summer lunchtime program. NACo Achievement Awards recognize innovative county government programs and provide examples of best practices from counties across the nation.
Shout Outs
Assistant Principal Stacey Kopnitsky took care of our building services team as they cleared the snow. She fed them lunch on one of the days during the clean-up process.
—Brian Spivey, special education paraeducator, North Bethesda Middle School
Shout Out to staff of the Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers, East County Center, for the high quality early intervention services you provide to 500 culturally diverse families with young children who have developmental delays.
—Michelle Goldstein, coordinator, Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers, East County Center
Thank you to Jacqueline Richardson for being a helping hand when needed!
—Angela Shipe, floor covering mechanic, Randolph Maintenance Depot
Board Makes Administrative Appointments
During its regular business meetings on Dec. 8 and Feb. 9, the Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:
- Barbara A. Woodward, principal, Clarksburg/Damascus Middle School
- Nancy Austin, supervisor, Management Budget Operations, Department of Management, Budget and Planning
In Memoriam
Michele Fletcher, special education bus attendant at the Randolph Transportation Depot, died on Jan. 9. She had been with MCPS for more than four years.
Yueh-Chen Lin, ESOL teacher at Roscoe R. Nix Elementary School, died on Nov. 24, 2015. She had worked for MCPS for more than five years.
Anna Lee Riddle, a 24-year employee who retired in 1995, died on Dec. 23, 2015. She was a music teacher who was instrumental in starting the Elementary School Honors Chorus. She was also a past recipient of the Maryland State Music Teacher of the Year.
Helen L. Thomas, cafeteria worker at Quince Orchard High School, died on Jan. 30. She had more than 24 years of service with MCPS.
James Toquinto, a former assistant principal at Gaithersburg High School, died on Jan. 20. He retired in 1988 after 38 years with MCPS.
