Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Honors Staff at Annual Recognition Reception

Chapel Hill, NC – Mary Patricia Peres-da-Silva of McDougle Middle, was named the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) Teacher of the Year at the annual Recognition Reception on May 8th at Carrboro High.

Peres-da-Silva is a math teacher with 20 years of teaching experience.  She holds bachelor of science and master of science degrees in physics from Bombay University (in Goa, India), a bachelor of arts degree in education from Annamalai University (in Madras, India), and a master of education degree in curriculum instruction from North Carolina Central University.  Peres-da-Silva received a $1,000 check from Pinnacle Financial Partners, as well as gifts from area businesses.

Two Honor Teachers were also named on Wednesday.  They are Ashley Quick-Hooker of Northside Elementary and Lauren Swanson of Ephesus Elementary.  They each received a $500 check from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation (PSF) and gifts from local businesses.

Other Teachers of the Year were recognized with $100 checks from PSF and gifts from local businesses.  They are: Amanda Soldner, Carrboro Elementary; Jaclyn Holland, Estes Hills Elementary; Ilia Nazario, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Kristen Cho, Glenwood Elementary; Gabby La Mantia, McDougle Elementary; Ellen DePinto, Morris Grove Elementary; Michelle Wood, Rashkis Elementary; Justin vanGelder, Scroggs Elementary; Mary Kate Kleiboer, Seawell Elementary; Cheryl Cureton, Culbreth Middle; Lisa Clarke, Phillips Middle; Danielle Parker, Smith Middle; Jamie Schendt, Carrboro High; Emily Duncan, Chapel Hill High; Erin Shindledecker, East Chapel Hill High; and Dave Bennard, UNC Hospital School.

Teacher of the Year gifts were provided by:  A Better Image Printing, Barnes and Nobles (New Hope Commons) Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, FSI Furniture, Office Depot and University Florist.

The Mary Scroggs Award for Excellence in Providing Support Services recognizes one classified staff member from each school and several Lincoln Center departments.  The award recipient is Andrene Powell, the lead custodian at Northside Elementary, who also received a $1,000 check.  Two Honor Recipients were named.  They are Marla Brown, a teacher assistant at McDougle Elementary, and Julie Walker, the school secretary at McDougle Middle.  They each received $500.

Other Classified Staff of the Year, who each received $100, are:  Lee Newbold, EC teacher assistant, Carrboro Elementary; Roy Wilkins, lead custodian, Ephesus Elementary; Jessica Booker, EC teacher assistant, Estes Hills Elementary; Betty Restrepo, teacher assistant, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Crystal Jones, data manager, Glenwood Elementary; Rachelle White, teacher assistant, Morris Grove Elementary; Leigh Owens, EC teacher assistant, Rashkis Elementary; Natasha Cross, EC teacher assistant, Scroggs Elementary; John Tate, EC teacher assistant, Seawell Elementary; Kelvin Farrington, custodian, Culbreth Middle; Quiana Phillips, school secretary, Phillips Middle; Kristina Rhodes, media assistant, Smith Middle; Mary Ann DeFir, EC teacher assistant, Carrboro High; Gina Horton, assistant principal secretary, Chapel Hill High; Elizabeth Rogers, EC teacher assistant, East Chapel Hill High; Tami Zubler, bookkeeper, Pre-K/Head Start, Lincoln Center; Wesley Farrar, network specialist, Information Technology Department, Lincoln Center; Chuck Williams, HVAC foreman, Facilities/Maintenance, Lincoln Center; and Jacqueline Stitt, TIMS database administrator, Transportation.

Sonya Sutton, school counselor at Chapel Hill High, received the Exceptional Children Student Services Staff of the Year Award, as well as a check for $500.  The two Honor Recipients are Patti Burke, school nurse at Estes Hills Elementary, and Jessica Harris, school counselor at East Chapel Hill High.  They each received $250.

The other ECSS Staff of the Year, who each received $50, are: Katie Harrison, school social worker, Carrboro Elementary; Marne Meredith, school social worker, Ephesus Elementary; Janice Anderson, school nurse, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Vivian Quimbaya-Winship, school nurse, Glenwood Elementary; Aveni Ghosh, school counselor, McDougle Elementary; Kimberly Bailliard, occupational therapist, Morris Grove Elementary; Julie Vogel, school nurse, Northside Elementary; Carlie Ewen, school social worker, Rashkis Elementary; Emily Picquet, school counselor, Scroggs Elementary; Leanne Parr, school psychologist, Seawell Elementary; Shannon Allee, school counselor, Culbreth Middle; Jason Sheets, school counselor, McDougle Middle; Sherry McKinney, school counselor, Phillips Middle; Irene Slydel, school nurse, Smith Middle; Matt Harkey, school counselor, Carrboro High; Gloria Sanchez-Lane, school social worker, Phoenix Academy High; and Rena Banks, mental health specialist, Pre-K/Head Start.

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

Other staff awards were also presented at the event.

Emily Bivins of FPG Bilingüe Elementary was recognized as the district’s Principal of the Year, while Anna Hipps of Chapel Hill High was named the district’s Assistant Principal of the Year.  Misti Williams, senior executive director of leadership and strategy, received the Award for Excellence in District Administration.

Carla Gilchrist of Glenwood Elementary was the recipient of the Jeannette Blackwell Mentor Teacher Award.   Torrance Jones of Northside Elementary received the CHC Promising New Teacher Award.  Mary Latham of Seawell Elementary and Daniella Buenaventura of FPG Bilingüe Elementary were named the recipients of the Elmo’s Award for Excellence in Teaching English Language Learners and Dual Language.  Delia Hudson of McDougle Elementary and Anna O’Connell of Carrboro High received the MSAN (Minority Student Achievement Network) Equity Equals Excellence Award.  Bill Melega of Chapel Hill High was awarded The Reckford Teaching Prize.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Association of Educators (CHCAE) presented two new awards this year to CHCAE members.  Vanessa Diggs of East Chapel Hill High received the Courageous Educator Award and Jaclyn Holland of Estes Hills Elementary was the recipient of the Consummate Professional Award.

The Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate (BRMA) program presented two Excellence in Equitable Teaching Awards.  These award recipients are selected by the students in BRMA.  The middle school award went to Eric Zeigler of Smith Middle, and Timothy Walker of Carrboro High received the high school award.

Representatives of PSF were on hand to present both new and renewing Teaching Chairs.  Kathryn Cole of Northside Elementary is the Mary U. Andrews Chair for Excellence in Teaching Literacy (a new chair this year).  Clare Matusevich of Chapel Hill High is the Elmo’s Diner Chair for Excellence in Teaching High School Math or Science.  Melissa Barry of Carrboro High is the Kim Hoke Chair for Excellence in Teaching Exceptional Children.  Helen Motta of Culbreth Middle is the Zora Rashkis Teaching Chiar in Middle School Language Arts or Social Studies.  Katy Cobb of McDougle Elementary is the Upper Elementary Chair for Excellence in Teaching Innovation.

Renewing Chair recipients were also honored on Wednesday.  Molly Caudill of Culbreth Middle is the GlaxoSmithKline Chair for Excellence in Teaching Middle School Science or Math.  Ann Daaleman of Phillips Middle is the PSF/PTSA Chair for Excellence in Teaching Cultural Arts.  Michael Sharp of Culbreth Middle is the Neil Pedersen Teachers First Chair for Excellence in Classroom Technology.  Mackenzie Casey of Smith Middle is the Mel and Zora Rashkis Chair for Excellence in Teaching Health and PE.  Amy BrazaskI of Morris Grove is the Sockwell Chair for Excellence in Teaching in the Primary Grades (Pre-K-2). Morgan May of Culbreth Middle is the Burton Stuart Chair for Promising New Teachers of Secondary Math or Science.  Anthony Swarigen of Carrboro High is the Bernadine Sullivan Chair for Excellence in Teaching High School English or Social Studies.   

Ten teachers were recognized for earning their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  They join the more than 300 other CHCCS teachers who have earned their National Boards.  They are:  Stacie Boyer, Smith Middle; Jacqueline Cerda-Smith, Carrboro High; Jaslin Dais, McDougle Elementary; Matthew Harkey, Carrboro High; Lisa Ibarra, East Chapel Hill High; Hannah Jennings-Murphy, Ephesus Elementary; Whitney Maxwell, Morris Grove Elementary; Chelsea Robinette, Seawell Elementary; Amanda Soldner, Carrboro Elementary; and Anne Zahren, Seawell Elementary.

Employees retiring from the district this year were recognized.  They are:  Mary Allen, UNC Hospital School; Dorothy Alston, Transportation; Isabella Alston, Smith Middle; Darrell Battle, Glenwood Elementary; Jeane Brumley, Phillips Middle; Don Bryson, East Chapel Hill High; Phyllis Cook-Mack, Seawell Elementary; Annie Cramer, Seawell Elementary; Patsy Crutchfield, Chapel Hill High; Vanessa Diggs, East Chapel Hill High; Beverly Edwards Spruill, Lincoln Center; Bobby Eubanks, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Elisabeth Feathers, Phillips Middle; Deborah Gray-Ford, Northside Elementary and Lincoln Center; Nancy Green, Chapel Hill High; Michele Hansen, East Chapel Hill High; Ann Harrawood, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Dawn Jackson, Culbreth Middle; Mary Jones, Chapel Hill High; Donna Kauffman, Seawell Elementary; William Kitchin III, Lincoln Center; Kathryn Kurek, Glenwood Elementary; Teresa Laster, Rashkis Elementary; Stephanie Lawrence, Scroggs Elementary; Ruby Pittman, Lincoln Center; Mary Raitano, Smith Middle; Vance Riggsbee, Transportation; Jeffrey Robinson, East Chapel Hill High; Donna Stewart, Phoenix Academy High; Yvonne Teasley, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Jennifer Tucker, Seawell Elementary; Steven Turner, Carrboro High; Richard “Nat” Tyndall, Lincoln Center; Willie Mae Wilkins, Phillips Middle; John Mark Williams, Transportation; and Jim Wise, Chapel Hill High.

Employees were also honored for attaining milestones of service with CHCCS.  Sandy Rasnake, physical education teacher at Northside Elementary, was honored for his 35 years of service.

Five employees were honored for having 30 years of service to CHCCS.  They are:  Sonya Adams, Ephesus Elementary; Amy Langenderfer, Lincoln Center, Terrye Oakley, Carrboro Elementary; Robert Price, Chapel Hill High; and  Sharon Smith, Culbreth Middle.

Employees with 25 years of service included:  Willie Alston, Phillips Middle; Emily Bivins, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Marylyn Burnette, Morris Grove Elementary; Lisa Clarke, Phillips Middle; Laura Conner, Lincoln Center; Keith Cooper, Chapel Hill High; Samuel Dawes, McDougle Elementary; Toni De Marco, Morris Grove Elementary; Kathleen Eveleigh, Estes Hills Elementary; Kimberly Fearrington, Northside Elementary; Merna Galassi, Seawell Elementary; Tijuana Goodwin, McDougle Middle; Avis Harris, Morris Grove Elementary; Antoinette Joyner, East Chapel Hill High; Susan Julian, Scroggs Elementary; Toni Lehman, McDougle Elementary; Joanne McClelland, Chapel Hill High; Robin McMahon, Smith Middle; Bill Mullin, Lincoln Center; Sammy Rape, Phillips Middle; Joannetta Roberson, Transportation; Cornelia Roper, Ephesus Elementary; Paula Thompson, Seawell Elementary; David Tinker, Lincoln Center; Roger Valente, Estes Hills Elementary; Melissa Valentine, Smith Middle; Kirsten Venema, Ephesus Elementary; and Teresa Washington, Morris Grove Elementary.

Employees with 20 years of service included:  Tania Agosto, UNC Hospital School; Lisa Albury, Scroggs Elementary; Kelly Allen, East Chapel Hill High; Mary Allen, UNC Hospital School; Dorothy Alston, Transportation; Christina Atack, Smith Middle; Ana Bernad-Calhoun, Morris Grove Elementary; Laila Bradford, Lincoln Center; Kathryn Bradley, McDougle Elementary; Patricia Burnette, Ephesus Elementary; Lucinda Byrd, East Chapel Hill High; Marianela Caceres, Estes Hills Elementary; Karen Casey, Northside Elementary; Mark Cavanaugh, McDougle Middle; Catherine Chianese, Estes Hills Elementary; Mimi Collins, Culbreth Middle; Rita Crain, Carrboro Elementary; Cesar Cruz, Chapel Hill High; Elizabeth Davis, Seawell Elementary; Maritherese Deberjeois, Lincoln Center; Benita Edwards, Transportation; Marcia Edwards, Lincoln Center; Belinda Farrington, Scroggs Elementary; Michelle Farrington, Transportation; Sheila Fleming, Scroggs Elementary; Maureen Galvin, East Chapel Hill High; Redmond Grigg, McDougle Middle; Christine Harkey, Smith Middle; Tracey Hartman, Morris Grove Elementary; Lisa House, Estes Hills Elementary; Susan Jenny, Ephesus Elementary; Linda Jens, Estes Hills Elementary; Glenda Johnson, Pre-K/Head Start; Annette Jordan, Scroggs Elementary; Teresa Laster, Rashkis Elementary; Mary Latham, Seawell Elementary; Omnikita Latta, Carrboro Elementary; Kathleen Laufer, East Chapel Hill High; Jametta McKissick, Scroggs Elementary; Edward Migues, Culbreth Middle; Theresa Neville, Scroggs Elementary; Robin Nucilli, Lincoln Center; Ghada Ouri-Ramadan, Estes Hills Elementary; Gina Pace, Estes Hills Elementary; Carol Peck, Seawell Elementary; Hunter Pendleton, Estes Hills Elementary; Amy Rickard, Morris Grove Elementary; Frank Riggsbee, Chapel Hill High; Susan Sailer, Seawell Elementary; Holly Snyder, Lincoln Center; Brenda Stanley, Lincoln Center; Jennifer Tucker, Seawell Elementary; Wanda Williams, Phillips Middle; Jay Wilson, East Chapel Hill High; and Keshia Woodard, Pre-K/Head Start.

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

“Each year, we devote one evening to recognize our educators as a whole, honoring accomplishments from all areas of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.  Because of the work our honorees put in throughout the school year and throughout their careers, we want to celebrate and highlight each of them.  We have staff members who have served the district for 20 or more years and their commitment shouldn’t go unnoticed.  We also have retirees who have dedicated themselves to education and deserve our thanks as they start a new chapter in their lives, ” said Superintendent Pam Baldwin.  “I look forward to this opportunity every year – the chance to publically thank each honoree for all they do for our community.”

For more information, visit https://www.chccs.org/