I am CPS Core Values 2022-23

Robert (Bert) my right hand has worked long hours to implement new ideas for routing for the CPS district. With his knowledge and collaboration with the departments of Enrollment, ITM, EMIS – his major goal was to connect everyone that plays a role in the success of getting good data for routing. He is dedicated to making this upcoming 23-24 SY a success from the transportation aspect. Success is being better and different from the past years. Bert demonstrates a positive attitude, commiting to improve and shows 100 % of collaboration. I want to thank him with this nomination…. to show how much he is appreciated in the department of transportation.

Brandy truly represents all of the core values in CPS. She goes above and beyond to ensure that any one she meets knows that she will do whatever she can to help. This year she has worked diligently and cross collaboratively with many departments to document and think about new processes for our homeschool families. This was a new assignment for us this year and she went above and beyond to support this new work, always with a smile. Brandy loves supporting our colleagues through participating in district activities, individual contributor professional development, and volunteers on committees in Accounts Payable team. She checks in with all of the Senior Support team members regularly to support during district timelines (budgeting, ordering, etc). Most recently, Brandy went above and beyond for our Schools team and Alternative Programs retreat and created a self-care booklet with ideas and resources for us. I can not say enough about Brandy and how lucky we are that she is on our CPS team. She is truly a blessing to me and many others.

Suzan steps up daily to works with a variety of teams to ensure that students have IEPs that support their needs. She takes her time to ensure that parents understand all parts of the IEP and works tirelessly to ensure all students are cared for as if they are her own. You can tell by working with her that her heart is in it for the kids! This hasn’t changed since our time together at Dater High School!

Brent Langhorne continues to step in and help the students and staff of CPS in whatever way is needed. Over the past few years Brent has adapted through Covid and after to assist in many different areas including playing a key role in the Collaborate & Care initiative supporting our community through Covid. Brent can be seen running all elementary athletics programming throughout the district, refereeing, coaching and offering assistance and support to our students and staff. Most recently when Athletics needed to rent vans to assist with our students being transported to games, Brent stepped in to oversee the process. In addition to his day to day of overseeing Elementary Athletics this spring with volleyball, tball, track and field and flying pig, he is also transitioning multiple vans each day to make sure each high school has the vans needed to participate in spring sports. Brent has gone ABOVE AND BEYOND for the students and staff of CPS and he deserves to be recognized accordingly. Thank you Brent!

Mr. Lockhart has been collaborating with the Curriculum Access Team to install Core Word Communication boards in the playgrounds of four of the elementary school buildings. When we were introduced, I shared with him the vision of the project which is to give students who are non speaking the power to communicate their thoughts with peers in natural settings in and outside of the classroom. Throughout our journey, he has become a steward of this vision. He has gone above and beyond the role of manufacturing the frames and installing the equipment, by providing consult on location so teachers could see little ones use the board, celebrating the accomplishments of students who used the board and took great care in making certain the boards were ready for Inclusive Schools week this week (December 5-9).

Through the care and collaboration of Mr. Lockhart and his team, we look forward to seeing students at these CPS schools use their voices and enjoy interacting with their peers!

• Shouted Out By Bridget McComas, Curriculum Manager for Diverse Learning, Student Services

Mary Ellert is a parapro at Carson Elementary for a 2nd grade classroom. She started with a goal of buying 22 blankets for all the students in her classroom as a gift before Winter Break. She put out a request to her friends, and before she knew it, she had enough to buy blankets for all 80 2nd graders! But she didn’t stop there, and yesterday she reached her goal of getting funds to buy blankets for ALL 690 STUDENTS AT CARSON.

She is simply amazing and one of the most unselfish, giving people I am privileged to know. I hope we can give her some kudos for this awesome act of love and service to all the students at Carson.

• Shouted Out By Dr. Jessica Shelly, Director, Food Services, Student Dining Services

I discovered that I lost my CPS badge when I was out visiting schools. I reached out to Nancy to find out the easiest way to get a replacement and she not only answered me immediately, but worked with Tonya to have a replacement badge ready and waiting for me when I returned to the Ed Center that afternoon. They took time out of their busy schedules to make sure that I did not have to wait and could easily access buildings once again. This was such great customer service and helped me not to lose any work time at all. Thank you to both of them for making my day!

• Shouted Out By Christine Reeves, Assistant Director, Student Services

Mr. Dawson is Pleasant Hill’s Plant Operator and he is much more to students than that. Mr. Ed is open and willing to assist students in any possible way that he can. At the beginning of this school year Mr. Ed connected Pleasant Hill with the Men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and they hosted a food drive to support families and community members in need. Mr. Ed is the advisor for the recycling club at Pleasant Hill. He works with young men in grades 4-6 teaching and showing them the importance of recycling. Mr. Ed thrives off of working with the young men of Pleasant Hill through sports, recycling, mentoring and much more. Mr. Ed will say “Team Work” is what we need to get the job done.

• Shouted Out By Shauna McDowell, Principal, Pleasant Hill Academy

Mr. Pilutek develops positive relationships with each of his students. He makes the time to know their individual talents, strengths, and background experiences. Mr. Pilutek works continuously with this team to share best practices to promote student growth. He strives to continuously improve his practice and he seeks feedback from other staff. Mr. Pilutik is highly professional and seeks parent partnership to help students thrive. He is an asset to our team.

• Shouted Out By Sarah Lord, Principal, Sands Montessori

Mr. Jarmon is the first to arrive at our building each day. He talks with the students during breakfast and lunch supporting our building vision. He is collaborative in making decisions to improve our services. He also is a thought partner always open to ways to improve our building and delivery of services to better meet the needs of our students. He is an asset to our team and our school community.

• Shouted Out By David Conger, Principal, LEAP Academy

Debbie is a great leader and example in the Teaching and Learning Dept. She leads and collaborates with the Learning Tech Team, Librarian/Media, and Tech Teachers with grace, poise, and consideration. She without a doubt cares to hear the voice of others, and works to ensure that it’s considered and lifted when necessary. She consistently values others and displays appreciation in random acts of kindness. Her technical prowess, wisdom, and circumspect thinking challenges you to be your best, while keeping in mind if the work is “feasible”! She is a class act and a asset to our district!

• Shouted Out By Tiffini Gray, Blended Learning Coordinator, Curriculum

Ms. Thompson shows that she cares about her students by planning rigorous lessons. She communicates with parents regularly. Her room is very clean and welcoming. She always talks to her children and parents with respect. She collaborates with other teachers at the district level as a lead teacher and at Roll Hill with the purpose of increasing achievement. She plans field trips schoolwide to make sure children have opportunities that they would not normally experience. She collaborates in all areas of curriculum with a goal of making learning engaging and fun for the children. She is continuously improving by taking courses at the university level and she looks forward to the district PD. She is committed to success for her students and it is evident because her instruction is so rigorous that all of her children show growth in all areas each year. Ms. Thompson is an asset to Roll Hill and to the district. I am very happy that she is part of our team!

• Shouted Out By Vicki Graves-Hill, Principal – Roll Hill Elementary

Kim has been showing up 30 minutes early every day since school started to help ensure safety and security for our students arriving off buses. She has done this without being asked and without compensation. She genuinely cares about our kids and their well being.

• Shouted Out By Jacquelyn Rowedder, Principal – Academy of World Languages

Melissa has been showing up 30 minutes early every day since school started to help ensure safety and security for our students arriving off buses. She has done this without being asked and without compensation. She genuinely cares about our kids and their well being.

• Shouted Out By Jacquelyn Rowedder, Principal – Academy of World Languages

“I and my director have recently been assigned to oversee Homeschool education. The processes and legal parameters involved with Homeschool were all things we had to learn and begin supporting in a very short timeframe. Margaret has been a steady guide and supporter from DAY ONE. She attended a briefing we had with the retiring liaison, to lend her knowledge to our new tasks. She has also provided relevant documents and been a constant aid we can call on as we process notifications and manage PowerSchool entries. Margaret supports us with a mix of calm and encouragement that helps to allay many of our concerns as we strive to deliver service with excellence. Margaret exemplifies I CARE, I COLLABORATE and I COMMIT TO SUCCESS.”

• Shouted Out By Brandy Davis, Lead Secretary /Home School Liaison – Office of Schools – Alternative Programs

“Jeneen West continuously goes above and beyond in her work in the Customer Care Center. In my first month in this department, I have seen her handle issues with great care, as well as provide unbelievable customer service to parents and staff alike. I have seen firsthand the pride she takes in her positions and the pride she has in CPS. I have relied heavily on her as I started this new position, and they have helped guide me with their knowledge and experience. Jeneen is a shining example of what is great with CPS!”

• Shouted Out By Tony Fields, Customer Care Center Manager – Customer Care

“I was asked to write and submit an RFP which was something I have never done before. I was unsure of the process and what I should include in each section of the template. David took time out of his day to talk me through each section, offering suggestions and guidance so that the RFP would be completed correctly. He patiently answered my many questions and frequently checked in to see if there was anything I needed. I truly appreciate his help!”

• Shouted Out By Erin Kernohan, Quality Improvement Manager Ed Center

“I was asked to write and submit an RFP, something I had never done before. Feeling unsure of how to begin, I knew that I could contact Trina for help. She responded immediately to my questions and set up a meeting for us to talk that same day. Trina gave me great feedback throughout the process and helped me submit the RFP ahead of schedule! I truly appreciate her help!”

• Shouted Out By Erin Kernohan, Quality Improvement Manager, Ed Center

“I was searching for a new digital icebreaker for CPS 101. Thus, I was referred to Tiffini and she made the magic happen. She’s such a positive light. She listened to the vision and gave me some digital options to choose from. I was thinking of implementing this new strategy in October. She made it happen for the September 1st session.

I appreciate her for sharing her expertise while simultaneously helping me to grow. Tiffini is a wonderful example of the I Care & I Collaborate Core Values.

Keep Shining Bright!”

• Shouted Out By Rolonda Smith, Employee Experience Manager, Talent

“Tyler demonstrates the I CARE and I COLLABORATE core values daily by working tirelessly to coordinate between school teams, families, and teachers to align placements for students with complex needs in our district. He works tirelessly to communicate with a variety of stakeholders to ensure that students have access to the curriculum in their least restrictive environment.”

• Shouted Out By Kristin Pearson, Student Services Manager, Department of Student Services

“Deborah is an exceptional person. Her skill level is extraordinary and something that she continually strives to hone. Alongside Ms. Ginocchio, Deborah opened the Spencer Center and still guides it today. Her ability to adapt and accommodate while maintaining the true core values of Cincinnati Public Schools is noteworthy. Deborah is not a person that seeks any recognition or commendation; she quietly continues to learn and share that knowledge with anyone that is smart enough to ask. She is what my grandmother would call a “hidden gem” or a buried treasure. She should be acknowledged, recognized and confirmed as one of Cincinnati Public Schools Employees of the Month.”

• Shouted Out By Barbara Santel, Senior Support Specialist, James N. Gamble Montessori High School

“Robyn goes above and beyond each and every day! She does so on behalf of CHILDREN! Robyn is highly committed to working with children “every step of the way” as you hear her teaching them in the hallway as she walks them from their classroom to her room! Robyn also serves as the Building Test Coordinator and is willing to help the greater good at all times! Robyn makes our school community stronger! Thank you, Robyn!”

• Shouted Out By Melissa Ridley, Principal, Gamble Montessori Elementary

“Ms. Smith has been employed with Cincinnati Public Schools for over 20 years. Since coming to our school, she embodies the quote, “Whatever you find your hands to do, do it with your whole heart.” Ms. Smith has always been the “ram in the bush,” but this year, she has stepped up in an amazing way. Last year, we lost our full-time resource coordinator and our entire office staff–one to a promotion and the other to stay home with her children. Since that time, Ms. Smith has served as a part-time RC, managing our after-school enrichment, working with partnerships and donations, as well as a part-time office worker in addition to her duties as ALC coordinator. No matter what—Ms. Smith is willing and assist with excellence. She is truly a blessing to our school community.”

• Shouted Out By Dr. Kimberly Mack, Principal, John P. Parker School

“Barb is always committed to listening and helping others understand technology systems in our district. She has created training for Charter/NonPub around schoolmint enrollment processes. Barb always has a positive attitude and goes above and beyond to improve processes and ensure we have success as a district. Barb is also meeting with me around homeschool enrollments and developing systems that are better for us as a district. She also went above and beyond to assist with a schedule situation at one of our high schools. She was available to support the team as needed and manually had to adjust several schedules. Barb is an amazing team player and is an asset to our district! I truly appreciate her!”

• Shouted Out By Amy Randolph, Principal, Director of Alternative Programs

“Ms. Walton embodies all aspects of CPS Core Values. She continuously seeks to improve enrollment processes to provide our families with an optimal enrollment experience. She frequently collaborates with other departments to problem solve, and even mitigate larger issues for our families. As a CPS graduate and former parent, she absolutely cares about “our babies,” which ultimately– leads to successful engagement with our stakeholders. Crystl Walton should be recognized as an Employee of the Month!”

• Shouted out by Nichelle Bolden, Marketing Communications Associate – Office of Communications

“Nancy is the heart and soul of Safety Services, and I can count on her for anything! Always smiling, positive, and kind — she has an answer to everything! Her knowledge of the district, schools and departments, is unmatched. Nancy goes above and beyond to help the security admins and security assistants with everything they need to succeed and keep the department running smoothly, as well as collaborates with ITM on projects where extra security is needed, or if we need some expertise! Nancy, you are the best!”

• Shouted out by Tim Elkins, COVID Hotline – Device Administrator, ITM

“Saryna Faulkner goes above and beyond in working with the employees of CPS in her role in coordinating background checks/fingerprinting and with schedule E employees. Saryna maintains a hectic schedule daily (which changes constantly), and she assists everyone with a great approach and work ethic. She is a wonderful person to work with, and she is a fantastic person to have representing CPS!”

• Shouted out by Tony Fields, COVID Hotline – Team Lead / Employee Care Center, EHS / ECC

“Tonya Whitby-Byrd does a fantastic job for CPS! As a member of the security team, Tonya takes care of the staff/parents in need of badges, and she has a hectic schedule that is constantly changing. She is fantastic working with everyone, and she goes above and beyond in handling everyone’s needs. Tonya is a perfect representative for CPS!”

• Shouted out by Tony Fields, COVID Hotline – Team Lead / Employee Care Center, EHS / ECC

“Angelina Maddox exemplifies everything that is great about CPS! In her role as the EHS administrator, she has handled everything that has come her way with great energy and great passion! She is a wealth of information, and she is extremely diligent in her work with staff, the health departments, and with the community. I don’t know of anyone else who could have handled the pandemic and all that went on better than Angelina, great job!!!”

• Shouted out by Tony Fields, COVID Hotline – Team Lead / Employee Care Center, EHS / ECC

“Mr. Owens stepped in to sub for a classroom that has a teacher out for an extended time. Not only did he get the behavior under control, he met with students individually and talked about how they could be successful at SCPA. That is a very caring principal! Kudos!”

• Shouted out by Marcy Berns, Reading Specialist, SCPA

“Barb is always instrumental in helping the school day run smoothly. Barb has been handling sub assignments, which is no easy task. She is always organized and knowledgeable. If you need an answer, go to Barb!”

• Shouted out by Marcy Berns, Reading Specialist, SCPA

“Ms. Kinney sponsors our Rainbow Café — LGBTQ+ Group. She is tireless in her efforts to include all students, and to be there at those times when students really need an understanding adult. Additionally, she is a tremendously empathetic listener, and positive from the moment she welcomes families and students in the high school parking lot in the morning, to the end of the day (no matter how long the day may seem to be). She is always looking for new and innovative ways to communicate her non-stop love of science, including wearing her humorous science-joke focused graphic t-shirts, to bring a smile to everyone’s face! Furthermore, I am a daily witness to her passionate striving to help every student she has contact with to be their best, and to recognize that success is within their grasp. She was the very first teacher I met at Shroder High School, and she has remained a consummate friend, confidant, and professional, who believes in and constantly champions the community here at our little school!”

• Shouted out by Pamela Palmarini, Visual Art Teacher, Shroder High School

“Andrea works closely with the primary teachers to create the best learning environment for ALL students and staff.”

• Nico Stiles, Ages 6-9 Teacher, North Avondale Montessori

“Stacy works closely to support our struggling readers and classroom teachers. She also goes beyond her job description to assist with tutoring, class coverage, and other supports to teachers.”

• Nico Stiles, Ages 6-9 Teacher, North Avondale Montessori

“Amy does a phenomenal job exhibiting our district values. She works hard to provide support to the children she works with -and their families. She also collaborates closely with the teachers at North Avondale Montessori.”

• Nico Stiles, Ages 6-9 Teacher, North Avondale Montessori

“Ms. Herbert has worked at Roll Hill in a few different capacities, and served her students with profound devotion in every one. As an overload para in a first grade classroom, she worked as a strong teammate to an excellent lead teacher, demonstrating her incredible collaborative skills. When she transitioned to working as a building substitute, she showed how adjust to every different grade level in the building, which would be challenging to any one — but Ms. Herbert isn’t intimidated by a challenge. This school year, she has been serving primarily as a 5th/6th grade teacher, and as such she rotates through the oldest (and often some of the most difficult) students at our school. Despite it all, she keeps her cool and even goes above and beyond for those students. She chose to put in the effort to decorate a room that is not exclusively hers, helped encourage students to put together an act for the talent show, and even helped me audition acts for the show. Ms. Herbert is a beautiful example of the CPS core value of putting students first.”

• Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill Academy

“Mrs. Wagar is such a joy to work with. She demonstrates her caring in the way she communicates clearly and lovingly with her students and the classroom atmosphere she cultivates for them. When I am working with her students, I always know I can count on her to share any helpful or relevant insight on their needs – sometimes before I even ask for it. Her openness even helps me to be a better teacher for her students. As our math curriculum coach, Mrs. Wagar also demonstrates how she works to continuously learn and adapt — this is evident and highly appreciated when she presents high-quality professional development to the staff. Mrs. Wagar is clearly committed to her students’ wellness as whole humans — their social and emotional wellbeing as well as their academic progress.”

• Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill Academy

“I know I can always count on Mrs. Whipple to share what she knows about her students, and her insights are always highly valuable to me as I also work with her students. Mrs. Whipple specifically serves some of the most difficult students at our school, and I have seen her class be profoundly transformative for many of her students. Kids who spent years in cycles of acting out, serving punishment and continuing in turmoil often turn it around in Mrs. Whipple’s class. The small class size helps, but the community atmosphere and the way she so obviously cares about these students is no less than life changing. Especially when I communicate with Mrs. Whipple about her students’ skills and needs, it is completely clear that she prioritizes and will do whatever is best for the students.”

• Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill Academy

“Mrs. Kuper has always been a strong teammate, both in her grade level team and with me when I am working with her students. I see how she finds a way to work collaboratively with her team on each initiative, and to make it work for her specific students. Any time I have reached out with a question about a student’s needs or behavior, or for help with contacting their caregivers, Mrs. Kuper is responsive, ready and willing to offer whatever help I may need. Inside her classroom and out, Mrs. Kuper makes it plain that she cares for her students. She is firm but respectful with them always, and the security of that relationship makes a palpable difference in her students’ behavior even when she is not with them. It is also clear that she puts the whole human needs of her students first – their academic growth as well as their social and emotional needs. When I have occasion to visit her classroom, I am always calmed by the tidy, warm, inviting atmosphere. I know this atmosphere requires a lot of preparation and upkeep, and most certainly pays off in students’ mental health. Mrs. Kuper puts her students first.”

• Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill Academy

“Ms. Roos is new to Roll Hill this year, but has already made a huge impact on our students. She has implemented cutting-edge practices like a MindPeace room and discussion group for students with ongoing social challenges, both of which are reaping benefits far beyond her small office. The MindPeace room is full of materials and practices that can support student self-calming which are needed by so many of our students — Ms. Roos is willing to invest her time and energy in anything that may benefit them. She also so clearly cares for our students; she has formed fast relationships with so many students who were struggling at the beginning of this year, and it has been beautiful to see them benefit from her care and her work. I so appreciate her collaboration, as I teach all the students she works with, and her input often affects my approach with students she works with. Ms. Roos is bringing just what Roll Hill needs, especially after difficulties of the last two school years.”

• Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill Academy

“Mrs. Berling is clearly a strong teammate on the 3rd grade team. She is always prepared for her students and challenges them to put in the effort to meet her high expectations. This only works because she puts in the time and effort to determine her students’ exact learning needs and tailor her material and methods accordingly. I know she keeps updated on best practices in her content area and applies them to her work, and is committed to success as a teacher and in all areas of her life.”

• Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill Academy

“Mrs. Dornbusch cares about everyone at our school and shows this by putting all of us above her needs. She teaches other teachers how to be better, continuously tries to improve herself and is an excellent 4th grade math teacher. She is one of the leaders at Rees E. Price.”

• Kathie Klodell, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Ms. Schafer is friendly and kind to everyone. Many students who have graduated from her class visit her regularly to share and talk with her because they know that they will receive an empathetic ear.”

• Heather Hopster, Paraprofessional, Gamble Montessori High School

“Mrs. Dornbusch helps the entire school-all students and staff by including everyone.”

• Kathie Klodell, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Mr. Harris keeps our entire school community safe by making sure the building is always clean and the students are ready to learn.”

• Kathie Klodell, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Ms. Young has done an outstanding job during our two- week period of remote learning. I have been able to spend some time in the mornings in her Google Meet with our 2nd-grade students and I am continuously blown away by her ability to teach remotely. With having been in and out of remote learning for the past few years, she is by far the strongest teacher I have seen. Her classroom management style has been identical to in-person learning, which has helped the kiddos succeed day in and day out. Every single student is engaged in the lessons she is teaching, they follow all of her directions, and seem excited to be in her class even in a remote setting. It truly is like nothing I have ever seen before. Even sitting in my home, I feel like I am transported to Ms. Young’s classroom at Rothenberg. Job well done, Ms. Young!”

• Carlie Fahrnbach, Intervention Specialist, Rothenberg Preparatory Academy

“Ms. Brannen not only is a phenomenal physical education teacher, she also supports everyone in the school by subbing classes, helping out in the lunchroom, recess and wherever else there is a need.”

• Kathie Klodell, ELA Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“I am a 20-year veteran in CPS. This is my first year being a self-contained teacher. As expected after the past two years of COVID teaching, I was nervous and scared to be doing something so different from what I was used to doing. Amira was a Godsend. I am old enough to be her mother and have children of my own her age so imagine how odd it was for me to have her as a mentor. She was not told to be my mentor, she saw that I was really nervous about teaching phonetic/Wit and Wisdom and just took me under her wing. She was my teacher, my cheerleader and became a friend. She is an amazing teacher always puts her students’ needs and wants above everything else. She is the chair of our Garden Club and does an amazing job getting our community involved with it. She is just an amazing teacher and human being.”

• Stacey Loukoumidis, Second Grade Teacher, John P. Parker School

“The Employee Care Center Team lives out the I Care core value on a daily basis. They go above and beyond to the meet the needs of our customers — all CPS employees. When the district recently went into remote learning, the team held down the fort by continuing to deliver the highest quality of customer service. Their dedication enabled our newest colleagues to join the CPS Family. Thank you ECC Team!”

• Rolonda Smith, Employee Experience Manager, Talent – Employee Effectiveness & Development

“April Thompson has left such a wonderful impression on all of the curriculum council members and fellow educators. Even from different school buildings, it is evident that she cares so much for our students and staff. Every meeting with her is filled with positivity even in difficult times! Not only is she a wonderful teacher, but a mentor to many of her peers. The best in biz!”

• Nicole Hardin, Third Grade Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Ms. Cooper goes above and beyond for not only the students on her case load, but for the entire middle school community. It is easy to see Ms. Cooper cares deeply about student success through data-driven instruction and working closely with the middle school team at AWL to ensure our classrooms are meeting the students’ needs. Her ‘student-first’ mentality has helped our team persevere through what has been a very challenging year, so far. I am oh-so-thankful for her help and advice on a daily basis.”

• Madison Buecker, 6th Grade English Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher, Academy of Word Languages

“Fortunately, our buildings operate so smoothly that I rarely need to reach out to Shawn, but whenever I do he responds immediately and takes care of our concerns. Recently when temperatures dipped into the single digits, there were issues with the heat in a building. Shawn coordinated with the HVAC team and had folks out right away to take care of the problem. This quick response from Shawn and the team made the employees feel valued and appreciated. Thank you for making sure we are all safe and warm!”

• Chrissy Reeves, Assistant Director, Student Services

“If my son is out due to his health, Mrs. Fisher makes sure he gets his work and she always is there for the students and always treat everyone fair. Mrs. Fisher is always communicating with parents like myself daily I really appreciate her a lot and she is fun. If anyone in our school building needs help with anything, she is always there to help them. Mrs. Fisher has a heart slightly bigger than the average human heart in my opinion, but that’s because she a special, cool, outstanding teacher at Roberts Academy. Mrs. Fisher I want to say thank you for making a difference every day for students at Roberts Academy and for my son.”

• Christine Wilson, Paraprofessional, Roberts Academy

“Pam spends endless hours researching new information about her content, takes the time to teach a piece of history largely ignored by society, faces the challenge of some who would prefer to shut down her content, and constantly invites interesting guest speakers to educate her class about their cultures and experiences. She embodies what it means to rise.”

• Christine Minano, Full-Time English Instructor, Walnut Hills High School

“Mrs. Tyree is a delight to work with as a parent, she is very understanding of each students needs and is committed to the students’ success. Her energy is great along with her innovative ways in engaging the students. Her transparent approach and communicating with the parents is excellent.”

• Amanda Lawrence, Parent

“Mrs. Irby is always trying new things in the classroom to engage her students. She creates amazing materials and always shares them with her colleagues. She embodies I Am CPS every day.”

• Courtney Fox, Math Specialist, Western Hills University High School and Withrow University High School

“Ms. Bullock cares deeply about every student that walks into her room. Every day students go out of their way to see her, hug her, and share with her. She is always looking for ways to support her students and learn new things herself.”

• Courtney Fox, Math Specialist, Western Hills University High School and Withrow University High School

“Dr. Jackson, when finding out I would start the OELPA testing, immediately offered to teach my small groups. She was willing to help and did not want kiddos to lose out on meaningful instruction! It takes a village — thanks, Dr. Jackson.”

• Ruba Al-Serhan, ESOL teacher, Rising Stars at Carthage

“Martha Edler is an amazing English teacher at Shroder. She works to create a dynamic rapport with all the students in her courses. She is the coach of the Academic Team. She recently coached them to a record of 9-1, which put them in first place in the CMAC for this season. In addition to teaching English 11, AP English and CCP English, she is an awesome team leader for the 11th/12th grade super team. Leading the largest department of teachers in the building. But wait, there’s more — she also our testing coordinator! Testing has run so smoothly the last two years thanks to her extra hours of planning and preparation. She is a great colleague to work with, always a team player. She cares about the success of each and every student in her classes.”

• Kelly Poulin, Teacher, Shroder High School

“These two wonderful people shared their life experiences and IT knowledge with the Cyber Security class at Robert A. Taft IT High School. Also spent some time talking to the female students about choosing an IT career in such a male dominated industry. Thank you Ashley & Tiffany.”

• Matt Ernst, Teacher, Taft IT High School

“Ms. Shannon does so many things at once for our students and our staff every day. She communicates daily and weekly with all staff about testing dates and requirements and makes time to talk to staff that need a question answered or advice how to work through issues with students and parents. She encourages our staff to stay current with best practices and to improve our teaching remotely with new and exciting programs that we adopt or want to adopt at CDA. Ms. Shannon definitely cares about the success of our programs but more importantly the success of each student academically, emotionally and socially. Ms. Shannon is a tireless worker and leader at Cincinnati Digital Academy who inspires students and teachers and staff to strive for excellence… all with a smile on her face!”

• Mr. Thomas Delisio, Intervention Specialist, Grades 3 & 4, Cincinnati Digital Academy

“Kristen is an incredibly caring teacher, she is constantly putting her student’s best interests first, she’s highly involved and active within the WHA community.”

• Catherine Kucharski, Paraprofessional, Preschool, Winton Hills Academy

“Kate is an amazing team player and works really well with her colleagues to come up with creative solutions for kids. Specifically, I want to call out a virtual portfolio of work samples that she put together using Google Slides that highlighted all of the great progress a student has made over the past year. She presented the portfolio as she was discussing her data with the team. The samples really helped the parent understand where the kiddo is currently functioning and supported the recommendations that were being proposed to the family.”

• James Roth, Student Services Manager, DSS

“Amira is the most giving and caring person I know. Being new to a self contained position Amira went out of her way to stay late and plan we me. I had never taught phonics and Amira made it her mission to teach me the proper sounds and how to implement them in the classroom. I am old enough to be her mother and she mentored me this year. She cares deeply for her students and the staff she works with. She is the definition of I Am CPS.”

• Stacey Loukoumidis, Teacher, John P. Parker School

“Ms. Friedhoff has helped all of the students at Rees E. Price appreciate art and understand it so much more. She volunteers her services by helping out colleagues whenever they request her aid. Ms. Friedhoff cares about everyone at Rees E. Price.”

• Kathie Klodell, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Mrs. Gilb is a true example of what “I Am CPS” stands for. She continuously finds ways to care, collaborate, improve, and commit to success. A perfect example of this is her selfless dedication to getting the very first library at LEAP academy up and running. She collaborated with two young ladies, who raised funds for the books. She reached out to anyone and everyone she knew — in-district and private companies alike — and made a way to get a real library for the kids. What she has done for the young school is true commitment. If you add in how hard she has worked this year with her kindergarten families to begin reading, you can understand why she has nearly half of her class already reading! I cannot think of a better example of talent in our district. Kudos to you, Mrs. Gilb, for all that you have accomplished!”

• Nakeeshia Rosser, Senior Support Specialist, DSS, Education Center

“Vince respects and communicates with his students to ensure they are maximizing their learning. He is constantly updating his lessons and making them more engaging for his students. He works hard to make his classroom inclusive for all and he is always helping other colleagues with technology support.”

• Stephanie Pescatrice, Intervention Specialist, CDA

“Sam is a caring team lead. He does so much to support his students and his colleagues. He is constantly handling discipline issues on our team and he handles the optioning and scheduling for all students in the high school, which is a huge job. Sam is a leader who collaborates. When he asks us to provide feedback for ILT or LSDMC, he never influences our opinions. He listens and reports back our thoughts whether he agrees with them or not. People often go to him to ask for his advice because he is objective and always willing to help no matter how busy he may be. Sam constantly works to improve his teaching practices. He just earned his official Montessori certification. He is always willing to change based on what is best for the students and the staff even when it means more work for him. Sam is fully committed to success. He holds our students to a high moral and academic standard. In doing so, we see positive growth in our students as a whole and a lot of that is because of him.”

• Delaney Krisel, Science Teacher, Clark Montessori High School — I Care, I Collaborate, I Continuously Improve, I Commit To Success

“Lauren Borcherding is an Intervention Specialist in a Multiple Disabilities Unit at Roselawn Condon Elementary School. She also is the Department Chair for the building. Lauren holds a meeting each week for her fellow Intervention Specialists in the specialized classrooms. She provides the team with resources, reminders, and materials. She is creative and always willing to help brainstorm new ideas. She is regularly creating new resources for all of her students and is always willing to share other staff members.

Lauren is the first to step up to help solve any issues and contributed greatly to the Roselawn faculty and staff. Lauren is relentless in advocating for all of the students at Roselawn. She makes sure all students have access to the general education curriculum and enrichment activities. When the funds are scarce, she is wiling to find grants to make sure the students have every opportunity possible. The wellbeing and inclusion of student with all abilities is a top priority and at the forefront of every decision. Lauren also helps parents navigate the educational system and provides resources for parents to work in tandem with the school for the benefit of student progress. Lauren should be commended for the work she does that often goes unrecognized. She is a true gift to the Roselawn community.”

• Lisa Voss, Department of Student Services

“Victoria has been such an amazing asset to not only my success in this new position, but for our students. Mrs. Nesbitt has taken the time to meet with myself and my school staff to assist with implementing ways to get our students to graduation. She has poured so much into me, so I can pour it into our students. I can’t thank you enough!”

• Shouted out by Catreece Cannon, High School Career Coordinator, Virtual High School & CDA

“Ms. Masters puts time and effort into seeking out inspiration for exciting, innovative, rigorous and engaging lessons for her students. Her care and commitment are evident every day with her flawless and effective curricular materials, always tailored to students’ unique needs and skills. Preparing hands-on exercises and experiments can be taxing, but Ms. Masters never shies away from a lesson that can both meet curricular needs and get students excited about their learning. Her lessons alone would qualify Ms. Masters for a shout-out, but she also goes above and beyond by constantly creating and maintaining eye-catching displays and highly motivational reward systems. Her space is inspirational, educationally valuable, thoughtfully curated, and – most importantly – representative of our students themselves. She also seeks out funding to help make her classroom the best it can possibly be for our young scientists. What an asset to our staff!”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Mrs. Berkson cares about her students and all their needs — educational, physical, emotional, everything. She has sought out funding to help offer her students literature that helps them see themselves represented, to help keep students warm and safe, and to offer motivation to keep her students doing their best. Mrs. Berkson cares about the whole person for her fellow staff and students – supporting Social Emotional learning experiences for our staff and offering ballet classes after school to interested students. Her profound caring is highly evident, and extends well beyond the walls of her classroom or the end of the school day.”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Mrs. Jinkinson cares very deeply for her students and fellow staff members, as evidenced through her actions and demeanor. She is friendly and inviting personally, making her classroom (and her general presence) a place where all feel welcome and valued. The kindness and respect with which Mrs. Jinkinson speaks and interacts with her students is a model for me as a teacher, and results in incredibly strong relationships with her classes. Her work in the classroom is meaningful and impressive, but Mrs. Jinkinson also seeks out external support to help offer her students everything they need – meeting both curricular and physical needs. Her positivity and hard work make Mrs. Jinkinson such an asset to our school!”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Ms. Adkins is one of the hardest working teachers I have ever met. Her lessons and materials are consistently rigorous and thoroughly prepared, her classroom is an absolute model, she consistently presents high-quality professional development material for our staff, and she wholeheartedly takes on additional roles to benefit the student body. In Ms. Adkins’ class, students know that much is expected of them — both behaviorally and educationally — and she provides consistent and individualized supports to help all her students reach those expectations. Even her physical classroom speaks to her efficacy as a teacher — the space is warm and inviting, yet also fosters quality collaboration and student independence. While maintaining all this and serving as an important member of our school’s leadership team, Ms. Adkins remains ready and willing to take on additional projects and duties if they serve to meet student needs. Her efforts make a real difference for our students!”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Ms. Thompson fosters a warm and rigorous classroom climate where students work positively together to develop their academic skills. She goes above and beyond to seek out materials that facilitates student engagement, learning, and self-image. In short, she makes her classroom a special and supportive place for all her students. Outside class hours, Ms. Thompson is an important part of our leadership team and as the primary lead, she collaborates with several grade levels of teachers and plans any multi-grade field trips to benefit more than just her class. She also works to coordinate and prepare field trips and events that impact the entire student body. Our school is a more enriching and inclusive place because of her passion and hard work.”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Ms. Barthel is new to our building this year, but has immediately created a beautiful classroom atmosphere for her students. Her classroom is a bright, inviting, but also organized and calming space, and she has repeatedly secured community support that benefits students’ educational development as well as their physical and emotional well-being. In a music class with me, her students were asked what it means to make people feel welcome, and several burst out saying that Ms. Barthel makes them feel welcome at school, and that her classroom is a place of welcome. Her students are starting their educational careers knowing that they are important, and that they belong.”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Ms. Jongi is a powerful example of lifelong learning. In her many years serving at Roll Hill she has taught music, technology, 4th grade, and now teaches 1st grade — always adapting gracefully and with a flexibility that we could all strive for. Ms. Jongi cares for and seeks to address her students’ educational needs by seeking out professional development, both humbly and excitedly learning from others. She is also attentive to student interests and seeks out support to help provide materials that helps deepen her students’ engagement with their learning. Her students and fellow staff can truly feel how genuinely she cares for all of us.”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Mr. Anderson goes above and beyond both inside and outside the classroom to make a difference with our students. As our gym teacher, Mr. Anderson works with the entire student body, and within his first semester of teaching at Roll Hill he knew each and every student by name. This fact alone has helped him develop real relationships with all students and serve them as their teacher. He also accepted asynchronous, virtual, and blended modalities — and the transitions between each — with grace and aplomb. And following the year full of change and upheaval, he even accepted a major piece of equipment that once again fundamentally changed how he teaches his classes — Mr. Anderson is always learning and improving. Outside of classes, Mr. Anderson works to connect with students as well — leading the formation of a football team for the first time this year, supporting the basketball team which he helped initiate prior to the pandemic, and even visiting students who participate in other activities, such as the choir’s concert off-campus. Mr. Anderson is truly a team player who always strives to be his best.”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Ms. Prasse demonstrates a drive to continuously improve as she has transitioned from serving as a transformative building substitute to leading in her own classroom of 5th and 6th grade students. As these students approach middle school age, they can be especially difficult, especially for young and new teachers — not Ms. Prasse. From her first days working at Roll Hill, she formed deep and enduring bonds with students throughout the school. Watching her willingness to play with them and engage on their terms, it is clear how much she cares for and values them, especially to the students themselves. They work hard in her class and clearly feel capable thanks to her encouragement and support. We are so lucky to have Ms. Prasse at Roll Hill!”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Ms. Maria, as her students call her, is well-loved because of her expertise in teaching, as well as the way she values each of her students as musicians. She also collaborates effectively with music teachers across our district and pushes herself to be the best teacher that she possibly can be. Though we don’t teach in the same building, I have met dozens of Ms. Maria’s students outside of school, and they all light up when talking about how much they love her and her class. Every year each of her students is given a few minutes of class time to share a musical skill with their class, making each student feel capable and worthy as a young musician. I have personally had the pleasure of collaborating with Ms. Maria, and she is both generous when sharing her materials and techniques, and humble when seeking to learn from other teachers. I felt honored by the way she values my ideas and input regardless of the differences in our experiences. Ms. Maria is an important and wonderful part of her school staff and of our entire district!”

• Shouted out by Anna Calhoun, Music Teacher, Roll Hill School

“Mrs. Sponsler demonstrates the CPS core values on a daily basis at Mt. Washington School! She is caring, creative, relevant and motivating. She uses modern, engaging teaching strategies and provides a positive, calm classroom climate. Mrs. Sponsler is very humble and truly student-centered.”

• Shouted out by Maureen Brenner, Principal, Mt. Washington School

“As a new Intervention Specialist to Evanston Academy this year I have had several procedural and building-related questions. Laura has been immensely generous with the time she has given me in answering many of those questions. It is apparent she loves the students and wants the best education for them. It is also obvious she is wholly devoted to the success of ALL at Evanston Academy. I feel blessed to have her as a mentor and colleague.”

• Shouted out by Rosemary Rotuno-Johnson, Intervention Specialist, Evanston Academy

“Ms. Siemer is a team leader and always makes sure the teachers on her team have what they need to support their students. She also loves teaching so much (even though this is her final year) that she taught her students remotely on the day that remote was cancelled due to it being a cold day.”

• Shouted out by Kathie Klodell, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Ms. Jason always greets you with a big smile (seen even through her mask) and ‘How are you today?’ Ms. Jason is a visionary and an excellent listener. She sets high expectations for our students and educators. She has shaped the conditions for our teachers and students to learn and succeed. Our school has made tremendous growth in Reading and Math. The staff at Taft are very comfortable to approach Ms. Jason with any problems, school related or personal. Thank you for being an amazing school Principal!”

• Shouted out by Karen Lewis, Intervention Specialist, Taft Elementary

“Mrs. Collopy is a true representation of ALL FOUR CPS core values on a DAILY basis. She is continuously not just supporting students, but also supporting staff. She is very focused in supporting the well-being of students, their families, and the staff within our building. She collaborates with others to support what our school needs. She is willing to learn new things and works to be the best counselor she can be. One thing I very much appreciate about Ms. Collopy is the questions she asks to really allow others to reflect on the current day-to-day practices.”

• Shouted out by Kayla Brunswick, Assistant Principal, Withrow University High School

“As we have moved back to remote again, we find challenges again. Christine shared a helpful tool for google meets and host controls and shared it out when it became a question raised by staff. She immediately received praise and recognition from our school and many thanks for sharing out. She even replied to all and gave step-by-step directions to assist. She is an amazing asset for AWL students and staff!”

• Shouted out by Jackie Rowedder, Principal, AWL

“On the last day on in-school learning, on arrival at home, a young student was having a meltdown, anxious about upcoming remote schooling. His mother texted Mary Beth Hill relaying the situation. Per Mom, Mary Beth said, ‘Put him on a meet. I’m here now. He has the code.’ She held a meet with him for half an hour. Let him talk. And he came downstairs beaming with a plan for the next two weeks in his head. Mom stated that all the teachers at Dater Montessori Elementary are awesome. Mary Beth took the time to address this because she values the student, and the family. This child is unique, as is everyone, a multi-faceted child in our diverse community.

She knows him and met the challenge beautifully based on what she knows about this little individual. She innovatively helped this child to adapt to a changing learning situation, calming him and making him feel confident that the future remote learning period would go well for him. She encouraged him to do his best and gave him the tools to achieve that. These times are affecting the dynamics of our families and each student, and I cannot express enough how important a kind and generous and smart action like this relieves some of the stress and replaces it with gratitude and a feeling of having been uplifted. Thank you, Mary Beth.”

• Shouted out by Marie Cipriani, Sr. Support Specialist II, Talent Employee Effectiveness & Dev.

“Mary is a fabulous colleague! It seems she never sleeps, but we know she does sleep a little. Mary constantly creates projects, worksheets or labs for students to be sure they have various methods for learning the topics in Algebra. And then she shares! Not only does she share, she offers to be there to help a teacher implementing one of her great ideas. Mary collaborates at a high level with her math colleagues. She always wants to be sure we understand her process, her thinking, her reasoning, her work. We couldn’t do a lot of what happens in our department without Mary. She gets called on for various reasons and always steps up to help. When a colleague is unclear about a process, she offers to be right there with you to help you understand and implement — to help YOU be better also. We all absolutely love Mary Rhame!”

• Shouted out by Debbie Burris, Algebra 1 Teacher, Walnut Hills High School

“Mya Felton always does her job beyond excellent. She greets our staff, parents, and all people with a positive and welcoming attitude. Her work ethic and teamwork helps Douglass Elementary become a successful environment for everyone! We appreciate you Ms. Felton!”

• Shouted out by Alek Teague, Paraprofessional, Frederick Douglass School

“Sheena Dunn does a superb job at making sure the students at have whatever they need and want! She also goes above and beyond to make Douglass Elementary at successful school for students and employees! We appreciate you Ms. Sheena!”

• Shouted out by Alek Teague, Paraprofessional, Frederick Douglass School

“Mrs. Brown is the first person to help students and staff whenever help is needed.”

• Shouted out by Kathie Klodell, ELA Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Joe consistently shares stories about how he goes above and beyond for his students at Rockdale! I speak with Joe weekly and each week, he brings another story of a family he has helped tremendously or has gone the extra mile to ensure they are best set up for success. There have even been times I’ve spoken with Joe on evenings or weekends and he is still spinning his wheels to help his students! Joe truly is an abundance of knowledge, an abundance of heart, and just truly a gift of a colleague in the Department of Positive School Culture and Safety!”

• Shouted out by Ricky Snow, School Social Worker, Hays-Porter (Positive School Culture)

“He’s always checking in on the families especially when a tragedy occurs in the neighborhood. He helps students daily work through trauma and stress they are experiencing and he always puts his best foot forward to help out within the building anyway that can.”

• Shouted out by Sheena Patrick, Attendance Support Specialist, Rockdale (PBIS)

“I was having trouble with the benefits portal, I called the hotline for help and Austin answered. Once I told him the issue he was able to quickly get me on a Google Meet to see what was going on and walked me through the rest of the steps quickly. He was a huge help to me I was so worried about not submitting my selections! I appreciated the help!”

• Shouted out by Saryna Faulkner, HR Tech II, Employee Care Center

“Ms. Varshneya cares about not only her students’ academic success, but also their social-emotional well being. She goes above and beyond to incorporate activities that meet the holistic needs of her specific student body into well thought out advisory lessons. She collaborates with colleagues to bring her classes engaging experiences. Through a combination of digital and hands-on learning, she is able to make high quality education accessible to all students. Ms. Varshneya pushes herself to stay up-to-date with new technologies and learning platforms, continuously improving her pedagogy. She is committed to guiding her students to be the best version of themselves and willing to support her colleagues along the way. Visiting her classroom is inspirational and a beautiful example of a community that is learning and growing together.”

• Shouted out by Erica Watson, Instructional Coach, Curriculum

“Ms. Dyer went out of her way to provide extra food to a family in desperate need. She made sure the whole family ate breakfast and provided them with to-go packs. Ms. Dryer exemplifies the CPS core values with her dedication to all CPS students and families!”

• Shouted out by Jamie Christian, School Community Coordinator, Project Connect

“Mrs. McCullum not only helps all of our students at recess and lunch, but she spreads her time across all four of the third grade classes! She never stops working and looking for opportunities to help our students and staff. She also is a friendly face the staff can go to when we are feeling stressed out needing help! She wears many hats and shows love to our students every single day!”

• Shouted out by Nicole Hardin, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Ms. Franklin has been our isolation room monitor this year. Each day she goes out of her way to make our ill students feel comfortable and safe. It can be a scary thing to be in an ‘isolation room’ and the thought of having cover can be very scary for our students. Ms. Franklin always provides them with a warm welcome, comfort when they are upset or worried, and shows so much kindness to them. She is also diligent in reaching out to parents and communicating with them even when things are difficult. We are truly lucky to have her. What would be be without our Paras!?”

• Shouted out by Nicole Hardin, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Joy is always available to share information that is helpful and always sees the bright side of every issue that arises.”

Shouted out by J. Sullivan, School Social Worker, Positive School Culture

“Maria works very well with the other teachers helping SWDs perform their best in class.”

• Shouted out by Kathie Klodell, ELA Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Mrs. Tolbert is the captain of our team. She cheers us on, has our backs and makes coming to work everyday that much easier. She also puts kids first — always thinking of new ways to celebrate student success but also willing to correct and redirect when they make mistakes. Thanks for helping us see the Promise!”

• Shouted out by Trina Tolbert, Teacher, Promise Center

“Mr. Johnson commits to bettering himself, so that is his equipped to provide the best experiences for the young men of M.O.R.E across the district. That means asking for assistance where needed and reaching others with diverse experiences to share an expanded view of life for our students and community to engage in together. He is committed to success!”

• Shouted out by LaRonda Thomas, District Parent Champion, Office of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships

“Susan does it all! From handling the COVID issues to working with administrators building success to continuously learning and helping others to do so as well. She is always patient even though she has a zillion things on her mind. She gives tirelessly to any task that she is given or chooses. I’ve had the pleasure to work with Susan in many roles and it’s always been a joy because she gives her best with a smile, regardless of how she is feeling at that moment in time. She deserves much credit for all the work she does while bringing happiness to others.”

• Shouted out by Christine Robertson-Rhoads, Administrator, Auxiliary Services

“Ms. Shannon does it all at Cincinnati Digital Academy. She works to care for all students, not just her first grade class, she collaborates with all parents, teachers and staff at CDA, she continuously helps students, teachers and staff learn, innovate and adapt by sharing with all new curriculum ideas, teaching strategies and programs, like our Edgenuity Program, for all to improve. Finally, we are successful teaching our students remotely by her leadership, collaboration, creativity and care for all students.”

• Shouted out by Thomas Delisio, Intervention Specialist, Cincinnati Digital Academy

“Mr. Saylor does it all at Cincinnati Digital Academy. He works tirelessly to care for all students, not just his seventh grade class. He collaborates with all parents, teachers and staff at CDA, continuously helps students, teachers and staff learn, innovate and adapt by sharing with all new curriculum ideas, teaching strategies and programs, like our Edgenuity Program, for all to improve. He chairs the K-12 staff meetings at CDA and works closely with Principal Rozier and other administrative staff to make sure all CDA staff are following proper procedures and policies at Cincinnati Digital Academy. Finally, we are successful teaching our students remotely by his leadership, collaboration, creativity and care for all students.”

• Shouted out by Thomas Delisio, Intervention Specialist, Cincinnati Digital Academy

“He cares tremendously-he is always willing to help his colleagues with interpreting data, creating data, and administering date. He has welcomed mentors into his classroom to help him provide the best experience for his students. He builds relationships by offering his classroom every day for lunch so he can get to know his students, he coaches cross country and shows up every day prepared and ready to go. He cares about his students, about their learning abs about his colleagues. He’s an amazing asset to our district!”

• Shouted out by Shelly Rotte, Teacher, Woodward Career Technical High School

“Ms. Kamphouse Is new to our school and I am very thankful she came! She exhibits every value, she is a blessing to us. She exhibits kindness and thoughtfulness to our students and our staff every single day. We are very lucky to have her at Oyler. I hope she stays with us for a very long time.”

• Shouted out by Kathy Halsey, Paraprofessional, Oyler School

“Tawana Is someone I’ve worked with for seven years, she does so much for our school I don’t know what we do without her. She is run the ALC For a junior high and high school for several years. This year she’s been placed in a situation where she’s running it for K-12! We have many kids to go in there and most of them are behavioral problems, it’s very difficult to have those grades mixed together but she’s doing it and she’s doing it with grace and love for our students, because of a lack of staff. She also is the coach for a junior high girls volleyball, our junior high and Cheerleading, she runs our food pantry every week after school, it is in charge of our power packs, Coordinating them and dispersing them every week to our children in need. She is a vital part of our school and someone I can look up to. She’s been there many years. She deserves a Shout Out!”

• Shouted out by Kathy Halsey, Paraprofessional, Oyler School

“Brittney is the ultimate science teacher. She teaches a variety of students all on different levels and I love how she breathes life into her students on a daily basis. She provides a variety of hands on engaging lessons that allow her students to think critically about the world around them and also bring out their creative side. She strives to provide an authentic science education to her students that makes learning relevant to the students in her class.”

• Shouted out by Brandi Foster, Instructional Coach, Curriculum and Instruction

“Ms. Branson helps out all teachers and students to make sure transitions go smoothly. She also helps all of the subs and new teachers to make sure they have all they need to do their best for the students.”

• Shouted out by Kathie Klodell, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Carrie exhibits all of the core values, but her ability to work with teachers, administrators, and her fellow Instructional Coaches in a manner that improves the work everyone can do makes her work so valuable.”

• Shouted out by Matt Vame, Instructional Coach, C&I Social Studies

“Principal Bagayoko expresses that she loves her students, gives hugs all the time and gives her time and patience to those who need it most and empowers her staff to collaborate and learn how to serve. She knows all her students and makes sure that they feel included and have the ability to learn as an individual and as a part of the AMIS family. She does not try to know it all and can rely on parents and staff to help her understand the students and their needs.”

• Shouted out by Brandi Lewis, School Social Worker, AMIS

“Tricia goes above and beyond her job description. She is all over the building helping all staff and students.”

• Shouted out by Kathie Klodell, ELA Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“Miss Julie comes in whenever she is needed, whether 6 in the morning or 6 at night. She cleans our classrooms and school so well it shines! She always steps up to fill in any gaps and we know we can count on her to get things done. We will miss her when she retires!”

• Shouted out by Marilyn Falco, Teacher, Covedale Elementary

“Mandy teaches Science and Social Studies. She is doing Geodes with all the first graders. She is also helping out with Acadience progress monitoring.”

• Shouted out by Poonam Dhamija, K-1st Reading Specialist, Rising Stars (Carthage)

“She is co-teaching with our Biology teacher and they are ninth graders. She is constantly working with individual students that are behind or disruptive to get them caught up and to cooperate more with the Bio teacher. Erin helps them during our 1st bell intervention time as well to help them improve their grade as well as their behavior in class. She is all in to helping by calling parents, holing conferences, writing letters and finding different ways to help students buy into the lessons and get the work or assignments accomplished. Her strength is Math and though science is not her strongest area she is learning just as much if not more than the students. We could not do without her.”

• Shouted out by Don Strunk, Science Teacher, Riverview East

“Cheri Jordan is a polite and warm hearted individual and her personality shines when you meet her and you just know she cares for others. She knows how to collaborate with others as this is not only her roll but outside of that roll, she is very communicative with her colleagues, never failing to advise us of what is going on at our school and when she will be out and how we can reach her. She is willing/able to adapt to each new situation, always trying to find a happy medium for everyone. Cheri is one of those gems you find as she not only displays her work ethic in public but its not hard to believe she does it in private as well. l nominate her and I want others to know that she is working hard to provide ‘above the line’ service!”

• Shouted out by Joyce Hall, Social Worker, Positive School Culture

“Mr. Tamplin is selfless in his service to the Carson community. He regularly gives up nights, plan time and weekends to serve the technology needs of our school. Always with a smile and a positive outlook. He truly embodies servant leadership.”

• Shouted out by Ernestine Moore, Teacher, Carson School

“Mr. Zinkan goes above and beyond for his students to make sure they not only have fun learning about Science, but that they definitely understand all of the scientific concepts.”

• Shouted out by Kathie Klodell, Teacher, Rees E. Price Academy

“As a new principal in our district, following Debra Klein, and navigating through the pandemic, Maureen has built a collaborative relationship with the staff and students of Mt. Washington.”

• Shouted out by Robert Veite, Teacher, Mt. Washington School

“Adam has done an amazing job building an in-house technical solution to allow CPS to comply with the Vaccine Mandate. Working with a cross-functional team, he’s been able to wrap technology around an evolving process to ensure our success in complying with this mandate. He has given many, many evening and weekend hours to this work to ensure that deadlines were met.”

• Shouted out by Michael Gustin, Director of Business Technology, Treasurer’s Office

“Debra was introduced to the CPS librarians as our Curriculum Manager in August 2021. From day one, Debra has been committed to the success of the librarians, students, and the district. It has only been two months, and she has helped us, librarians, by collaborating, caring, and listening to our challenges, needs, goals, and more. Debra has been enthusiastic at our meetings and proactive. She listens to our voices and is committed to helping us fulfill our roles as professional teachers in CPS. Her compassion and love for her new position as the Interim Digital Learning Manager should NOT go unnoticed. Debra, I appreciate you so much. Thanks for being a CPS star.”

• Shouted out by Paulette Simpson, Media Specialist, North Avondale Montessori School

“Andrea works closely with the classroom teachers to assess and work with struggling learners. She shares her knowledge of intervention techniques and learning styles with staff. Andrea is supportive of children and staff and is always willing to lend a hand to help solve a problem or help others Andrea exemplifies our 4 key values in her work for the staff and students of North Avondale Montessori.”

• Shouted out by Nico Stiles, 6th-9th Grade Teacher, North Avondale Montessori

“Ms. Bennington cares about each of her students immensely. She goes out of her way to make sure that they succeed not only in school, but out of school as well. She drives them to and from school, helps them secure needed medication, takes them to school events outside of school hours, and even takes them out to eat. She collaborates with colleagues around the district to ensure the best plans for her students; reaching out to previous teachers to see what’s worked and what hasn’t. She continuously improves by attending PDs and piloting programs within her classroom to help meet the needs of her students. When things are no longer working in her room, she adapts them to meet students where they are at. She is committed to success in her own room, but she is also committed to the success of the team. She goes out of her way to help fundraise for the team, to buy needed item for team events, and to know all of the students on our team, not just in her own classroom. She will do whatever it takes to get not only her students, but all students on the team to where they need to be. Ms. Bennington exemplifies what every CPS teacher should be.”

• Shouted out by Nicki Cuba, 7th-8th Grade Math Teacher & Team Lead, Taft High School

“Ms. Randall has taken on a tremendous undertaking this year in uniting all of the district’s Emotional and Behavioral supports into one team. In a very challenging start to the year, she has been a fantastic leader, always supporting her team and consistently following through on the vision to provide the best supports for all of our students. With such a difficult population, there can be many setbacks and the work can be thankless at times, but despite this Ms. Randall persists in knowing that the work being done by this team is instrumental to making sure the district is providing the best opportunities for these students to get the support they need to make great progress. Ms. Randall’s hard work and dedication make her a phenomenal leader and such a blessing to CPS!”

• Shouted out by Jessica Brock, School Psychologist, Department of Student Services

“It is my first year teaching at WHHS, and I was put on a 7th grade team with Dawn Wolfe. Most days I spend at least one planning bell in Dawn’s classroom. The first day that I walked into her room this year, she asked me how I was doing, and when I started talking about how my classes were going, she stopped me and said, ‘No, how are YOU doing?’ Dawn has been my go-to person at school ever since. She constantly reminds me that I’m only human, is always there to support me and our team, and shows compassion in every action.”

• Shouted out by Annamarie Daly, Latin Teacher, Walnut Hills High School

“Monica truly cares about the students and is a great team member.”

• Shouted out by Annamarie Daly, Latin Teacher, Walnut Hills High School

“Ms. Eastlake-Annarino offered to assist in the nurses’ office while our nurse is out to assist our Principal who is serving as nurse during this time. She even took the med training to ensure her help during her lunch and planning bells.”

• Shouted out by Erin McGlone, Intervention Specialist, Spencer Center

“Mr. Lewis was my principal and continues to invest in and support my growth and well being even after I have moved on from his building. He is always open to learning with me and accept new ideas in the pursuit of doing what is best for students and our district. He does his very best AND pushes others to do the same.”

• Shouted out by Crystal Watson, Instructional Coach, Curriculum and Instruction

“Cheri is a very kind hearted and warm spirited person. She is thoughtful and not only provides resources to families but also her fellow colleagues. She generously gives her time, coming in before and after school. She is not afraid to work long hours and commits herself to the work that she does. She’s always willing to collaborate with us on ideas of how to make school life better for the families she serves. She is one of the best RC’s that I have worked with thus far and she deserves a kuddos and raise! :-)”

• Shouted out by Joyce Hall, School Social Worker, Positive School Culture

“Mr. Kevin is at the front desk every morning. I see and hear him greeting staff and visitors as they arrive. He provides direction to our guests and is always positive in his approach.”

• Shouted out by Shauna Murphy, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships

“Margo is consistent in demonstrating care when handling internal mail. She always has a smile and a kind word to say to all she meets.”

• Shouted out by Shauna Murphy, Assistant Superintendent, Office of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships

“Ruba is doing amazing things to build a culture of joy, kindness and respect at Rising Stars Carthage. She has created ways that staff can brag on one another (Brag Board), created signage for the hallways that encourage and lift up staff and students, and she has reached out to community businesses to get perks to increase staff morale. She secured donations of lunch for all staff during the district PD day, and received donations to award as prizes to teachers during her PD day presentation! Ruba is a ray of sunshine every day, and works hard to make her school as warm and welcoming place for students and staff.”

• Shouted out by Patty Fong, ESL Manager, Department of Student Services

“Karen demonstrates all of the CPS core values in her role at central office that involves many duties. She has been working for the Human Resources Department for years handling certification, licensing, LPDC and a list of other related duties. Through her work, she ensures that teachers in Cincinnati Public Schools know and have what they need in order to maintain licensure, answers questions from staff, and she responds to urgent situations in a timely and professional manner. She spends many hours behind the scenes ensuring that CPS employees are eligible and prepared to instruct the thousands of students in the district. Karen’s dedication to her job and colleagues demonstrates her commitment to success through her exceptional collaboration, phenomenal skill level, and continuous professional development in order to maintain and implement state and district initiatives.”

• Shouted out by Candy Rozier, Intervention Specialist, Sayler Park

“Ms. Edmonson cares about all of the students and staff at our school. She goes above and beyond her duties to help everyone out.”

• Shouted out by Kathie Klodell, ELA Teacher, Rees E. Price

“Emily is a wonderful advocate for our students. She holds them to high standards, but also values them and listens to them. She is wonderful about collaborating with school staff to make sure everyone is aware when a student is having a rough day or needs support. Emily constantly thinks about ways that we can improve service to students and staff at Dater.”

• Shouted out by Christina Yearout, School Psychologist, Dater High School

“Mrs. Hutchinson consistently reaches out to colleagues not just for assistance when needed but also to provide advice to those who need it. She is great with all her students and was able to have a full classroom fully prepared last minute to take on another teacher’s class when a life event prevented them from attending this first semester. All this while also continuing her own education through college courses.”

• Shouted out by Timothy Cisco, Paraprofessional, Rising Stars on Vine

“Amy has managed to create documents for ALL reading specialist making out jobs easier with all that we have to turn in and do. As a new reading specialist, she has fielded questions, offered links, shared forms and been active in training classes, providing me a wonderful mentor and amazing amount of support. She is knowledgeable and will share anything with anyone if she thinks it will help them be better able to serve students. She wants all of us to succeed as reading specialists and is so kind, even when you call/email in the middle of the day and know that she has her own caseload. She has cared about our students and the reading specialists, she has collaborated with others to provide materials and documents, she is committed to all of us being successful and she continuously tries to help us improve by offering insights during trainings and assisting with the new Acadience Online roll out. Thank you so much, Amy!”

• Shouted out by Robin Thierauf, K–1 Reading Specialist, Dater Montessori

“Don is part of an innovative program to bring University of Cincinnati Business classes to students at Withrow University High School. Students will earn both college credit and high school credit for an accounting class he is instructing! He will also be taking the students on immersive experiences at UC and worked this summer to ensure his credentials, resume and education materials were submitted to UC to launch this experience. His enthusiasm, follow-through and passion for students to have this opportunity is nothing short of an exhibition of I Care, I Collaborate and I Commit to Success!”

• Shouted out by Danielle Reid-Filak, College Specialist, Teaching and Learning

“From the moment I started at CPS, Sandi Horine was in my inbox advocating on behalf of students at Aiken High School. Sandi goes above and beyond her role as a School Counselor to ensure that Aiken students have access to their postsecondary dreams, CCP, College Fairs, and any appropriate courses needed for timely graduation- to name a few. Sandi has advocated for students in the district who are not eligible for CCP; ensuring that their voices and needs are heard at the district, college partner, and state level. Sandi stands in unity and support for those often unheard and unseen.

She remains steadfast in her student-centric approach to her work, finding opportunities to collaborate with peers and partners. It only takes a few moments in Sandi’s presence to know how passionate and dynamic she is. You will leave your conversation fired up, inspired, and with an actionable directive in hand. She is tireless in the pursuit of equitable processes, procedures and experiences for Aiken students and more broadly CPS students. I know that when Sandi Horine enters the room, the CPS student needs will be voiced, the resolve will be presented, and she will follow-through in making sure the work is concluded.”

• Shouted out by Emily Moroney, College Manager, Teaching and Learning

“Amanda Bardo is a first-year counselor at Spencer Center, who has jumped right into the work of supporting students and making sure they are on a path for success! Her passion for College Access is evident. She signed on to be an advisor for College Ambassadors — a program that is new to Spencer Center, as 2022 will be their inaugural graduating class. I sat in on their first meeting, and her rapport with the students was GREAT! Her group is already planning two College Access events! “

Shouted out by Je’Von Calhoun, College Specialist, Teaching and Learning

“Craig Hanthorn is incredibly dedicated to our school, students, families and community. He has worked tirelessly to help create systems such as committees, Restorative Panel to decrease discipline, IAT, attendance policy, etc. He goes above and beyond to help out where needed (i.e. assisting with tardy tables, pushing trash cans at lunch and doing hall sweeps). Craig pushes others (including myself) to be better; he never settles for staying at the status quo.”

• Shouted out by Victoria Oakley, School Social Worker, Western Hills High School

“Mr. Thompson is always a pleasure to work with. He has a great sense of humor and he looks out for those who might need help. He is always finding ways to support the staff and make our jobs easier. He is quick with a smile and a joke and always giving 100 percent while he’s here.”

• Shouted out by Glenetta Krause, Teacher, Gilbert A. Dater High School

“Nurse Bobbi gives it her ALL! Everyday! Rather students onsite, blended, or remote, Nurse Bobbi keeps things moving! She shows she Cares and Collaborates, by her dedication and 110 percent effort. From supporting our office team, individual teacher needs, and students, while also maintaining the operations of our busy Health office and the needs of nearby schools (when their nurse is absent or unavailable). Nurse Bobbi exemplifies Continuous improvement and Commitment to success, as continually asks how she can assist while also asking how she can improve!”

• Shouted out by Angela Cook-Frazier, Principal, Kilgour School

“Ms. Wolf continues to make decisions with the best interest of student’s in mind. She has an in-depth understanding of restorative practices and Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS), and is observed implementing these on a daily basis. She takes the time to understand both the perspective of staff and students to support continued growth for all. Her favorite statement is ‘Let’s Soar’… and ‘soaring’ we are! #GoHawks”

• Shouted out by Kelly Testerman, School Psychologist, Riverview East Academy

“Ms. League-Kramer was the epitome of professionalism as she assisted with the educator re-licensing process by being knowledgeable of the process, responsive to communication, compassionate when suggesting alternatives, and positive in presenting next steps.”

• Shouted out by Aaron Parkee, Educator, Aiken High School

“Nick provided a lot of tech support to me during the first days of school. He made a stressful time run smoothly. He is patient, helpful, and responsive.”

• Shouted out by Anne Ramsay, Teacher, Walnut Hills High School

“Ms. McDowell shows her students everyday how much she cares about them and their well-being by setting high expectations and acting as a warm demander to support each student to be successful. She collaborates everyday to make decisions with teachers as the team leader and lesson plans weekly with the Math Specialist to ensure that her instruction is standards based and on grade level. She shows her commitment to success by mentoring a new teacher on the 6th grade team and by showing every student that they can and will achieve at Bond Hill Academy.”

• Shouted out by Leslie Lyles, Intermediate Math Specialist, Bond Hill Academy

“Ms. Lawson went out of her way to make sure our new teacher was set up for success.”

• Shouted out by Courtney Fox, Math Specialist, Curriculum and Instruction

“She always puts the students first all the time. She shows perseverance with everything she does, she always a team player she always willing to learn and adapt to new things. She very committed to her job and the students.”

• Shouted out by Amanda Howard, Para MD Units, James N. Gamble Montessori High School

“Jess is an amazing teacher who works hard to have each student in the best program to meet their needs. She is constantly sending information to help with transitions, setting up meetings and providing teaching/learning activities to our team. She coordinates many activities and programs, being a valued member of the staff.”

• Shouted out by Jessica Berding, AU Intervention Specialist, Gamble Montessori High School

“Ms. Jackson has been a wonderful mentor to me these past few weeks as I navigate my first year with CPS! She is willing to take the time to answer my questions and share her expertise with me.”

• Shouted out by Robyn Weaver, Reading Specialist, Gamble Montessori Elementary

“Spencer would not exist without Deborah and her tenacity for getting the job done and doing it well. She opened the school with the principal and herself. She maintains integrity and professionalism at all times. If there is a person in this district that personifies every goal that you want it’s Deborah.”

• Shouted out by Barbara Santel, Senior Support, Gamble Montessori Elementary

“Rebeka gives tirelessly to the children and families of CPS who are experiencing homelessness. She demonstrates care for academics by providing shelter and hotel tutoring. She collaborates with Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority to provide vouchers. She spends her evenings and weekends doing school supply drives in the community and toy drives at Christmas. Rebeka and her work has recently been featured on Channel 9 and Channel 5.”

• Shouted out by Shauna Murphy, Assistant Superintendent, Central Office

“Ms. Hankerson is ready to assist in any area as soon as she is called upon, just this school year I have seen her be a nurse, security, lunchroom staff and even a Sr. Support Specialist. Whenever we are short staffed and I call upon her she never waivers or gives any negative feedback. Ms. Hankerson is a truly valued employee who can’t even be classified under one position name. She embodies the commitment to make sure that we all succeed.”

• Shouted out by Eboni Joe, Senior Support Specialist, Rising Stars at Vine

“Peggy Ludlum is warm and helpful to every child and parent that walks through our door. She demonstrates her care for each person by her welcoming personality, affirmations of each child and compassionate phone interactions. She is always quick to respond to any request by both parents and staff members, and accomplishes her daily tasks cheerfully, even during this busy ‘beginning of the school year’ season.”

• Shouted out by Ann Salzbrun, Senior Support Specialist, Hyde Park Elementary

Dustin Moore, Woodward High School
“During the pandemic, he helped me understand google, schoology and all things bitmoji. He cares deeply about his school, he plans lessons that are fresh and engaging for his students, he works hours well beyond the closing of the school buildings, and he also helps his new colleagues too. He brings people together, builds them up, teaches his colleagues how to use technology and is aware of all they do to support our students. He’s a gem for our district and I’m honored to know him, to learn from him, and to be able to grow as a result.”

• Shouted out by Shelly Rotte, 4th Grade Teacher, SCPA

“This summer, Renita partnered with UC Blue Ash College to ensure that CPS graduates who were bound for UC Blue Ash had support, assistance, and active communication to navigate the summer college going process. There are so many things that students need to do in order to start college on day one (transcripts must be sent, students must attend orientation, they have to register for classes and submit health records, they have to accept their aid and go through aid counseling). Renita dedicated her summer to contacting students who had not achieved each of these tasks to ensure they had the support they needed to navigate each complicated process. She was praised continuously from the UC Blue Ash team who could not stop talking about her commitment, communication, and advocacy for students. As a result of her efforts an additional 40+ students throughout the summer were able to complete their college requirements to start at UC Blue Ash on the right foot!”

• Shouted out by Danielle Reid-Filak, College Specialist, Teaching and Learning

Miss. Paul is a woman who shows compassion and helps people in need. She is hardworking and kind, and helps many teachers and schools across the district. She is a true definition of a leader and someone who cares deeply about the success of students in Cincinnati Public Schools.

• Jared Ceaser, Teacher, Roberts Academy