The Charles County Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) recognized more than 100 Charles County Public Schools staff members at its sixth annual Teacher and Staff Appreciation Awards ceremony held Wednesday, April 25, at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Community Center.
Staff members are nominated for recognition by students and parents in the community. Recognized were teachers, instructional assistants, school bus drivers and attendants, school counselors, psychologists, administrators, occupational, physical and speech therapists, and other staff members who make a difference in the lives of special needs children.
Award winners are nominated and selected in six categories: individual elementary; individual secondary; elementary group; secondary group; individual related services and group related services.
In the individual elementary school category, Amanda Mastran, a special education teacher at Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School, was named the overall winner. Steve Willett, a special education teacher at Milton M. Somers Middle School, received the overall award in the individual secondary category.
The elementary winners in the group nomination category are Jenna Monroe, special education teacher, William B. Wade Elementary School; Karen Gross, instructional assistant, Wade; Bonnie Thomas Stern, instructional assistant; and Melissa Elliott, instructional assistant.
The middle school winners nominated for the secondary group award are from the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center. They are: Todd Wonderling, coordinator of special programs; Scott Paterson, school psychologist; Charlotte Dougherty, instructional assistant; Jeff Mathews, special education teacher; Jason Kiessling, special education teacher; Matthew Werner, special education teacher; Kelley Clancy, instructional assistant; and Linda Westervelt, instructional assistant.
In the individual related services category, Tamara Crozier, school nurse at Gwynn, was selected as the winner. In the group related services category, Joanne Brown, an occupational therapist, and Nathan Lebedeker, a physical therapist, were named the overall winners.
The SECAC is organized to provide a forum for issues pertaining to children with special education needs. Members advocate for recommendations and assist the school system about the education budget, inclusion assessments, support services and other issues concerning children and special education, and related services.
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