WCS Celebrates Employees of the Year

The district’s recognition of its hardworking staff members continues with the 23rd Annual Employees of the Year Celebration.

Every year, each school selects both a teacher and a classified employee to celebrate. From those teachers, a district Teacher of the Year is selected at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Each district department also selects a classified employee to honor.

The Elementary School Teacher of the Year is Crockett Elementary’s Stephanie Higgs; the Middle School Teacher of the Year is Mill Creek Middle’s Latoya Howell; and the High School Teacher of the Year is Independence High’s Matt Balzer. The Classified Employees of the Year are Westwood Elementary’s Mona White, Spring Station Middle’s Cindy Schwark and Centennial High’s Mamie Jeter.

“We have so many great employees who work every day to make the best education experience for our children,” said WCS Superintendent Jason Golden. “They are the ones making those unforgettable connections. Our excellence would never happen without their commitment to greatness, and this is just one way for us to celebrate them.”

While the district typically holds a banquet to honor the winners, this year’s event could not take place due to COVID-19 restrictions. To lieu of a banquet, the district produced a virtual Employees of the Year Celebration video recognizing all 112 staff members.

Congratulations to all the Williamson County Schools Teachers and Employees of the Year.

Elementary School Teachers of the Year

• Valerie Black, Allendale Elementary
• April Flynn, Bethesda Elementary
• Olivia Smith, Chapman’s Retreat Elementary
• Rachel Biggs, Clovercroft Elementary
• Grace Hartman, College Grove Elementary
• Kelli Iverson, Creekside Elementary
• Stephanie Higgs, Crockett Elementary
• Kelley Anne Joyner, Edmondson Elementary
• Bonita Smith, Fairview Elementary
• Stacy Jennings, Grassland Elementary
• Diana Wedgewood, Heritage Elementary
• Lauren Hawks, Hillsboro School (K-5)
• Ruth Patton, Hunters Bend Elementary
• Katie Allen, Jordan Elementary
• Marie Lee, Kenrose Elementary
• Hailey Kornman, Lipscomb Elementary
• Kristi Ellison, Longview Elementary
• Kelley Sieja, Mill Creek Elementary
• Kara Matwijec, Nolensville Elementary
• Lauren Decker, Oak View Elementary
• Bill DePietro, Pearre Creek Elementary
• Chad Messmer, Scales Elementary
• Alyssa Earls, Sunset Elementary
• Danielle Bartelmay, Thompson’s Station Elementary
• Miriam Camargo, Trinity Elementary
• Janet Taylor, Walnut Grove Elementary
• Frances McClanahan, Westwood Elementary
• Sherry Hintz, Winstead Elementary

Classified Elementary Employees of the Year

• Lauren Grainger, Allendale Elementary
• Tammi Smith, Bethesda Elementary
• Melinda Kueffer, Chapman’s Retreat Elementary
• Jennifer Story, Clovercroft Elementary
• Sandra Banner, College Grove Elementary
• Winona Andrews, Creekside Elementary
• Lindsay Nichols, Crockett Elementary
• Nancy Waynick, Edmondson Elementary
• Pam Best, Fairview Elementary
• Beth Williams, Grassland Elementary
• Jessica Meyer, Heritage Elementary
• Pam Shumate, Hillsboro School (K-5)
• Dianne Bryan, Hunters Bend Elementary
• Rachel Webb, Jordan Elementary
• Helen Gore, Kenrose Elementary
• Susan Hudson, Lipscomb Elementary
• Sindy Pollard, Longview Elementary
• Ali Fricke, Mill Creek Elementary
• Kelly Marks, Nolensville Elementary
• Carol Phillips, Oak View Elementary
• Julie Albright, Pearre Creek Elementary
• Stacey O’Hara, Scales Elementary
• Wanda Connor, Sunset Elementary
• Jeanette Arnold, Thompson’s Station Elementary
• Ann Tidmore, Trinity Elementary
• Beth Feenstra, Walnut Grove Elementary
• Mona White, Westwood Elementary
• Christine Frost, Winstead Elementary

Middle School Teachers of the Year

• Claire Berg, Brentwood Middle
• Joe Sulateskee, Fairview Middle
• Susan Oldham, Grassland Middle
• Kara Hitchen, Hillsboro School (6-8)
• Linnett Vance, Heritage Middle
• Leigh Ann de Melo, Legacy Middle
• Latoya Howell, Mill Creek Middle
• Jessica Tarr, Page Middle
• Amy Smith, Spring Station Middle
• Kelley Bell, Sunset Middle
• Kris Schneider, Thompson’s Station Middle
• Katie Fall, Woodland Middle

High School Teachers of the Year

• Janice Nola, Alternative Learning Center
• Joe Blair, Brentwood High
• Claytan Bondy, Centennial High
• Laura Lowry, Fairview High
• Sherry Norton, Franklin High
• Matt Balzer, Independence High
• Emily Frisby, Nolensville High
• Sarah Sparks, Page High
• Lianne Haviland, Ravenwood High
• Vanessa Kohler, Renaissance High
• Drake Jackson, Summit High

Classified Middle School Employees of the Year

• Jim Antista, Brentwood Middle
• Margarite Lassan, Fairview Middle
• Dee Powell, Grassland Middle
• Jeanine McIntosh, Heritage Middle
• Dominique Viaene Rager, Legacy Middle
• Lissette Utz, Mill Creek Middle
• Wendy Shreiber, Page Middle
• Cindy Schwark, Spring Station Middle
• Sylvia Richey, Sunset Middle
• Melissa Oberstaedt, Thompson’s Station Middle
• Brandi Hirsch, Woodland Middle

Classified High School Employees of the Year

• Christian Garvey, Alternative Learning Center
• Cathy Cram, Brentwood High
• Mamie Jeter, Centennial High
• Meg Mastroianni, Fairview High
• Kathy Street, Franklin High
• Linda Kunberger, Independence High
• Klaire Powers, Nolensville High
• Vicki Holder, Page High
• Jeri Bozeman, Renaissance High
• Marjorie Bastien, Ravenwood High
• Tami Buckley, Summit High

Departmental Employees of the Year

• Wendy Melson, Academic Psych and Social Services Specialist
• Natasha Armstrong, Central Office
• Karen Cornwell, Food Services
• Ashley Filippo-DeGuire, Health Care Professional
• Terri Haviland, Information Technology
• Rupert Aispuro, Maintenance Department
• Jeff Groose, Transportation Department
• Kelly Pitsenberger, Pre-K/Early Childhood Specialized Teacher
• Alex Weikert, School Age Child Care
• Carolyn Doetzer, Student Support Services
• Peggy Elliot, Substitute Teacher