JCPS employees honored for “being a beacon of light” to students
May 12, 2023—Six Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) employees have been recognized with 2023 Lighthouse Awards by Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio. Lighthouse Awards are given in recognition of an employee’s dedication and commitment to students. The glass award encourages the recipient to “Continue to be a beacon of light to those around you while guiding students toward reaching their full potential.”
Dr. Pollio personally delivered the awards to the winners at their schools on May 10th and 12th. Some of the schools held school-wide assemblies to celebrate the surprised recipients. Here are the winners, selected by JCPS judges from 139 nominees:
Ashley (Hipps) Holmquist - Phoenix School of Discovery
Holmquist is an instructional assistant in the autism program at Phoenix. Her nominator wrote that “the classroom is simply a happier place when Ashley is there.” She stays in touch with each parent of her autistic students and sends photos of them home to parents each week to show their happiness and success in school. The nomination letter also praised Holmquist’s ability to help her students academically. “I can see the tangible growth of kids she works with in their MAP and IEP data. But what is more important to me is that kids are excited to come to a challenging class because they know they will work with Ashley.”
Shauna Paul - Churchill Park School
Paul is a counselor at Churchill Park, a school for children with severe disabilities. Her nominator called her Wonderwoman and Paul organized a pep rally, coordinated the Mayor’s Give a Day program and oversees Churchill Park’s social media. But the nomination letter also applauded her work with students and families, going “as far as attending doctor appointments with parents and students” or “watching students after hours to help parents” with medical services. Paul “creates positive relationships with everyone in the building” and is “the most positive person I have ever met” according to the co-worker who nominated her.
Natalie Finley - Conway Middle School
Finley is a science teacher who “advocates for her students, volunteers outside school hours, and continually makes an effort to attend student events” according to her nomination letter. Last year, one student with challenging behavior issues, an abusive home situation and behind academically made a connection with Finley and began referring to her as “mom.” When the student got into some legal trouble, Finley - a single parent - took him in as a foster parent while she was attending graduate school. This is an example of the support Finley gives “students at Conway and really exemplifies the impact a teacher can have on a student.”
Justin Lincey - Newburg Middle School
Lincey is the Youth Service Center Director at Newburg and has had a dramatic impact on Newburg through his enthusiasm and building community partnerships to benefit the students. Donated healthcare supplies, a dental clinic, volunteers making quilts with students and the Teamsters National Black Caucus teaching young men how to tie ties are all initiatives started by Lincey. Lincey gives students a sense of belonging, welcoming them to school each morning. He even delivered muffins to their mothers in the car rider line one day. According to the person who nominated Lincey, he has seen “Mr. Lincey masterfully build relationships and reach students thought to be unreachable. They instantly respect and value his guidance because they know he cares.”
Julie Fox - Lassiter Middle School
Fox is a true cheerleader for her students with disabilities. As an exceptional child education (ECE teacher she ensures that her kids receive accommodations for their related arts classes and get to participate in after-school activities. According to her nominator, Fox speaks with parents almost daily and creates engaging, student-centered, individual lessons for her students based on their abilities. Fox has shown incredible patience with a student who has extreme, violent behaviors but has shown remarkable progress this school year due to Fox’s teaching. Her “students love and trust her” and her co-workers look up to her as a mentor.
Tierra Ross - Academy@Shawnee
Ross is a middle school counselor who has quickly developed trusting relationships with students. She is “not afraid to pull students aside and have hard conversations with them,” according to her nominator who believes those frank discussions are the reason students “aren’t afraid to go to her with their struggles in school and at home.” Ross has improved the climate at Shawnee by setting up a room where students and staff can chill out, with a mindfulness corner, comfy chairs, headphones, health supplies and snacks for students as well as a refrigerator, popcorn machine and snow cone maker for staff. Students look up to her, respect her honesty and willingness to speak up for them with other adults, when needed.
Photos of all of the winners and the presentations at their schools can be found here.