Tift County Board of Education Chairperson Kim Rutland is shown with with True Blue Winner Kim Goodman.

Teachers and other staff were honored Thursday night at the Tift County Schools Employee Recognition Banquet, held at the UGA-Tifton Campus Conference Center. Recognized at the event was the 2014-15 Teacher of the Year, Dr. Julie Rucker, and Tift County’s first-ever True Blue Award Winner, Kim Goodman, with the Pre-K Center.

Teachers and staff who were recognized are as follows:

Pre-Kindergarten Center

Delois Rhaney has been with Tift Schools since 1996 and at pre-K since 2007. She said her greatest reward comes from lighting a fire for learning in her students and keeping up with them through the years. She hopes she can be as inspiring to them as her second grade teacher Mrs. Dunlap was to her.

Annie Belle Clark Primary

Samantha Walker has been with Tift Schools since 2003 and is a kindergarten teacher. She said her goal each day is to make each student feel loved and appreciated, and she knows she must consider their emotional needs before she can expect them to perform at school.

G.O. Bailey Primary

Karin Brown believes the teachers she had as a student helped to make her the teacher she is today. One told her that all children can do the hard work you ask of them – you just have to realize that each child’s work may look different, and some will need extra support. She has been working in Tift County since 2000, currently in third grade.

Len Lastinger Primary

When Greta Simmons became a special education teacher in 2000, she said she was initially scared. But that decision changed her life forever, and she said it made her know what her job as an educator was. Her reward as a teacher is when her students take one step forward toward their goals.

Northside Primary

Chloe Phillips has been teaching music for seven years at both G.O. Bailey and now Northside. She has done a great job with Christmas programs and Dancing Drums as well as writing grants, working on the yearbook and heading up this year’s Read Across America Week.

Charles Spencer Elementary

Angela Owen began teaching in Tift County in 1988 and is currently teaching fourth grade. She believes it takes constant motivation and determination to reach children individually so that you can find out how they learn and what is best for them.

Matt Wilson Elementary

Hope Vance teaches fifth grade and said she believes in second chances. Many of her students arrive to her room with a reputation. She offers her students a chance to reinvent themselves to become who they really want to be. Then the real work begins: the academic challenge.

Omega Elementary

Candace Ogletree has been at Omega since 2009. She said the trick of teaching is finding something or somebody to appreciate each day. As a special education teacher, she said the key is to tap into what her often-frustrated students find worthwhile.

J.T. Reddick

Jennifer Dean is a sixth grade mathematics teacher and has been at J.T. Reddick since 2008. She said it’s when her students are excited about their progress and are able to say with confidence, “I can do this!” that she feels like an outstanding teacher.

Eighth Street Middle

Heath Cross teaches Georgia history at ESMS where he has been since 2008. Teaching is a second career for him. He believes a teacher does not only teach their specific content, but must also instruct students on how to function in society even though their lives may not be perfect.

Northeast Campus

Kailan Fonash has been teaching at Northeast Campus for 12 years, her first public school experience. She made her way through China, Cameroon and Hawaii before coming to Tift County. She said she has taught elementary grades on up to adults and has loved each and every experience.

Tift County High

Julie Rucker has been a teacher for 20 years. As an English teacher, she said she must show her students how to communicate their ideas effectively in multiple modes and help her students learn how to respond to the complicated world in which we live.

    

Sixth Street Academy

Angela Joiner has been teaching at Sixth Street since 2009. After a student shared a troubling story from home, she realized the importance of making her classroom not only a learning environment, but a haven of safety and security that provides nurturing and acceptance. She said while she can’t solve all of her students’ challenges, she can let them know they are important.

True Blue Winners

The True Blue Employee Recognition Program was created to promote our shared values of excellence, compassion, innovation and school spirit. This award is designed to recognize outstanding individual performance of staff members and to celebrate the commitment and contributions of Tift County School System staff members. While teachers are recognized through the Teacher of the Year program, all other staff are considered for the True Blue Award. Each school site has a True Blue winner while all system-wide departments such as the bus shop, transportation, maintenance and central office departments are combined as one site. As with the Teacher of the Year, one overall winner will be announced at the Annual Employee Banquet.

Pre-Kindergarten Center

Kim Goodman has been with Tift Schools for nine years as a paraprofessional/assistant teacher. Her nominator said her quiet demeanor and willingness to help in all situations make her a teacher’s assistant that all of our teachers want to work with. She finds the good in everyone.

Annie Belle Clark Primary

Linda Phillips has been a paraprofessional for eight years. Her peers describe her as a friendly person who greets you with a smile. She has a pleasant can-do attitude and is always willing to help anyone in need. She genuinely cares about her students.

G.O. Bailey Primary

Elizabeth Hernandez has been an ESOL paraprofessional and translator for two years. She is in high demand as 40 percent of the school’s students are Hispanic. Her nominator said she has the perfect personality and demeanor to handle both serious and joyous occasions and has earned the complete trust of her administrators and teachers.

Len Lastinger Primary

Renee Sullivan has been at Len Lastinger as a media clerk/PE paraprofessional for seven years. Her nominator said that she never waivers in the love that she gives unconditionally to each and every student on a daily basis, loving each one as if they were her own flesh and blood.

Northside Primary

Barbara Mullinax is a nurse at Northside. Her nominator said she serves everyone at the school. She has an open-door policy and truly has compassion and dedication when it comes to her job. The students and parents love her.

Charles Spencer Elementary

Debra Harris is the lead custodian and has been with the school system for 10 years. Her nominator said she does whatever it takes to get the job done and does it with warmth and compassion. She always has a smile on her face and treats everyone with courtesy and respect.

Matt Wilson Elementary

Marilyn Rogers has been employed with Tift County for five years. Besides being an excellent nurse, she was described as a bright, shining star who always takes care of students and staff members with a smile. She shows compassion for her students and never lets anyone know when she is having a bad day.

Omega Elementary

With Tift County for 17 years, Cindy Jones works as a PE paraprofessional. Her nominator said she is such an asset to Omega. She is an excellent team player and believes in helping others whether it is a teacher, student or parent. She has great pride in her school.

J.T. Reddick

Marcia Pierce has been a registrar for 12 years. Her nominator said when confidentiality is required, there isn’t a more trustworthy employee. She is a team player, willing to do anything that is asked of her and has even gotten her church to provide Backpack Blessings for students.

Eighth Street Middle

Marlena Thomas has been with the system for 16 years and currently works as the Discipline/Athletic secretary. Her nominator said her pleasant and optimistic attitude positively affects everyone she encounters. She helps build important bonds between our school and community as well as with parents, faculty and students.

Northeast Campus

Pam Morrow has been with Tift Schools for nine years and is the attendance clerk. Her nominator said she is flexible and always willing to assist others as needed. She demonstrates the importance of personal integrity through her daily interactions at school and in the community.

Tift County High

Michele Mitchell has been registrar for 16 years.  Her nominator said that she is a team player and goes far beyond her duties to assist wherever needed.  She is always cheerful, even during extremely busy times.  She assists many people and makes them feel comfortable and welcome.

Sixth Street Academy

Earlletheia Williams has been a behavior intervention specialist here for three years. She was described as always professional with a classroom style that allows her to relate to students, yet makes it difficult for them to take advantage of her.

System-Wide Sites

David Williams has been with the system for nine years and is the bus shop foreman and assistant transportation director. His nominator said he goes above and beyond, doing whatever is needed to safely transport students. That could mean getting a bus out of a ditch or filling in for a driver. He’s an all-around great guy.