The district is pleased to announce the March 2023 Staff in the Spotlight recipients. Every month, each of our schools honors a staff member at their building for going above and beyond their regular duties or for doing something special. Join us in celebrating these outstanding employees!

	PELC	Liz Harpe – Congratulations to Liz Harpe, this month’s PELC Staff in the Spotlight recipient.  Liz is flexible and willing to work with ANY staff member, and she ALWAYS does it with a smile on her face.  Liz has a special talent and aptitude for working with students with extreme needs.  She intuitively knows how to work with a student and knows what the student needs for success.  Students fortunate enough to work with Liz blossom.  We can see on their faces that they know they are loved and safe.  Liz is firm yet loving and intuitively knows what needs to be done.  Liz is willing to help out anywhere at the PELC.  She is often asked to move around and deal with change, and she does it without complaining.  Liz is reliable and can jump into any position (and has done so). Liz designed an iPad system to track transportation changes at the PELC, which has saved the team so much time.  Liz is a technology and copy machine whiz and is constantly problem-solving and coming up with solutions.  She has common sense, can see the whole picture, and she cares.  And, if you need a sign with cute artwork for any occasion, Liz is your gal.  Congratulations!
	McKay	Leigh Larsen – Leigh is one of the best team players.  She covers the office when needed, helps to take care of students’ medical needs, often stays late to help teachers with whatever they may need, and she helps anyone and everyone – no questions asked.  She brings a lot of importance and value to our staff.  She connects with students and does a fantastic job teaching small groups in reading and math.  Leigh is a huge asset to McKay, and she does so much to make McKay a good place for kids.  She has stepped up to many new duties successfully, and we are very fortunate to have her on our Mustang team.
	Sherwood	Kirk Case – Every morning, Kirk walks to crosswalk duty and says good morning to everyone.  He never complains about going out in the cold, and he has even given his sweatshirt to a student who was cold during a fire drill.  He is always happy, smiling, and cheerful to staff.  He is very inventive with the activities he comes up with so that kids have fun in P.E.  Mr. Case rocks P.E.  Mr. Case will jump in when others are gone and help where needed.  He is an amazing person to have on our Sherwood team.  He goes beyond what is expected of his job and duties.  He is always willing to put students first and teach them what they need to know in the moment.  Whether it is playground rules, reinforcing soccer rules, or SEL lessons for connecting and getting along with others, Kirk is always willing to better our school.  We are very thankful to have him on our Sherwood team.
	Washington	Holly Chay – Mrs. Chay is being recognized for her consistency with our 5th graders.  She sets a precedent and holds students to a high standard.  Each year Mrs. Chay coordinates our Battle of the Books as well.  Mrs. Chay works hard to support our school by helping with family events, being on committees, and so much more.  Thank you, Mrs. Chay, for being YOU!
	Sunridge	Carly Elder – Our March PSD Staff in the Spotlight is Carly Elder.  Carly is our choir teacher at SMS.  Here is what some of her colleagues had to say about her.  Ms. Elder’s choir program at Sunridge is a big part of student culture.  Carly makes connections with her students, many of whom have limited formal music experience.  They enjoy her class and work hard to meet her expectations.  Carly truly believes that all students can learn.  Whether they are the most challenging behaviorally or most gifted academically, she works the magic to get the best out of them.  They love being in her class and will often decline other opportunities if it conflicts with choir.  We are all better for her being on our staff.
	PHS	Renee Moore, Registrar at PHS – Renee plays a critical role in the educational system at Pendleton High School by managing student records, transcripts, and schedules and ensuring that all administrative tasks are performed accurately and efficiently.  Renee’s ability to excel in this position is because she is detail-oriented.  Renee is able to manage multiple tasks at the same time while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.  Renee has excellent customer service skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, teachers, and other staff members.  She works closely with other members of the school administration and faculty to ensure that all administrative tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.  Renee maintains a high level of professionalism and discretion in handling sensitive student information.  Renee possesses excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen actively and communicate clearly and effectively.  We love having her as part of the Bucks family.
	Hawthorne/Homestead	Annette Bittorf – Annette is one of the best parts of Hawthorne.  She gives extra time to help our students in PBL.  She also spends time with our GED and credit retrieval students if they are struggling in math.  She just finished working with one student that didn’t pass his math GED test, and after working with her, he passed.  She is loved by students and staff here at Hawthorne.
	District Office/ Maintenance	Karen Weber – for providing a seamless connection with First Student for our schools and our families.  Without her, our transition to the new bus company would not have been as smooth and successful as it has been.  She also comes to work every day with a smile and is willing to jump in with both feet to help whenever she is needed.
	Nixyaawii Community School	No submissions this month.