The district is pleased to announce the May 2025 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	Ema Botts has stepped up to every challenge thrown her way and remained calm, cool, and collected. She has been an incredible addition to the PELC team! Ema is creative and dedicated. She has a kind heart and a very pleasant personality. Ema works hard and is willing to help out wherever needed. Ema has gone above and beyond to make sure the Salmon Room remains organized and takes initiative in preparing activities for the students, as well as collecting and analyzing data that is used to make improvements in the program. Ema willingly adjusts her schedule as needed and genuinely cares about the success of all students. Ema is amazing, kind, patient, and gentle with students and staff. Congratulations from the PELC family!
	McKay	Misty Pattison is an invaluable member of the McKay team who gives 100% every single day. Whether she’s working one-on-one with students, leading small academic groups, or picking up extra duties, she does it all with professionalism, positivity, and a strong work ethic. Misty consistently sets a great example for others and is always present, doing whatever she can to make each student’s day better. She is kind, friendly, and dependable, constantly checking in with teachers and offering support whenever she has a spare moment. Misty builds strong relationships with students, providing the structure and consistency they need to thrive, and she adapts easily to schedule changes or new challenges. Her positive attitude, team spirit, and dedication make her deeply appreciated by both students and staff. We are truly lucky to have her.
	Sherwood	Gita Webster is an outstanding teacher. She has a wealth of knowledge, and her ability to manage a classroom is magical to watch. Gita is always willing to help others throughout the day. She is a team player who is positive and treats all of the kids with kindness and love. Her classroom is well organized. Her encouragement and support of her student teacher are crucial in retaining educators in the field. Gita also does a beautiful job with her communication with her families and making sure that they are aware of the learning that is going on in the classroom. Thank you, Gita, for all that you have done in education over the years. She has had a positive impact on the lives of many and will be deeply missed once she retires.
	Washington	Jaime Larsen is a wealth of knowledge and experience that Washington uses daily to help our students be the best they can be.  She models daily how to stay calm and collected when dealing with hard behaviors.  She is a sounding board for many staff, helping them to troubleshoot and come up with plans to make each child be successful in the school environment.  She is an advocate for all students, and we are lucky to have her at Washington!
	Sunridge	Fred Wolotira – We are lucky to have someone like Mr. Wolotira at SMS! He goes above and beyond for our students in so many capacities that it will be impossible to fill his shoes. From encouraging words to staff and students, to scheduling activities and sporting events, organizing Bronc Pride Activity, monitoring events and activity times, setting up, tearing down, dealing with difficult situations, and absolutely everything in between, he’s the guy. You can always count on him for a fist bump in the halls, a smile, and that big booming voice when it’s needed. Being able to learn from him has been an absolute privilege! Thank you for all you do, Mr. Wolotira. We are endlessly grateful! Go Broncs!!
	PHS	Nicole Stewart – We want to take a moment to celebrate one of our outstanding educators at PHS, Nicole Stewart. In just one year, Nicole has taken our Intro to Education program from barely surviving to thriving. What was once a program in need of direction has quickly become one of the strongest offerings we have for students at PHS. Nicole’s work speaks directly to the power of “growing our own” future educators. She has not only rebuilt the structure and vision of the program, but she has also inspired students to consider teaching as a career, helping them recognize their own strengths and potential. The impact of this will be felt in classrooms for years to come, both in our district and beyond. Her ability to build strong, positive relationships with students and her incredible organization and drive have been key to this success. We are lucky to have someone with her passion and commitment leading this important work.
	Hawthorne/Homestead	No submission this month.
	District Office/ Maintenance	Jesse Lantz always has a smile on his face and is willing to tackle any task that comes his way.  Jesse has a great rapport with students, and he interacts with staff in a positive way.  He brightens everyone’s day with his humor and willingness to help.  No matter how unpleasant the job, he smiles and finds some humor in it.  Jesse cares about his job and those he works with!
	Nixyaawii Community School	Brice Gundlach for being our # 1 SUB all year.  He has covered countless hours in all subject areas.  He interacts with the students and has shown his support outside the classroom by attending extra-curricular activities.  Students look forward to Mr. Gundlach being in our building.