American Education Week - School Support Staff Appreciation Day
American Education Week News Release
Making a Positive Impact
Maxi Farnsworth Henry, Media Clerk, Sterling School
One of the important responsibilities that Media Clerk Maxi Farnsworth Henry has is the selection of age-appropriate books for students at Sterling School. “We have a lot of students who need help picking high reading content that is also age-appropriate,” she said. “That’s why we put reading stickers on the books for young adults, and we use a “five-finger” rule. If you miss five words on the page, it’s too hard. If you miss none of the words, it might be too easy,” explained Henry.
Henry and media specialist Stephanie Nichols serve as the technology experts at Sterling. “We work on Promethean boards, set up new Chromebooks, and help teachers with laptop issues. I love the technology aspect of my job,” she said.
Henry is passionate about the students she serves, which is the reason she is the school’s Relay for Life coordinator. Last year, Sterling School’s team was among the top among all Greenville County teams, raising more than $7,000 for the organization.
A Ray of Sunshine
Lindsey Hopkins, Assistant Food Service Manager, Stone Academy
Lindsey Hopkins worked in the Hollis Academy cafeteria before being named assistant manager at Stone Academy in 2014. “My job is to run the floor, so I have to make sure everyone understands their task and stays on task,” she explained.
She trains new employees using a production sheet that shows how much of each item they need to prepare each day. “We have to record everything we prep and at the end of the day we have to record everything we’ve thrown away and what were keeping. It all has to match up with how many people we’ve served for that day,” she said.
Customer service is Job One for Hopkins. “I always ask the students how they’re doing and it makes them feel special. Some kids have a hard time going through school. They need that extra smile throughout the day. They know we’re happy to see them and it changes everyone’s day. It gives them a ray of sunshine,” she said with a smile.
First Line of Defense
Amoretta Dogan, School Nurse, Plain Elementary
As a CPR instructor for the District, Plain Elementary Nurse Amoretta Dogan is happy in her role as a teacher and nurse. At school, she teaches students valuable lessons about how to take care of their health.
“I had a young lady who found out she was diabetic, and it was really scary for her. I was taught in nursing school to teach them independence and to get them to learn that this is a lifestyle they will have for the rest of their lives,” she explained. “I explain why they have to check their blood sugar, how the insulin works, how to use their pump. That’s what I really enjoy.”
Nurse Dogan is there for students who have no other medical professional in their lives. “It’s those little things you can do to as far as making sure a wound is not infected, or making a referral for them to find places that pay for glasses, or helping the family get signed up for Medicaid,” she said. “I can be the first line of defense when they might not have an advocate out there to help them with medical issues.”