Each month, our partner school districts submit glowing reviews of our employees, from which we select four employees of the month. We’re pleased to recognize our honorees from December 2022!
Samantha Deitz
New Milford Public Schools, CT
Samantha was nominated by Kimberly Valzania, Secretary to the Principal at Northville Elementary School, who wrote: “I am writing to nominate Mrs. Samantha Deitz, a Building Substitute Teacher in our school. Mrs. Deitz has a quiet personality, but she is very much a bright star here at Northville School. She is an example of how well a Substitute Teacher can seamlessly fit in with a school community. She thrives here at Northville, which is a testament to the excellent combination of her skillset and her demeanor.
Her greatest strengths include her very calm teaching style and her ability to feel comfortable switching gears when necessary, and it ALWAYS seems to be necessary during the course of a busy school day with so many moving parts and changes. Each morning she arrives right on time and jumps into her assignments with a smile. She has successfully subbed in all grade level classrooms and all Unified Arts classrooms. She is great on the computer, and knows her way around a Smart Board. She understands her role, but goes above and beyond so that teachers are comfortable leaving their classes in her hands. She is comfortable here and we feel very lucky to call her part of the team because she solves problems on her own without “bothering” the office for answers.
Mrs. Deitz is best described as a kind person with no ego. She thinks of others first. She is happy to lend support wherever she is needed, and that is not something we can say about every sub who walks through our doors. She handles conflict, resolves issues, and gently faces challenges with a positive attitude. The students respond well to her teaching style and she has made a point of getting to know them. For example, there was a student who was dismissed early due to illness from one of the classes where she was filling in. The next day, she asked me specifically if the child was back in school and if he felt better. This type of thinking is demonstrative of her putting others before herself.
Samantha Deitz is an asset. She cares about the students and staff, she’s considerate, she gets the job done, and she is one of the most reliable people I’ve ever known. She deserves to be your ESS Employee of the Month!”
Anita Krohn
Teaneck Public Schools, NJ
Anita was nominated by Tom Basehore, VP of Operations at ESS, after learning that was Anita was named the 2022-2023 New Jersey Department of Education Governor’s Educational Service Professional of the Year for Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
Benjamin Franklin Middle School Principal Terrance Williams sent the following letter to Anita in December:
“Ms. Krohn,
Patrick Lencioni once shared, ‘For organizations seriously committed to making teamwork a cultural reality, I’m convinced that the right people are the ones who have three virtues in common – humility, hunger, and people smarts.’ The Paraprofessionals at Benjamin Franklin Middle School provide needed academic and social-emotional support to our most vulnerable learners while supporting our instructional staff in all areas of our school.
Congratulations, I am honored to share with you that a panel of your peers at Benjamin Franklin Middle School has nominated you as the 2022-2023 New Jersey Department of Education Governor’s Educational Service Professional of the Year. This acknowledgement is significant and was shared with two other educational support staff members who were also nominated. We are grateful to you all for the work you have performed at our school here in Teaneck, New Jersey.
On behalf of the leadership team and our school community, I am excited to share that you have been selected from this group as the 2022-2023 New Jersey Department of Education Governor’s Educational Service Professional of the Year for Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
Our past Commissioner of Education, Dr. Lamont Repollet reminded us that we should not exhaust opportunities to recognize the hard and exemplary work that our students rely on to build a successful life for themselves. This is an awesome honor for the exemplary work that continues to guide your praxis at Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
Thank you for the work you do every day at the school and beyond the bell. We are looking forward to sharing this honor with you in the days and months to come. Congratulations again!”
Gail Thomas
Union Public Schools, OK
Gail was nominated by Marina Nelson, Teacher at Andersen Elementary, who wrote: “I highly recommend Ms. Thomas because she has a love and commitment to the success of students and their education. She worked with the district and even though she is retired, she still finds the time to give back. What I love most about having Ms. Thomas work in my classroom is her dedication to ensure that the students are able to continue learning in my absence. She is the only person I work hard in securing as a substitute to teach my students when it becomes necessary for me to be absent. I know that the learning continues and the quality is as expected. She is not only able to instruct with the highest quality but her classroom management is excellent. Every teacher in the building does their best to plan way ahead of time in order to get her to work in their classroom and it’s as though one has won the lottery. She is loved by the students, parents, and teachers. She is know for her quote, ‘Hello family!’ and the students love her. We are truly blessed to have her.”
Jackie Wakefield
Monroe County Schools, TN
Jackie was nominated by Kelly Davis, Teacher at Tellico Plains Jr. High School, who wrote: “Jackie has been filling in at the high school since the beginning of the school year in Special Ed. He is the only one who has stayed due to the challenging situation. He has been a huge support for the lead teacher. Prior to taking this position, he would work positions that no one wanted to take. He is a retired individual who stays serving because he has a heart for the students.”