Employees

Congratulations to Our November Employees of the Month!


Striped background with stars along with a trophy and a banner announcing the November employees of the month

At ESS, our strength lies in our phenomenal team, and we’re proud to recognize those who lead by example. Each month, our partner school districts submit glowing reviews of our employees, from which we select four employees of the month. We believe in celebrating the hard work, dedication, and achievements of our team members who go above and beyond in their roles. We are thrilled to recognize our November 2025 Employees of the Month!

Kari Amorando
New Milford Public Schools, CT

Kari Amorando was nominated by Kim Valzania, Secretary to the Principal at Northville Elementary School, who wrote: “I am writing to nominate Mrs. Kari Amorando for ESS Employee of the Month.

Mrs. Amorando is an absolute ray of sunshine.  She comes to work each day with a smile and a ‘can-do’ attitude, ready and willing to fill any job/position we need her to. She does a great job with our more vulnerable students, and we can count on her with our youngest learners. I would say her ‘wheelhouse’ seems to be with the Pre-K classes.  She is patient, kind, polite, and smart.  She understands the protocols at NES, and her natural nurturing instincts make her an asset in our school building.
 
Mrs. Amorando is reliable and on time.  This is one of the most important parts of being a building substitute!  We never have to worry if she will show up.  She’s communicative and easy to talk to as well. She understands her supportive role as a paraprofessional and takes direction from those in charge easily and confidently. I think Mrs. Amorando does a stellar job here at Northville Elementary School!”

Richard Cass
Union County Schools, GA

Richard Cass was nominated by Tammy Hughes, Principal at Union County Middle School, who wrote: “Mr. Cass has been filling in as a long-term paraprofessional substitute at the Union County Middle School.  Mr. Cass has gone far above and beyond for his teachers and the students. He has become an invaluable member of the behavior support team in addition to his paraprofessional duties. He’s great at relationship building, mentoring students, and conducting small groups to help students overcome their social-emotional obstacles.  Every single teacher on his team has, independently, come to boast about Mr. Cass and the work he is doing, and has encouraged me to find a way to make him a permanent part of our team.  His impact goes far beyond filling an empty slot.  He has taken ownership and invested personally and professionally in our students’ lives, and we are very grateful to him.”

Abigail Dickerson
Celina ISD, TX

Abigail Dickerson was nominated eighteen time this month by colleagues from Bobby Ray and Afton Martin Elementary School, who praised her being a highly dependable, student-focused substitute who consistently steps in with professionalism, strong classroom management, and a positive, solution-oriented mindset.

Kylie Boyd, kindergarten teacher, wrote: “She is always willing to give 110% when it comes to all the students. Kinder is a hard grade to substitute for, and she always does an amazing job with them!”

Ashley Marti, kindergarten teacher, wrote: “She is an amazing substitute. My kids LOVE her, and she actually teaches them when I am gone. She goes above and beyond to help my kids stay on track with their lessons and gives me peace of mind when I am gone!”

Kelly Mayfield, first-grade teacher, wrote: “Abby goes above and beyond as a substitute. She has learned so much about our school’s curriculum that you feel so comfortable leaving lessons in her hands. She is an amazing substitute.”

Melissa Irizarry, first-grade teacher, wrote: “I would love to nominate Abigail Dickerson for Best Substitute! As a first-grade teacher, I’m always impressed by how smoothly she steps into the classroom. Abigail executes lesson plans with ease, maintains consistent routines, and makes learning fun and engaging for my students. My class always feels calm, cared for, and excited to learn when they are here. It gives me such peace of mind knowing my students are in such capable hands.”

Hydee Krone, second-grade teacher, wrote: “She is an amazing substitute, has wonderful classroom management, and does exactly as the plans entail. The kids request her! We love her!”

Diane Sachs, second-grade teacher, wrote: “She is dependable, great with the kids, and always does her job well!”

Kailey Armentrout, second-grade teacher, wrote: “Abby is always cheerful and happy to help out! She follows my substitute plans to a tee, leaves detailed substitute plans, and my students adore her!”

Bliss Stewart, fourth-grade teacher, wrote: “Abby is so helpful and a great substitute. She has stepped up to help my class in a time of need. My brother-in-law passed away unexpectedly, and I needed a substitute. Abby stepped up at the last minute and not only subbed in my class but also taught the lesson, so my kids didn’t miss a day of learning. She is amazing, always has a smile on her face, and the kids love it when Mrs. Dickerson is their substitute.”

Heather Sienkiewich, fifth-grade teacher, wrote: “Mrs. Dickerson was a long-term substitute in my son’s first-grade classroom, and she was amazing.  She quickly built relationships with the students and kept the classroom running smoothly!”

Jenna Sheridan, fifth-grade teacher, wrote: “She is always well put-together, smiling, and ready to work. She is dependable and a hard worker.”

Jenna Esquer, paraprofessional, wrote: “She always shows up when she’s supposed to, follows all the substitute plans, leaves great notes, and has great classroom management.”

Coramae Daily, special education teacher, wrote: “This substitute is constantly helping students when she is in the building. She does an excellent job of lovingly keeping the students engaged and out of trouble. When things get intense, she is very quick to calmly redirect and handle the situation. Abby has a very positive attitude and is willing to help out in other teachers’ classrooms during downtime. She is one of our number one substitute teachers!!!”

Lynn Singer, special education teacher, wrote: “I can always count on Abby Dickerson to substitute for me. My students love her! She follows my plans and leaves me a note about the day. Abby also subs in the younger grades and for specials, so hopefully other teachers nominated her as well! She is friendly and has great interactions with the kids (when I see her subbing for other teachers).”

Christine Olsen, art teacher, wrote: “Abby takes on whatever assignment she is given with a smile. She is flexible and willing to help where needed. Also, the kids love her.”

Lindsay Wagoner, STEAM teacher, wrote: “Abby is a dear friend who has come in, in big ways for me over the past year. Last year, I decided to go teach Kindergarten and help a teacher out who was on maternity leave, and Abby, without hesitation, covered my STEAM position, teaching 800 kiddos anytime I needed to, until we got a long-term substitute in there.

This year, I have already had to be out for a lot of things, including the sudden passing of my mom and my kids’ state band competition in San Antonio, and they happen to overlap. She offered to cover me by subbing and arranged the extra days needed for me to go home and help my dad plan a funeral. Abby also got my children to and from school, all while covering my class.
Also, she is exceptional with the students. Walking into a classroom that spans from kindergarten to fifth grade can be intimidating, for sure. But, she handles it ALL with grace and class. There’s a reason why when we were asked who our ESS Employee of the Month was, most of our campus immediately said her name!”

Madonna Mosley, receptionist, wrote: “Abby is always willing to help out and leaves good notes about how the day went.”

Rebecca Russell, registered nurse, wrote: “Abby is quite literally a jack-of-all-trades. She can substitute teach in any grade level, any specialty, and not just survive – the kids continue to learn in her presence. She is kind and encouraging. My own personal children are ECSTATIC when she is listed as the substitute for their classrooms. This is a huge testament to her character. We love Mrs Dickerson. She embodies all that Martin Elementary hopes to represent and is so deserving of this.”

Sallye Norris, Principal, wrote: “Our first-grade teachers are always impressed by how smoothly Abigail steps into the classroom. She executes lesson plans with ease, maintains consistent routines, and makes learning fun and engaging for my students. The class always feels calm, cared for, and excited to learn when she is here. It gives me such peace of mind knowing our students are in such capable hands.”

Rachel White
Alpine School District, UT

Rachel White was nominated by Heather Stewart, Principal at Westfield Elementary, who wrote: “Rachel has been substituting for a second-grade class since the fourth day of school and has made tremendous progress with her students. Despite some challenging behaviors, she consistently handles every situation with grace and kindness.

She has gone above and beyond her responsibilities, communicating with parents when needed and keeping the classroom teacher updated on students’ academic progress. The students clearly love and respect her, and our school is deeply grateful for her dedication and all her hard work.”

Congratulations to our November Employees of the Month!