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Difference Maker - October 2023"Robbie Fite is our October Difference Maker at SPS. She has 13 years total in SPS, and 10 with Indian Education. Robbie is one of the most committed and loyal people we have. She gives without question and sets the example. Kids and staff love Mrs. Fite. Her time and efforts are spent with students and staff in both Richmond and Skyline elementary schools. She is well respected and does not look for affirmation. Robbie thinks about others first and is dedicated to the profession. Best Practice? Robbie is the example of best practice. The world is a better place because of Mrs. Fite."
Difference Maker - March 2023
"Doug Heid can be seen daily at any one of our buildings, working to make sure the climate in our buildings is comfortable for students and staff. Due to the extreme heat the past few weeks, his services have been in high demand. Working under pressure and extremely hot temperatures, Doug is known as a calm, friendly, and diligent member of our staff. He has made a difference in the educational environment SPS provides for teachers, students, and staff. We appreciate his efforts to keep us cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Thanks for being a “Difference Maker” Doug!"
Difference Maker - March 2023
"Every day Robin Johnson and David Coates work hard to keep our students and staff comfortable, healthy and some days alive. They've gone out of their way to help us all with everything from medications to deodorant, band-aids to shoes and most importantly, respect and kindness." Difference Maker - March 2023
"As a former educator and coach, Rusty is able to develop relationships with each of our students and connect with them on an individual level. He values parental input, inclusion, and regularly engages with our Committee to determine the best way to help our students. He is also an advocate for native students, who are in the minority within this school system. He has a keen eye for students that may be overlooked or fade into the background. Rusty has a way of working with these students to build rapport and make them feel special. Over these past years, Rusty and our SPS Indian Education Parent Committee have teamed up to hold fundraising Indian Taco sales, cultural meals, and family events to help our students. Supporting mainstream public education as well as our cultural values and traditions is Rusty's strength. He has a traditional background and students can relate to him in this way. Away from our Parent Committee, Rusty works with students of all ages, at all the schools in the SPS. This is a tremendous job, but one he does well. We are very appreciative of Rusty and all that he does for our students. Stillwater Public Schools is better because of Rusty and his commitment to our native students. Rusty's has certainly made a difference for us."
Joyce Oberly- President of SPS Indian Education Parent Committee
Difference Maker - February 2023
Congratulations to our February Difference Maker - SJHS's Ashley Garner!"Ms. Ashley, as all the kids refer to her, goes above and beyond to help provide social, emotional, and academic support, but she does more than that. She has been instrumental in the creation of the RAP room from the ground up... from planning, to training, to implementation, to feedback, and more. The SJHS RAP Room is making a positive impact in the lives of our students by providing an individualized emotional and behavior regulation space. This new and amazing opportunity for our kids would not be as successful as it is today without all of the work and dedication Ms. Ashley has invested in our students. In her second year at SJHS, Mrs. Ashley Garner has made a Huge Difference in improving the lives of others. She is a true Difference Maker."
Difference Maker - January 2023
Rebekah Jimenez is the ELL teacher at Stillwater Middle School. She moved here from California with 20 plus years experience working with multilingual learners. She has been amazing and everyday goes above and beyond for her students. Rebekah works with teachers to support those students. She has been known to stay up late at night translating documents for teachers to use to support their content learning. She can be seen everyday working with and for her students. We are very fortunate to have her at Stillwater Public Schools.
Difference Makers - December 2022
Congratulations to our December Difference Makers - SMS Assistant Principals Carl Treat and Jackie Jackson!"Carl Treat has been a servant leader throughout his experienced career as an educator. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the basketball court, or working as an assistant principal, Mr. Treat always has the mindset of putting students first. Carl is unwavering in his commitment to our students, staff and SMS families. Regardless of the obstacles, Mr. Treat makes every effort to ensure the academic and social success of each student her serves. Whether it’s before school monitoring buses, walking the playground during recess or supporting our students during extra-curricular events, Mr. Treat can always be found supporting our diverse student population. Carl embodies the personal characteristics we hope all SMS students and staff strive to achieve: honesty, integrity and compassion. Mr. Treat leads by example and models these traits regardless of the circumstances. He is a true Pioneer Difference Maker!Jackie Jackson epitomizes what it means to be a “difference maker” for Stillwater Middle School. Mrs. Jackson is a loving advocate for each of our students and their families. Whether she’s tutoring our EL student’s in her office, finding community resources for our families or working after hours to problem solve an issue, Mrs. Jackson goes above and beyond to serve our students, staff and families. Never looking for praise or recognition, Mrs. Jackson often operates behind the scenes, always putting others first. Her selfless actions are a model for all SMS constituents. We are thankful for Mrs. Jackson’s kindness, patience and dedication to all SMS students and staff. Jackie Jackson is a true difference maker and we are thankful she has chosen Stillwater Middle School to share her time, energy and talents. Jackie is a true Pioneer Difference Maker!Difference Maker - November 2022
Lisa Boswell is a rock star teaching assistant at Stillwater Pioneer Virtual Academy. Her positive and steady demeanor uplifts and encourages our SPVA students to strive for excellence. She patiently works one-on-one with students and goes out of her way to foster an open and supportive learning environment. She is dependable and willing to assist our staff with whatever we need to help our students. From organizing lunches, stacking Chromebooks, cleaning tables, printing student notebooks, and creating her own office retreat, Lisa selflessly goes the extra mile to support her students and colleagues. Lisa is a true difference maker and SPVA is a better place because of her.
Difference Maker - October 2022
We're starting a new tradition of recognizing students, faculty and staff who choose to be “Difference Makers” within the district. Difference Makers go above and beyond the call of duty to create positive change in the lives of others.Our first Difference Maker works tirelessly (early, late, weekends) to ensure that all of the families at Will Rogers Elementary School are able to be included in the events of the day, week, or month. Her ability to use two languages effectively to communicate with our Spanish-speaking families creates an inclusive community where both school and family needs are met. Mrs. Onalee Santos goes beyond her duties as Principal's Secretary to assist parents in requesting transportation, scheduling parent conferences, paying for meals, and much more. She loves supporting the parents and students at Will Rogers and it shows in her can-do spirit. Onalee affirms others, she teaches students and peers, she is willing to do any task no matter how menial, and she provides amazing customer service for parents. She is humble, faithful, dedicated, and a person of the finest moral fiber. Patient, warm, integral to school success... Onalee makes sure Will Rogers runs successfully and smoothly.
