February VIP Award Winners Presented March 2022
Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) presented Vision, Integrity and Passion (VIP) Awards this month to four employees selected from the support staff category nominations. We congratulate the award recipients and thank them for their hard work and dedication to our students and schools. We could not manage without them!
The VIP Award recipients in this category include:
- Kadysia Gibson, registrar at Patrick Henry K-8 School (Patrick Henry)
- Jennefer Martinez, administrative assistant at Charles Barrett Elementary School (Charles Barrett)
- Anna Spratt, paraprofessional at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School (Naomi L. Brooks)
- Andrea Styles, instructional assistant II at Alexandria City High School (ACHS) – King Street campus
In nominating Ms. Gibson, the Patrick Henry registrar, ACPS Literacy Coach Dr. Andrea Manninen explained that, as the first face our families encounter, “Her calming presence, smile and positive disposition make you feel welcome from the start.”
Charles Barrett Principal Loren Brody highlighted administrative assistant Martinez’s can-do attitude as she greets families and answers calls in Spanish and English. “She ensures we always have interpreters for school events and coordinates parent teacher conference interpreter support. She provides urgent translation for our student services and administrative teams,” Brody said.
The strong interpersonal skills, high energy level and positive attitude of Spratt, a paraprofessional at Naomi L. Brooks was underscored by Melissa King, ACPS technology integration specialist. King noted, “She is a role model for any staff new to the school, all of our students, as well as her veteran colleagues.”
Instructional assistant Styles, having served ACPS for more than 40 years, drew high praise from ACHS Lead Administrator for Specialized Instruction Christopher Speich who called her a “pillar of support” for the ACHS Citywide Program. He added, “In the school community, she is full of positivity and is always great about lending the same support she provides to students to her colleagues and friends.”
Nominations are being accepted for the next group of VIP Awards in the category of Leadership. This includes all Central Office and building-level administrators. Nominations are due by April 8, 2022. Winners will be announced the week of April 25, 2022. Download and post the VIP Award Flier (PDF) at your school or worksite and encourage staff to nominate their colleagues!
Our award winners will be identified and publicly acknowledged by the school division. Award recipients will receive a certificate and an ACPS gift bag as a token of appreciation for a job well done!