Superintendent Paul Jones congratulated the Paris Independent School District staff at the annual Staff Recognition Reception at Paris High School Wednesday. The quality and longevity of teachers and employees was celebrated as the Teachers of the Year were introduced, retirees were honored, and employees were recognized for their years of service.
Latasha Marshall (right) at Paris Junior High School was named Secondary Teacher of the Year and Allison Hanley (below) at Justiss Elementary School was named Elementary Teacher of the Year. Others selected by their campuses as Teacher of the Year are Christine Rian at Lamar County Head Start, WaDonna Cherry at Aikin Elementary, Cynthia Jackson at Crockett Intermediate, and Ted Mackey at Paris High School.
Marshall is an eighth grade math teacher and has taught at Paris Junior High for four years. She considers herself very strict but fair, structured with just a hint of organized chaos and has very high expectations for her students. Teachers have to believe in their students and demonstrate a genuine love for them continuously. Hearing “thank you,” “I love you,” and “I understand now,” are just a few bonuses.
Hanley is a third grade teacher and has taught at Justiss Elementary for four years. She believes teachers are more than just instructors. “We are counselors, mothers, nurses, photographers, travel agents, news reporters, comedians, artists, detectives, and so much more than society sees us as. Teachers are the people who help their students find their gifts so they can one day too, give them away.”
Retiring from the district are Darenda Babb, Julie Bassano, Tammie Bogan, Vickie Fendley, Rayce Guess, Mark Hudson, Peggy Iglehart, Ed Lee, Marla McCleskey, Deborah McCraw, Jennifer Norris, Almeda Steward, Marshall Sugg, Fran Swaim, Robbie Terry, and Linda Weddle.
A forty-year service award was presented to Ray Crowell. Thirty-five year awards were presented to Earl Baggerley, Janice Ballard, Tammie Bogan, Marlia Harris, and Sharon Woods. Thirty-year awards were presented to Mark Hudson, Sandra Massey, Craig Maxwell, Herb Preston, Marshall Sugg, and Robbie Terry. Twenty-five year awards were presented to Denise Bell, Sharon Castlebury, Angela Chadwick, Kathy Kee, and Lisa Malone. Twenty-year awards were presented to Sharon Brown, Linda Daniels, Ruby Dillard, Chad Helberg, Denise Kornegay, Bennie Sisson, Gary Stuart, Debbie Templeton, Sandra Tull, and Karen Turner.
Receiving fifteen-year awards were Cathy Ballard, Jeremy Beshirs, Brock Blassingame. Carrie Brazeal, Lisa Campbell, Beatriz Cantera, Elizabeth Cass, Melanie Clifford, Patricia Conrad, Sabrina Day, Allyson Fasken, Michelle Giles, Wynne Henderson, Sharhoenda Hill, Dee Martin, Marla McCleskey, Bobbie Morris, Deedre Peck, Kelly Pickle, Frances Reed, Beverly Sanders, Ann Hardin, Jannie Walters, Amanda Whitaker, and Nelda Zamir.
Ten-year awards were presented to Terry Anderson, Jeannie Bauske, Suzanne Clark, Tabatha Cooper, Cindy Crawford, Anita Dake, Shenuda Ellis, Marlena Gunter, Deann Hamner, Brenda Hardy, Marcus Jenkins, Cheri Lewis, Anthony Lopez, Alejandra Medina, Paula Nichols, Robert Oatridge, Murray Riddles, Roberta Sulsar, Lisa Thomas, Carie Vines, Michelle Wall, Billy Walling, Jeania Watson, and Glenda Williams.
Receiving five-year awards were Vickie Allen, Bill Bowling, Tracey Burns, Dacey Dingman, Kevin Dixon, Anne Doyle, Mary Edwards, Charles Ferguson, Wendy Fleming, Deanna Gall, Missy Gillean, Rayce Guess, Cynthia Jackson, Steve Jones, Verlincia Jones, Brittany Maness, Lauren Matthews, Charles Mayes, Van Nelson, Jerrica Pruitt, Shonda Ragsdale, Rod Rammage, Christine Rian, Amanda Ritchey, Latashas Scales, Sara Sherwood, Karen Shivers, Kimberly Stone, Katelyn Vick, Christine Villasenor, and Kanesha Yates.