TSD Surprises 2022 Support Staff Members of the Year

Troy MI

17 March, 2022

8:13 PM

Description

Today was a joyous day in the Troy School District as we recognized the TSD Support Staff of the year. The choice was so close with so many nominees that we selected TWO very deserving candidates, TRC secretary Lois Hurdle and bus driver Tina Matar. The morning started out by surprising Lois at the beginning of a Central Office department meeting. Superintendent Dr. Rich Machesky kicked off the celebration by announcing Lois' award as colleagues and her husband walked into the room to share the surprise. According to her NINE nominations, Lois is detail oriented, always completes projects correctly and on time, and never hesitates to share her time and expertise with colleagues. Her nominations contained words like conscientious, a team player, "big picture" problem solver, committed to standardization, adaptable, personable, and honest: "Lois is extremely detail oriented, organized, and personable. She is the face of the department and ensures the highest level of customer service not only to our department staff, but to all staff, students and parents in the district who interact with our department," read one nomination. "Lois is the glue that holds this team together. She is thorough, organized, a great communicator, but also a kind and compassionate person. She takes the time to KNOW those she works with, and that makes this team stronger." Another nomination said "Lois is natural leader, although I wonder if she even notices the impact she has in others. She is definitely worth recognizing not only once a year, but every day of every year." Lois received flowers, goodies from Ridley's Bakery, and a check from the Troy Foundation for Educational Excellence. Then the "Prize Patrol" team headed over to Hamilton Elementary, where they waited to surprise bus driver Tina Matar. Her colleagues, students and families were so excited to greet the afternoon bus with cheers and hugs. Many of her nominations praised Tina's fun, kind and silly personality, which makes students laugh and smile. Not only does she recognize her students' birthdays, she contacts them before school starts in the Fall, to make the introduction and help make those first bus rides easy for her students. One parent said "Miss Tina (as she's known) knows that fun is important, but she is also strict and has expectations. The kids know that safety is always #1, but also that bus #50 is always a fun place to be." She decorates her bus for holidays like Halloween and according to one student nominator "She plays the coolest music!" She writes individualized notes thanking the older kids for helping with the younger kids or telling the kids how wonderful it is to have them on the bus every day. Her colleagues recognize her kindness and are grateful that kids come off her bus and into their classrooms relaxed and ready to learn. Miss Tina was honored with flowers, goodies from Ridley's Bakery, and a check from the Troy Foundation for Educational Excellence. Other support staff who were nominated are listed below (in order by first name): Allie Cianciolo, Bemis Elementary Anitha Vanaparthi, Barnard Elementary Anthony Recchia, Transportation Department Austin Petty, Boulan Park Middle Bryan Baines, Athens High Cathy Matthes, Barnard Elementary Christopher James Kiely, Athens, Larson, Smith, Martell, and Leonard Claire Reid,Hill Elementary Colleen Nietzel, Hamilton Elementary Colleen O'Brien, Morse Elementary Courtney Borden, Bemis Elementary Dain Dinezio, Hill Elementary Denise Gray, Morse Elementary Diana Baraiac, Troy Union Elementary Donna Black, Wass Elementary School Earl Robinson, Barnard Elementary Bus 21 driver Eric Davis, TSD Transportation for special education students Erika Kwok, Schroeder Elementary Gerry Killius, Troy Union Elementary Gezimtar "Jimmy" Nazarko, International Academy East Gretchen Ohman, Schroeder Elementary Hedy Xu, Morse Elementary Jen Miller, Troy Union Elementary Kathy Liskey, Baker Middle School Kristina Creveling, Baker Middle School Laurie DePanicis, Morse Elementary Lindsey, Troy PreK Secretary Lois Hurdle, Services Building in the Technology Resource Center Lucky Mupala, Wass Elementary Manori Mudalise, Troy Center for Transition Mary Pepoy, Larson Middle Nadia Seman, TSD Preschool Nahla Asmar, Boulan Park Middle Patricia Montasir, TSD Preschool Racheal Strickland, Martell Elementary Rebecca Murphy, Schroeder Elementary Rebecca Murphy, Schroeder Elementary Renee Haddad, Athens High School Ruth Regnerus, Transportation Bus# 129 Sandra Ford, Troy High School Sara Ritter, Boulan Park Middle Sarah Boor, Wattles Elementary Shari Dennis, Troy Union Elementary Sharon Bowlby, Transportation Sherry Kruzman, Baker Middle School Sui Chui, Barnard Elementary Tammy Andreoni, Martell Elementary Tina Matar, bus #50, Hamilton Elementary & Boulan Park Middle School All winners and nominees will be honored at a luncheon and a School Board meeting in May. # # # Photos courtesy of the Troy School District