March

Ms. Theresa Kuhns, Trimmer Elementary Teacher
Ms. Kuhns was nominated by Dr. Matt Minacci, Trimmer Principal

Theresa exhibits the qualities of a WYASD employee who qualifies as AWESOME! Warm and nurturing, she is an outstanding educator who goes above and beyond on a daily basis. She is incredibly devoted to her students, which one will note when she is seen attending Encore classes to ensure students achieve their highest potential. The positive relationships she establishes with students, parents, and other district employees are also noteworthy. Furthermore, she emphasizes student engagement and differentiates instruction to meet each learner's needs in her classroom.

Theresa recently spent numerous hours organizing and facilitating the 5th-grade field trip to JA Biztown. She assisted in organizing lesson materials, securing transportation, and ensuring all of the businesses represented during the trip had volunteers. The efforts she placed into the trip made the experience not only a success but a memorable one for each student in attendance. She is an asset to the WYASD and an inspiration for other educators.

Mr. John Wanner, District HVAC Specialist
Mr. Wanner was nominated by Mr. Jeff Ludwig, Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds

John has been maintaining the District’s heating/cooling settings for all areas and ensuring the classroom settings are comfortable for the students.  He sets up and monitors conditions for events and recently, while short-handed in the department, stepped up to repair a salt spreader avoiding additional costs of purchasing new equipment. He is the first to offer to assist in any repair, whether it be mechanical or electrical. He is very knowledgeable and looks for opportunities to save costs for the District.

Coworkers compliment John on his professionalism and willingness to make necessary repairs to equipment and how he explains in layman's terms the reason for the failure and what he did to repair it. John has always been willing to be the first to come in on an emergency or to address a weekend need. He continues to assist the other maintenance team members whenever asked and most of the time before he is asked.  He epitomizes the definition of AWESOME!

Ms. Tina Keeler, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, and Ms. Virginia Carter, Executive Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent
Ms. Keeler and Ms. Carter were nominated by Dr. Davies and Ms. Holman

For the past year, Ms. Keeler and Ms. Carter have jointly shared the responsibilities of District-wide Communications Coordinators and have been doing a stellar job of highlighting our awesome students and staff to the West York community!  In addition to using social media, the Marquee, and the Blue and White Newsletter to get the awesome news out - they have also been creating purposeful opportunities to bring the community into West York to observe our awesome students and staff. 

One truly awesome and recent example of bringing the community into West York was the first-ever - “Dinner and a Show” held on Sunday, February 26th, for the District's “Golden Bulldog Pass” holders.  This first-of-its-kind (soon-to-be annual) event welcomed over 50 senior citizens into the high school for a luncheon - prepared by our awesome nutrition services staff - followed by complimentary seating for the District performance of High School Musical. Also helping out at the event were our NJROTC cadets, who escorted participants while helping to serve lunch.  

While talking with the attendees, everyone was extremely grateful for all the work and effort that went into the planning and preparation of the event!  One attendee wrote that the event was so “well done and designed to make us ‘Golden Seniors’ feel welcome!”  Another attendee used the theme song from the musical to share her thanks by saying, “thank you for reaching out and engaging us seniors - ‘we’re all in this together,’ right”? 

Ms. Keeler and Ms. Carter truly went above and beyond in preparing and hosting this memorable event, and they are already looking for ways to make the second annual Dinner and a Show even better!  Thank you for being awesome and communicating West York’s awesomeness to the entire community!