Automotive Instructor Robert Ballard Named 2023 Teacher of the Year
Robert Ballard of Chapel Hill High School, was named the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) District Teacher of the Year at its annual Recognition Event on May 11.
Ballard is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) automotive instructor with 15 years of teaching experience. He holds associate degrees in automotive system technology and pre-engineering from Durham Technical Community College and a North Carolina Educator’s License in automotive services, grades 6-12. Ballard received a $1,000 check from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation (PSF).
"I want to say thank you to all my previous teachers, my mentors. They're the ones that led me in this direction, they're the ones that led me on this pathway,” Ballard said in his acceptance speech. “I just want to give back what I've been given. That's really what I'm trying to do for these students. I want to give them the path, for those students who don't have a pathway. I want to give them that direction, in the business, or into their career pathway, or into their educational pathway."
Ballard then shared feelings of gratitude when he said, "I want to thank all the CTE team at Chapel Hill High School and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. It really takes a team to get to where I'm at currently. I couldn't have done it without them, and I couldn't have done it without the support of Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools."
Two Honor Teachers (District Teacher of the Year finalists) were also recognized on Thursday. They are Chevaughn Brown of Smith Middle and Srilakshmi (Sri) Sankar of Phillips Middle. They each received a $500 check from PSF.
Additional school-based Teachers of the Year were recognized with $100 checks from PSF. They are: Deborah Cox, Carrboro Elementary; Courtney Hart, Ephesus Elementary; Corissa Gamble, Estes Hills Elementary; Molly Quinn, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Candace Currin, Glenwood Elementary; Jaslin Dais, McDougle Elementary; Angelica Cuany, Morris Grove Elementary; Molly Biek, Northside Elementary; Leah Waldrop, Rashkis Elementary; Cynthia Greenert, Scroggs Elementary; Madelon Smith, Seawell Elementary; Heidi Rosenhahn, Culbreth Middle; Sheryl Finegan, McDougle Middle; Maggie Pasquarelli, Carrboro High; Kimberly Manning, East Chapel Hill High; Diane Wright, Phoenix Academy High; and Marcus Green, UNC Hospital School.
The Mary Scroggs Award for Excellence in Providing Support Services recognizes one classified (hourly) staff member from each school and several Lincoln Center departments. The award recipient is Lay Po, a custodian with the Facilities/Maintenance Department at Lincoln Center, who received a $1,000 check. Two Honor Recipients (award finalists) were recognized. They are Joshua Martin, a teacher assistant at Phoenix Academy High and Angela Turner, a Pre-K teacher assistant at McDougle Elementary. They each received $500.
Additional Classified Staff of the Year, who each received $100, are: Lee Newbold, EC teacher assistant, Carrboro Elementary; Wanda Roper, teacher assistant, Ephesus Elementary; Karl Pace, teacher assistant, Estes Hills Elementary; Adriana Rueda, teacher assistant, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Crystal Jones, data manager and receptionist, Glenwood Elementary; Tashira Brown, teacher assistant, Morris Grove Elementary; Patsy Barbee, teacher assistant, Northside Elementary; Robin Flintall, teacher assistant, Rashkis Elementary; Suzanne Laemmle, data manager, Scroggs Elementary; Nicole Soulier, teacher assistant Seawell Elementary; John Jones, custodian, Culbreth Middle; Angela Wilson-Crocker, EC teacher assistant, McDougle Middle; Betsy Piehler, student services specialist, Phillips Middle; Sheila Copeland, custodian, Smith Middle; Cliff Copeland, custodian, Carrboro High; Teresa Sloan, administrative assistant, Chapel Hill High; Leonard Starnes, custodian, East Chapel Hill High; Emily Garner, IT technician, Information Technology Department, Lincoln Center; Sandra Pereira, Spanish interpreter/translator, Instructional Services, Equity and Engagement Division, Lincoln Center; Kelsie Tate, buildings maintenance, Facilities/Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; and Sharon Croom, assistant operations manager, Transportation Department.
Keneisha Jones, the school counselor at McDougle Middle, received the School Support and Wellness (SSW) Staff of the Year Award, as well as a check for $500. The two Honor Recipients are Melissa Breaden, school social worker at East Chapel Hill High and Allison Crosetto, school social worker at Phillips Middle. They each received $250.
Additional SSW Staff of the Year, who each received $100, are: Ingrid Marzuola, school nurse, Carrboro Elementary; Marne Meredith, school social worker, Ephesus Elementary; Kathryn Sutherland, school counselor, Estes Hills Elementary; Suzeth Gonzalez, school social worker, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Wendy Johnston, school social worker, Glenwood Elementary; Laura Olley, school social worker, McDougle Elementary; Emily Avetta, school psychologist, Morris Grove Elementary; Chantel Click, school social worker, Northside Elementary; Ashanti Keitt, school social worker, Rashkis Elementary; Bonita Joyce, school social worker, Scroggs Elementary; Tonya Jackson, school counselor, Seawell Elementary; Shannon Allee, school counselor, Culbreth Middle; Shellceeta Hemmings, positive behavior support specialist, Smith Middle; Anthony Swaringen, 504 coordinator, Carrboro High; Imani Agee, school counselor, Chapel Hill High; and Anne Levin, school social worker, Phoenix Academy High.
The Superintendent’s Award known as Hamlett’s Heroes celebrates outstanding students, staff and community members who consistently contribute to an enduring impact on CHCCS. The student honorees are: Zev Dominguez, Seawell Elementary and Yilin “Linda” Wang, East Chapel Hill High. The staff honorees are: Rebecca Brown, school counselor, FPG Bilingüe Elementary and Susan Little, math teacher, East Chapel Hill High. The community honorees are: Heather Kennealy and Gary Richards.
Additional staff awards announced earlier this spring were also formally presented at the event.
Minnie Goins of Seawell Elementary was recognized as the district's Principal of the Year, while Jaimi West of McDougle Middle was honored as the district's Assistant Principal of the Year. Tammie Eddins, director of elementary humanities in the Instructional Services, Equity and Engagement Division received the Award for Excellence in District Administration.
Marie Almeida of McDougle Middle was the recipient of the Jeanette Blackwell Mentor Teacher Award. Samantha Shaw of Carrboro High received the PSF Promising New Teacher Award. Angela McChesney of Carrboro High was awarded the Award for Excellence in Teaching Multi-Language Learners. PSF introduced two new teacher awards this year: Tania Treml of Culbreth Middle was awarded the EC Support Staff Award and Sara Cottrell of Ephesus Elementary received the Instructional Support Award.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Association of Educators (CHCAE) presented two awards this year to CHCAE members. Hope Love of East Chapel Hill High received the Courageous Educator Award and Anne Tomalin of Chapel Hill High was the recipient of the Consummate Professional Award.
The Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate (BRMA) program presented one Excellence in Equity Award. This award is selected by the students in BRMA. The award went to Allison Crosetto from Phillips Middle.
Representatives of PSF were on hand to present both new and renewing Teaching Chairs. Paula Dey of Carrboro High is the Elmo’s Diner Chair for Excellence in Teaching High School Math or Science. Sheila Fleming of Scroggs Elementary is the PSF/PTSA Chair for Excellence in Teaching Cultural Arts. Susan Meyer of Culbreth Middle is the Zora Rashkis Teaching Chair for Excellence in Teaching World Language. Miles Chappell of Phillips Middle is the Zora Rashkis Teaching Chair in Middle School Language Arts or Social Studies. Courtney Byrd of Chapel Hill High is the Burton Stuart Chair for Promising New Teachers of Secondary Math or Science. Jasmine Johnson of Scroggs Elementary is the Upper Elementary Chair for Excellence in Teaching Innovation.
Renewing Chair recipients were also honored. Mary Alicia Lyons of Morris Grove Elementary is the Mary U. Andrews Chair for Excellence in Teaching Literacy. Emily Kleinhenz of Culbreth Middle is the Sterling and Anita Hennis Chair for Promising New Secondary Teachers of English Language Arts or Social Studies. Mary Naylor of Northside Elementary is the Kim Hoke Chair for Excellence in Teaching Exceptional Children. LaTekka Lewis of Smith Middle is the GlaxoSmithKline Chair for Excellence in Teaching Middle School Science or Math. Garrison Reid of Chapel Hill High is the Neil Pedersen Teachers First Chair for Excellence in Classroom Technology. Lisa Frangipane of Morris Grove Elementary is the Mel and Zora Rashkis Chair for Excellence in Teaching Healthful Living and Physical Education. Molly Kearns of Morris Grove Elementary is the Zora Rashkis Teaching Chair for Promising New Elementary School Teacher. Lisa Dunn of Carrboro Elementary is the Sockwell Chair for Excellence in Teaching in the Primary Grades (Pre-K-2). Kimberly Jones of Chapel Hill High is the Bernadine Sullivan Chair for Excellence in Teaching High School English or Social Studies.
Five educators were recognized for earning their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. They join the more than 300 other CHCCS teachers who have earned their National Boards. They are: Jacqueline Byrne Bressan, McDougle Elementary; Deborah Cox, Carrboro Elementary; Samantha Fry, Smith Middle; Keneisha Jones, McDougle Middle; and Christine Sudzina Schut, East Chapel Hill High.
Employees retiring from the district this year were recognized, if they chose to be. Those honored are: Daryl M. Anderson, EC teacher assistant, Chapel Hill High; Regina Baratta, science teacher, Smith Middle; Cornelia Beh, teacher assistant, Scroggs Elementary; Charles Blanchard, principal, Chapel Hill High; Jessica Berman Booker, EC teacher assistant, Estes Hills Elementary; Amanda Brady, bilingual intervention specialist, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Barry L. Brown, social studies teacher, East Chapel Hill High; Starlyn Combs, reading teacher, Carrboro High; Laura Conner, volunteer specialist, Volunteer Office, Lincoln Center; Cindy Costello, school nurse, Scroggs Elementary; Russell Daulton, electrical foreman, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Richard M. Drenzek, bus driver, Transportation Department and mail courier, Business and Financial Services Division, Lincoln Center; Laura Dudley, teacher assistant, Ephesus Elementary; Kathleen Eveleigh, gifted specialist, Estes Hills Elementary; Robin Flintall, teacher assistant, Rashkis Elementary; Marchell Franklin, EC teacher assistant, Phillips Middle; Linda Fyle, school secretary, Scroggs Elementary; Maggie Gallagher, intervention specialist, Northside Elementary; Maureen Galvin, social studies teacher, East Chapel Hill High; Tim Gibson, executive director of elementary schools, School Leadership Division, Lincoln Center; Tijuana Goodwin, math teacher, McDougle Middle; Carmen Hackney, kindergarten teacher, Rashkis Elementary; Julie Hennis, coordinator of recruitment and employee engagement, Human Resources Division, Lincoln Center; Heather Hill, assistant principal, Chapel Hill High; Julia Hubb, cafeteria manager, Glenwood Elementary; Bradley Johnson, director of transportation, Transportation Department; Wendy Johnston, school social worker, Glenwood Elementary; Toni Lehman, fifth grade teacher, McDougle Elementary; Robert Manning, after-school site director, Community Schools; teacher assistant, Ephesus Elementary; Shannon McGinnis, math teacher, East Chapel Hill High; Susan Murray, first and second grade teacher, Carrboro Elementary; Cathy Musci, instructional technology facilitator, Northside Elementary; Nayani Mutucumarana, media assistant, East Chapel Hill High; April Ross, athletic director, Carrboro High; Janet Laura Shaheen, teacher assistant, Scroggs Elementary; Sherry Smith, healthful living/PE teacher, Culbreth Middle; Holly Snyder, IT data integration specialist, IT Department, Lincoln Center; Anne Tomalin, ESL teacher, Chapel Hill High; Maureen Valente, intervention specialist, Northside Elementary; Kirsten Venema, ESL teacher, Ephesus Elementary; Andrew Way, theatre manager, Chapel Hill High; and Lynda Womble, teacher assistant, McDougle Elementary.
Employees were also honored for attaining milestones of service with CHCCS. Kaye Martinez at Culbreth Middle and Doug Noell, with the Information Technology Department at Lincoln Center were honored for 35 years of service. Karen Weatherly of the UNC Hospital School was honored for having 30 years of service.
Employees with 25 years of service included: Scott Fearrington, Community Schools, School Support and Wellness Division, Lincoln Center; Anthony George, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Mary O’Dor, Phillips Middle; and Tamra Schuch, Morris Grove Elementary.
Employees with 20 years of service included: April Anderson, Northside Elementary; Maria Bonilla, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Molly Brooks, Carrboro High; Diane Christian, Scroggs Elementary; Sandra Cooper, Seawell Elementary; Denise Cowan, McDougle Middle; Teonaka Daye, Exceptional Children’s Department, Lincoln Center; Michael Eshleman, Instructional Services, Equity and Engagement Division, Lincoln Center; Geoffrey Gentry, McDougle Middle; Julia Hubb, Glenwood Elementary; Brent Kassman, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Virginia Kieckbusch, East Chapel Hill High; Melissa Olson, East Chapel Hill High; Brian Shultz, East Chapel Hill High; Stephen Stewart, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Mary Stoffregen, Morris Grove Elementary; Gretchen Westman, Morris Grove Elementary; and Jodi Wise, Scroggs Elementary.
This year, CHCCS also recognized its employees with five, 10 and 15 years of service.
Employees with 15 years of service included: Cynthia Currie, McDougle Elementary; Rena Dadolf, Northside Elementary; Jennifer Daggar-Doty, Morris Grove Elementary; Michael Jakubiak, Scroggs Elementary; Crystal Jones, Glenwood Elementary; Monica Mihalcescu, Smith Middle; Susan Morris, Rashkis Elementary; Caroline Nisbet, Ephesus Elementary; Kara O’Dor, Ephesus Elementary; Keith Raitano, Phoenix Academy High; April Ross, Carrboro High; Thomas Scheib, Phillips Middle; Kristen Swanson, Estes Hills Elementary; Amanda Thorne, Glenwood Elementary; Maureen Valente, Northside Elementary; Pamela Watson, East Chapel Hill High; Charles Williams, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Joannie Wilson, Morris Grove Elementary; and Raymond Wood, Information Technology Department, Lincoln Center.
Employees with 10 years of service included: Cynthia Anderson, Culbreth Middle; Crystal Bowe, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Melissa Breaden, East Chapel Hill High; Lindsey Britt, Glenwood Elementary; Tiffany Cheshire, Phillips Middle; Sarada Devi Dudley, Scroggs Elementary; Kathryn Edelstein, East Chapel Hill High; Gretchen Fisher, Rashkis Elementary; Cynthia Furey, Estes Hills Elementary; Jessica Grinnell, McDougle Middle; Shanice Harrington, Phillips Middle; Maximo Merida, Smith Middle; Helen Motta, Culbreth Middle; Lay Po, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Teresa Sloan, Chapel Hill High; Lauren Stapleton, East Chapel Hill High; Leonard Starnes, East Chapel Hill High; Ranjana Subhash, Rashkis Elementary; Mary Sutherland, Estes Hills Elementary; Andrew Tauber, McDougle Elementary; Stephanie Thurber, Estes Hills Elementary; and Matthew Tompkins, Rashkis Elementary.
Employees with five years of service included: Alexandra Albertson, Estes Hills Elementary; Patricia Albornoz, Rashkis Elementary; Jennifer Allen, Culbreth Middle; Kristin Baillie, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Charlos Banks, School Support and Wellness Division, Lincoln Center; Malika Belmaizi, Carrboro Elementary; Kirsten Bergman, UNC Hospital School; Taylor Beyle, Carrboro Elementary; Sally Bober, Scroggs Elementary; Stacie Boyer, Ephesus Elementary; Caroline Carrillo, Rashkis Elementary; Corretta Clark, Rashkis Elementary; Arnoldo Coronado, Seawell Elementary; Lorenzo Cotton, East Chapel Hill High; Emily Duncan, Chapel Hill High; James East, East Chapel Hill High; Jacquelyn Fairey, Chapel Hill High; Kelly Furr, Carrboro High; Jasmine Gray, Ephesus Elementary; Nelle Hall, McDougle Middle; Maryline Hartman, Chapel Hill High; Angela Hill, Carrboro High; Kelly Hotchkiss, Estes Hills Elementary; Alejandro Huerta Hernandez, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Morgan Hunt, Morris Grove Elementary; Caroline Irick, McDougle Elementary; Maria Jaime Ledesma, Carrboro Elementary; RaJah Jones, Transportation Department; Kathryn King, Carrboro Elementary; Michael King, Facilities and Maintenance Department, Lincoln Center; Pa La, Phillips Middle; Angelika Mack, Northside Elementary; Angela Montoya Martinez, Carrboro Elementary; Latasha Moore, Northside Elementary; Stephanie Reid, Seawell Elementary; Monica Robles-Saenz, Chapel Hill High; Courtney Rogers, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Adriana Rueda, FPG Bilingüe Elementary; Sarah Snow, McDougle Middle; Jennifer Soulier, Seawell Elementary; Candace Spinks, Ephesus Elementary; Windom Spivey, East Chapel Hill High; Wendelin Watson, Carrboro High; and Chelsey Wommack, UNC Hospital School.
The annual Recognition Reception is hosted in collaboration with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation (PSF), which partnered with Pinnacle Financial Partners, Rotary Club of Chapel Hill and Jersey Mike’s (Chapel Hill). The collective generosity of the many donors who gave to PSF’s Breakfast and Roses event in April helped fund many of these monetary awards.
Please click here to see the full video of the event.
