By Sherri Blevins
The DeKalb County Board of Education honored the 2021-2022 Employees of the Year with a reception in their honor after the August 25 Board of Education meeting. During the meeting, Superintendent Lyles introduced the employees who nominated the winners and asked them to read those nomination letters to the public.
Dana Paddock, the CNP Manager at Sylvania High School, was named the Support Employee of the Year. April Shrader nominated Paddock and shared her thoughts with everyone. Shrader stated, “I am very honored to have the opportunity to speak about this individual tonight. She is a wonderful employee who goes above and beyond to serve students at Sylvania and the school. Even when facing challenges, she faces them with a smile. I enjoy getting to hear her laugh. It is contagious. Even if she thinks my ideas to increase student participation are a little too far outside the box, she goes along with the idea and does the best she can. She also comes up with ideas to make meals fun for students. One example is grilled burgers. At the end of the school year last year, we had the opportunity to purchase locally produced DeKalb County beef burgers to serve our students. She asked if she could grill the burgers for the students because the Ag shop had a smoker and grill. This made the burger day extra special for Sylvania students. It also started a challenge with all our other managers across DeKalb County to do that same thing at the next opportunity. She is always positive and an encourager. Her leadership is reflected in her staff. She leads by example, and you can also find her doing paperwork after hours because she is assisting her staff during the day. Even when we pick on her, she still works with a kind heart and doesn’t get too upset. We are lucky to have Dana Paddock as a CNP employee, and the students of Sylvania are lucky to have her leading the cafeteria.”
Ider Principal Tyler Brooks introduced Co-Elementary Educators of the Year Pamela Dianne Laney and Shannon Pruitt. They are both third-grade teachers at Ider. Brooks said, “This year we wanted to recognize co-teachers of the year because we had some really good ACAP scores in third grade. These ladies worked extremely hard all year. The students were excited to hear their scores and their results.” Superintendent Lyles added that the students taught by these two ladies had the highest third-grade ACAP scores in the county.
Dr. Jason Mayfield introduced the Secondary Educator of the Year, Dr. Brandon Renfroe. Mayfield stated, “DeKalb County is blessed; Geraldine is blessed with outstanding folks serving our students and our communities. One solid example of that is Dr. Brandon Renfroe. Brandon joined our staff last year. During the hiring process, he wanted to make two things clear. He wanted to do high-interest hands-on activities in the classroom and start a food pantry. Brandon has done way more than that. Within a matter of days, our students were building bridges, frying bacon in the sun, building race cars and robots, and launching rockets. These activities are of high interest, and even the most academically inclined students are very interested in them, yes, but students that are sometimes not interested in academics found a place in Brandon’s classroom. Last year at Geraldine High School also brought some difficult situations. One of our students, Harley Lassetter, lost his life in a hit-and-run. It was one of the most challenging situations our entire staff and I had been through. But I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of our staff, community, and amazing student body for how well they pulled together like a family and supported each other through love. Harley’s life impacted many. Students and adults came to know Christ at memorial services; enemies became friends. Our school grew to become an even stronger family. In the midst of all of this, Brandon Renfroe gave students an outlet to channel their emotions. Our school has a set of courtyards that have been unused for some time. Students are often asking and sharing ideas about how to use these courtyards. Brandon took this as an opportunity. He took a group of students, many of who were closest to Harley, and the students and he sought donations and support. They installed flower beds and picnic tables so the students could now use those courtyards. Dr. Renfroe and the students named this space Harley’s Place. The pantry also came together. Brandon established a partnership with the Food Bank of North Alabama, and we are now providing groceries ranging from 40 to 100 students weekly. These are the things we see. What is even bigger is what goes unseen. This individual is humble and selfless, so what I have already been saying is breaking too much confidence, but I will say this. Very often, when a student or family is in need at GHS or the school in general, those needs are quietly met. I am not always certain how these needs are addressed, but I have a sneaking suspicion about where it comes from. Dr. Brandon Renfroe is a selfless individual, an amazing educator, and a true asset to our school and our school district.”
Meagan Stone introduced the Educator of the Year, Brian Pool. Pool is the principal at Crossville Middle School. Stone said she nominated Pool for various reasons and would share some with us. Stone stated, “He came to Crossville at a very low time in the short life of our school. Morale was low, and teachers were leaving left and right. The main focus in his first year was to boost morale and lift the mood of gloom in our faculty. He not only did that, but he also brought a sense of family back into the workplace. He had and still has an open door policy. His communication skills and transparency allow teachers to feel at ease knowing that he only wants what is best for students and faculty alike. He works diligently both in his office and around campus to make our school a safe learning environment and create a space where teachers are heard and can grow professionally. Mr. Brian Pool is extremely deserving of this award, and on behalf of the faculty and staff at Crossville Middle School, we thank you for your hard work and dedication to our school and the lives and well-being of our students and staff.
Congratulations to all the DeKalb County Employees of the Year.
