Through their actions, these West Shore employees have supported the District’s pledge to inspire, engage, and empower students and fellow staff.
You may find their nomination letters below.
Bridget Antal - submitted by Patty Harrington, Acting Principal, Allen Middle School
It is with great pleasure that I nominate Ms. Bridget Antal as the Support Employee of the Second Quarter. As the building secretary, she is often the first-person people encounter when they enter Allen Middle School. Her welcoming demeanor, paired with her warm smile and calming voice, ensures that everyone feels immediately at ease.
She plays an essential role in the daily operations of our school, serving as a one-person support system in the front office. Despite the many tasks she manages throughout the day, she consistently creates the impression that she is fully present and devoted to each person who comes into the office, always making them feel valued and heard.
As a first-year head secretary and the sole secretary in the building, she faces the challenge of learning complex systems and refining procedures. However, her ability to embrace this learning curve with enthusiasm and dedication is truly remarkable. She actively seeks out feedback, asks thoughtful questions, and continuously strives to improve her skills, all while maintaining a calm and steady presence.
One of her most impressive qualities is her innate ability to make others feel comfortable and supported. Whether interacting with parents, students, or staff, she has a unique way of listening attentively and responding in a manner that reassures those she encounters. Her calm, empathetic communication instills confidence that she will resolve any issue that arises.
A recent example of her exceptional skill set occurred when we faced an unusual and urgent situation. A student who had left the lunchroom to use the restroom did not return. She utilized the PA system to call for the student. The student did not come to the office, but the phone rang and the caller asked for the principal. She was able to ask questions of the caller in a supportive and calm way which led to the discovery that it was the missing student making the call. The student, who was struggling with mental health issues and somewhat new to the building had gone to hide. She was not sure how to explain where she was in the building and did not want to come out of her hiding place. With remarkable composure, she engaged the student in conversation, calmly asking for descriptions of her surroundings. While she reviewed the cameras, she kept the student calm and focused all while communicating with administration. Her quick thinking led to the coordinated response of the nurse, school security, counselor, and administration, ultimately ensuring the student's safety and well-being.
Despite the gravity of the situation, she seamlessly transitioned back to her daily responsibilities once the student was in safe hands. Her ability to manage such a complex and emotional scenario with grace, while continuing to fulfill her regular duties, demonstrates her exceptional professionalism, compassion, and problem-solving skills.
Bridget's unique blend of exceptional work ethic, emotional intelligence, and dedication to others makes her an irreplaceable asset to Allen Middle School. I am proud to work alongside her and confident in her continued excellence. It is for all of these reasons that I wholeheartedly recommend Bridget Antal for Support Employee of the Second Quarter.
Katie Kauffman - submitted by Dr. Brian Granger, Principal, Fairview Intermediate School
I am pleased to nominate Mrs. Katie Kauffman for Professional Employee of the Second Quarter 2024-2025. Since our first interactions in the Spring of 2024, she has proven to be a leader and influencer for Fairview Intermediate School. She received this nomination because her service went well above and beyond her expected assignments/duties. She exhibited extraordinary leadership and responsibility through her significant contributions to the school's opening.
Her impact is evident in a variety of ways. As we completed the staffing process in the spring, it was evident in her clear communication that she was driven to make Fairview Intermediate School the best school possible. As our new staff left the comfort of their former schools, she excelled at being a forward thinker and collaborator. Her words and actions conveyed support for students, colleagues, and families. Before the school year, she demonstrated her effective leadership skills by writing and being awarded a West Shore Foundation Grant for our Care Closet. The Care Closet would include basic needs items for students and families and be distributed around the school for easy access. She continues to coordinate efforts to resupply items through parent and community donations. As the Fairview Intermediate School staff began to meet over the summer to prepare for the school year and the opening of our new buildings, her feedback and participation in planning for MTSS and PBIS teams and processes were essential. She offered open and honest feedback about her successes and struggles in her previous school. She collaborated with her new colleagues to infuse their background knowledge and experiences to help our new school function effectively. Specifically, her expertise and leadership with our Advanced Tier Team have helped it effectively support kids and fostered confidence in staff.
While she is excellent at collaborating with others, she also displays independent leadership skills and positive influence at Fairview Intermediate School. As we prepared for building tours for students and families, she created helpful directional signs for our hallways and stairwells. Staff and visitors commented on their usefulness in maneuvering a new school. Another strength of Mrs. Kauffman is her keen vision for our school’s development. As a school administrator in my thirtieth year of service, I pride myself on keeping the end in mind and seeing what is on the horizon. It is rare to work with a teacher with the same level of vision, but she is always thinking ahead and will often ask about events or tasks that I haven’t gotten to yet. One example of this is when she asked whether we would have a Veteran’s Day ceremony and shared resources in early September. As a school leader, that is genuinely and uniquely refreshing!
In addition to the characteristics stated above, she has also excelled in being a curriculum and instructional leader for Fairview Intermediate School. As a member of the ELA Curricular Committee, she represents our school as an HMH Coach Representative. In this role, she works with the HMH representative and liaises between the representative and her 5th grade colleagues. She goes above and beyond in this role, as demonstrated by her willingness to have colleagues observe her lessons, co-plan with colleagues, and create materials to help her colleagues with implementation. The phrase, “Just ask Katie,” can be heard commonly throughout our halls, classrooms, and meetings about HMH and 95% implementation. She is well respected and well-known as a teacher-leader and role model throughout the intermediate level.
Finally, and most recently, she has stepped up as our first Fairview Intermediate School Student Council Advisor. She has independently and successfully recruited members, held officer elections, and already has her student council organizing monthly school spirit days, collecting aluminum can tabs, and coordinating our first “Souper Bowl of Caring” canned food drive.
Her work as a teacher and her leadership have tremendously affected the positive school culture at Fairview Intermediate School. Each day, she exemplifies our Why, What, and How!
I am pleased to nominate Mrs. Katie Kauffman for Employee of the Second Quarter, 2024-2025. She plays a significant role in helping Fairview Intermediate School be a place where students want to learn, parents what to send their kids, and staff what to work!