Harrisonville Schools staff members kicked off the 2022-23 school year with an inspiring message and recognition of staff accomplishments during the district’s opening meeting this morning.
Superintendent Paul Mensching began by recognizing those celebrating service anniversaries in the district.
Those earning the 10-year recognition were Kim Cornell, Angie Diggs, Sarah Enkey, Shawn Gibbs, Ann Hammonds, Becky Sumner, Lauren Peterson, and Amy Schloss.
Twelve staff members are celebrating 15 years of service to the district and they include Debbie Binner, Jennifer Coday, Brooke Dubray, Becky Fields, Rachel Henderson, Molly Witherspoon, Alisa Hopper, Kathy Jackson, Kelli Neal, Kelly Quinn, Melina Thomas, and Teri Whiting.
Becky Campbell, Jason Dieckhoff, Kristen Doerhoff, Kathy Eckert, Dave Hix, Jake Kohl, Kelly Lalman, and Jenny Rhoney were honored for 20 years of service and Lisa Hern and Lois Milam earned their 25-year recognition.
Gina Smith of the Harrisonville Public School Foundation presented the 2022 Educator of the Year Sara Doherty, HES special education, with a $500 grant.
She then presented $100 Amazon gift cards to 15 brand new teachers to use to get their classrooms set up. Those recipients were CJ Keeney, Emmy Long, Allyson Maxwell, Hailey Comfort, Allyssa Clark, Barbara Campbell, Sybil Frost, Sarah Harper, Jennifer Matteson, Carly McFadden, Kay Reynolds, Tyler Wood, Kaitlyn Holloway, Jennifer Hawkins, and Jill Seaboldt.
Finally, she presented the third annual Bill Mills Leaving a Legacy mini-grants. The Bill F. Mills Leaving A Legacy Grant is an addition to the Foundation’s Excellence in Academics program which honors students who complete the year in the top 15% of their class. Seniors who earn Excellence in Academics recognition all four years receive a $500 scholarship from the Foundation. Each four-year Excellence in Academics recipient also has the opportunity to choose a school-sponsored program, department or extracurricular activity to receive a $250 mini grant from the Foundation. The 2022 Bill Mills Leaving a Legacy grant recipients and the graduates who chose them were DECA from Macie Collings and Isaiah Bliss; HHS Math Department from Josh Pesek; Girls’ Soccer from Maria and Cheyenne Cesonis and Jenna Schrock; HHS from Jace Reynolds; Royal Regiment from Kaylee Turner; HHS Show Choir from Greta Maxwell and Emily Joseph; Wrestling from Anna Brauer; Girls’ Wrestling from Katie Fitzgerald/ Cross Country from Isaac Chiodini and Connor Everhart; National Art Honor Society from Piper Foreman; Girls Basketball from Kylie Meeks; HHS Spanish Department from Jaxon Morris; HHS Robotics from Kenneth Reed; Project Lead the Way from Andrew Bullock; and CCC Networking & Cybersecurity from Logan Quinley.
Following the awards and recognition portion of the event, staff were treated to a message from Dr. Manny Scott. Dr. Scott is an original Freedom Writer whose story is told in part in the hit movie, Freedom Writers. He has been speaking professionally for the past 20 years, and has empowered over two million educators and students in-person (and countless more through webinars) to not only improve the quality of their own lives, but also the lives of others. He told his story and encouraged the staff to know and value the impact they have on students.
Pictured below Teachers with 25 years of service to the Harrisonville school district, Harrisonville’s 2022 Educator of the Year and speaker Manny Scott.
