A paraprofessional from Lake Forest School District’s Lake Forest Central Elementary School is the state’s 2023 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year. 

Heather Hitchens supports students with disabilities within their small classroom and inclusion settings. 

“I ensure students with disabilities participate to the best of their ability, whether that be maneuvering their wheelchair to score a goal or learning a picture communication system to vocalize their needs,” Hitchens said in her application. “I strive to embody the least dangerous assumption to guide students to succeed. The needs of my population vary daily, and I am a crucial part of figuring out what they need. 

“Students must trust me so that I can challenge them while embracing their strengths, and they know that, no matter their abilities, I accept them,” she said. 

Hitchens, who has 13 years of experience as an educational support professional, oversees the Special Olympics program for her entire district. In addition, she organizes inclusion events throughout the school year to bring awareness, acceptance and unity of those with special needs, such as Spread the Word to End the Word campaigns and bocce ball and soccer unified tournaments. She also participates in community events supporting those with special needs and volunteers at state unified tournaments. 

“Mrs. Hitchens is an extremely valuable asset, and her support is felt beyond the walls of her classroom to the Lake Forest Community at-large. Her commitment, dedication and work ethic are unparalleled,” Amy Calhoun, a special education teacher at Lake Forest Central, wrote in a letter of support. 

Jon Buzby, senior director of Special Olympics Delaware’s Unified Champion Schools program, agreed: “Heather’s leadership skills and her ability to use those traits to excite her colleagues and staff to go above and beyond to help her make a difference in her building and other schools in the district are second to none.” 

Secretary of Education Mark Holodick made the announcement tonight during a statewide celebration to honor the 2023 cohort of district/charter educational support professionals of the year. They were chosen to represent their districts or the Delaware Charter School Network in the state’s Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year Program. 

The Delaware State Educational Support Professional of the Year program recognizes outstanding service by school employees who provide direct or indirect services to students and their families. The Delaware Charter School Network also is invited to participate. Employees considered for the award include: 

• Paraprofessionals 
• Custodial staff 
• Secretaries 
• Nutritional staff 
• School- and district-employed bus drivers 
• School- and district-employed bus aides 
• Information technology staff 

From those nominated at a building level, one educational support professional of the year moves forward to represent each district or the charter school community in the state program. Each district/charter network winner receives a $2,000 personal award from the winner’s district or charter school. The state program then chooses one person annually to serve as Delaware’s Educational Support Professional of the Year. State winners receive an additional $3,000 personal award from the department as well as $5,000 from the department to be used for the educational benefit of his or her students. 

A selection committee reviewed the local winners’ state applications to select the 2023 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year. This year’s selection committee members were: Susan Bunting (retired Secretary of Education), Chaneya Edwards (Delaware Department of Education field agent, School Support Services), Candice Fifer (member, State Board of Education), Susan Haberstroh (retired DOE director, School Support Services), Stephanie Ingram (president, Delaware State Education Association), and David Thomas (2022 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year). 

DDOE is excited to recognize Hitchens and all of the outstanding professionals whose work is vital to students’ success. The 2023 cohort includes: 

• Appoquinimink: Claudine Strawbridge, paraprofessional, Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
• Brandywine: Meg Brown, senior secretary/registrar, Concord High School
• Caesar Rodney: Jossette Threatts, service/instructional paraprofessional, George Welch Elementary School
• Cape Henlopen: Brittany Hoeller, paraprofessional, Lewes Elementary School
• Capital: David Hom*, operations technician, Office of Technology
• Charter Network: Eric Winston, nutrition coordinator/facilities manager/assistant athletic director, Early College School @ DSU
• Christina: Matthew Stearn, paraprofessional, Networks School for Employability Skills
• Colonial: Joseph Davis, custodian, John G. Leach School
• Delmar: Michelle Niblett, paraprofessional, Delmar Middle and High schools
• Indian River: Arleth Avalos, paraprofessional, Indian River School District Early Learning Center
• Lake Forest: Heather Hitchens, paraprofessional, Lake Forest Central Elementary School
• Laurel: Ashley Pugh, secretary, Laurel High School
• Milford: Lisa McQueen, paraprofessional/behavior interventionist, Lulu Ross Elementary School
• New Castle County Vo-Tech: Michele Marra, administrative assistant to the superintendent, District Office
• POLYTECH: Jodine Cybulski*, paraprofessional, POLYTECH High School
• Red Clay Consolidated: Clare Lawrence, chief custodian, McKean High School
• Seaford: Daniel Hopkins, chief custodian, West Seaford Elementary School
• Smyrna: Pamela Hilliard, paraprofessional/behavior interventionist, Sunnyside Elementary School
• Sussex Tech: Kim Speicher, administrative assistant to the superintendent, District Office
• Woodbridge: Ricki L. Truitt, student services/guidance secretary, Woodbridge High School

 *Has left district employment; not participating in state program 

Find photos of the nominees and learn more about the program here. 

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