The Delaware Department of Education is honoring 20 educational support professionals for their outstanding work supporting their students and school communities.

“Educational support professionals are vital to the success of our schools. Their work often is behind the scenes and rarely gets the recognition it deserves. I’m honored to have the opportunity to celebrate these outstanding employees and spotlight the important roles they and the colleagues they represent play supporting our school communities,” Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said.

Now in its third year, the Delaware State Educational Support Professional of the Year (ESPOY) 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
• Information technology staff
• School- and district-employed bus drivers
• School- and district-employed bus aides

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 DDOE as well as $5,000 to be used for the educational benefit of his or her students.

The 2023 state winner will take over the title from 2022 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year David Thomas, computer lab/technology paraprofessional at Lake Forest East Elementary School in the Lake Forest School District.

A selection committee made up of DOE and non-DOE judges is reviewing the local winners’ state applications, and the state honoree will be announced at Delaware’s first ever statewide ESPOY celebration the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 7 in Dover. The event will be live-streamed to DOE’s YouTube and facebook accounts following the dinner portion of the evening; likely this will begin shortly after 7 p.m.

DOE is excited to recognize these outstanding professionals whose work is vital to students’ success.

The 20 2023 honorees are:

• 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.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

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