The Shelby County School District honored all of the individuals who were named 2013-2014 Education Support Professional of the Year for their local schools or district departments at the May 15 Board of Education meeting.  A reception was held at 4:30 p.m. with a recognition ceremony following at 5:00 p.m. 

The Board of Education also honored the overall winners from several job classification categories and one overall district-wide winner for Education Support Professional of the Year.  The overall winner was Autumn Lamberth, school nurse at Vincent Elementary School. 

“I have been asked by many why would you choose to be a school nurse, and my answer today would be much different than six years ago,” said Lamberth.  “Six years ago my answer would have been so that I could have a decent schedule and spend more time with my family, though today I feel much different.  I have had to learn to expect the unexpected while also learning a whole new area of nursing.  I get to see the impact that I make on students and their families everyday!   I’ve found that suddenly I was not only a nurse, but I became a teacher, a counselor, and a child advocate.”

Lamberth said her days are typically spent working with students, managing their health conditions, administering medications, and developing care plans for students with medical conditions. 

“I have dressed wounds, calmed students with anxiety, treated asthma attacks, and called 911 for seizures; and still people think all we do all day is put on Band-Aids and call parents,” she said. 

She said she truly loves what her job and hopes that all of our students know that they are loved.

” I hope that all of my kids walk away from my office feeling truly loved and cared for,” Lamberth said. ” I love that every single day is different and that I am challenged on a daily basis.  I never know what will walk through my health room door, but I go to work looking forward to that challenge, and meeting the medical needs of all students.”

 The other category winners  who were honored at the event were:

• Julie Bennett, bookkeeper, Shelby County High School – Accounting
• Willie Davis, custodian, Oak Mountain Elementary – Custodial
• Sherrie Jordan, CNP Manager, Chelsea High – Food Service
• Bobby Beane, mechanic, Transportation – Transportation
• Russell Bentley, maintenance technician, Forest Oaks Elementary – Maintenance
• Cathy Majors, secretary, Montevallo High – Secretarial

The other individuals who were honored as local school or department winners are (by category):

Custodial: Bobby Hatter, custodian, Oak Mountain Middle; Fred Emery, custodian, Helena Intermediate; and Darlene Carlisle, custodian, Valley Elementary.

Food Service: Tori Andrich, CNP Manager, Oak Mountain High; Liz Swindle, CNP employee, Calera Elementary; Tori Rawlins, CNP employee; Elvin Hill Elementary; and Sherry Crauswell, CNP assistant manager, Valley Intermediate. 

Instructional:  Leigh Ann Parker, special education aide, Calera High; Kristie Pate, paraeducator, Linda Nolen Learning Center; Chad Foshee, instructional aide, Columbiana Middle School; Rebecca Brantley, Library Media aide, Montevallo Elementary; Shannon Little, instructional aide, Inverness Elementary; Mark Windham, instructional aide, Calera Intermediate; Tina Littlefield, Library Media aide, Vincent Middle/High.

Maintenance: Garry Carlisle, maintenance technician, Helena Elementary; Jake Fields, maintenance technician, Chelsea Middle; Roger Williams, maintenance technician, Helena Middle; Heath Davis, maintenance technician, Wilsonville Elementary

Secretarial:  Penny Houston, registrar, Mt Laurel Elementary School; Terrie Wiglesworth, front office secretary, Riverchase Middle; Michele Jebeles, front office secretary, College and Career Center; Julie Brane, front office secretary, Oak Mountain Intermediate; Kaylin Foster, front office secretary, Calera Middle; Luverna Arnold, secretary, Central Office; Becky Sellers, registrar, Shelby Elementary; Rhonda Kent, front office secretary, Chelsea Park Elementary; and Kristie Domovic, registrar, New Direction; and Trina Carter, registrar, Montevallo Middle School.