Five Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) staff members received a special delivery from Dr. Marty Pollio on May 20th. The retiring superintendent delivered his final five Lighthouse Awards to the employees who, according to their nominators, are a “beacon of light for students,” just like a lighthouse. Dr. Pollio created the Lighthouse Awards as a way to recognize JCPS staff who are helping students follow a path to success. More than 150 individuals were nominated this year. The winners are:
Bryan Galloway—Galloway is a special education teacher at Conway Middle School. His nominator said, “With students, Mr. Galloway provides consistent encouragement by recognizing their efforts, celebrating their growth, and reminding them of their value. Through the Men of Quality program (which Galloway oversees), he not only mentors but also highlights students’ positive contributions to the school community.” Galloway also organized an African-American Read-in and is known for taking students under his wing, including two young men “who were coping with the devastating loss of their mother…offering them guidance, stability, and a safe place to process their grief.” Added his nominator, “Mr. Galloway doesn’t just teach, he uplifts, protects, and leads with purpose.”
Jimmy Houseal—Houseal is a career and college interventionist at the Georgia Chaffee TAPP School. His nominators praised his connections in the community and his ability to find job shadows, work opportunities, and speakers to come to TAPP to help the young women work toward success. A nominator wrote, “Jimmy goes above and beyond to build relationships with students…..Students know they can go to him not just for help with resumes or interviews, but for life advice and support. He doesn’t give up on them, even when they feel like giving up on themselves.” One example given was a student who lacked confidence in her ability. Houseal gave her consistent mentoring and set her up with a job shadow in a field in which she was interested. The student landed a job in the same field, “something she once thought was out of reach.”
Kiaro Jeffries—Jeffries is a custodian at Cochran Elementary School, but his nominator calls him “the heart of the school.” Jeffries’ interaction with kids is “nothing short of amazing. Whether he’s chatting about the Pokemon cards, breaking down last night’s NBA game, or complimenting a student’s recent art masterpiece, Mr. Kiaro (as he’s known at Cochran) makes every child feel seen and heard.” When a group of students were getting anxious about being picked up late, Mr. Kiaro started a spontaneous game of Red Light/Green Light and “suddenly the air was filled with laughter instead of stress—all because of him.” Oh, and Jeffries is an exceptional custodian, too, according to a nominator.
Rhonda Johns—Johns is a 3rd grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School. According to her nominator, Johns is the first to arrive at school in the morning and the last to leave. Johns often pays for snow cones for students or coffee days for staff out of her own pocket. Her students trust her because she cares deeply about their success in and out of the classroom. One thing you don’t often find in other educators, according to her nominator, “is how real and honest she is with her students…. She shares when she makes mistakes or when she’s facing personal challenges, which, in turn, encourages her students to be open and honest about their own feelings and experiences.” The nominator added, “I have worked with many teachers, but I have never come across anyone quite like Mrs. Johns.”
Hunter Pittman—Family Resource and Youth Services Center Coordinator at Jacob Elementary School. “Hunter is a rock at Jacob,” according to one of his nominators. “Students clamor to eat lunch with him, not just because of his charisma, but because they know they can speak freely around him.” Hunter is multilingual and coaches the soccer team, which allows him to break down barriers with multilingual students, several of whom play on the team. “He doesn’t pretend to be perfect, but he always shows up” for students, families, and other staff. Pittman follows through on his commitments, has built trust with students, and shows that he truly cares about them and their families.
See all of the nominees here.