The Oklahoma Eagle Newswire
Tulsa Public Schools’ Superintendent Deborah A. Gist surprised five staff members at their schools and worksites on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2018 to congratulate each for being named a finalist for the Tulsa Public Schools 2018 Support Employee of the Year.
“These team members exemplify excellence, going above and beyond in service of the teachers, children, and families in Tulsa,” said Gist. “We have many dedicated staff members working ‘behind the scenes’ to make awesome happen every day, and these five finalists are some of the very best!”
The Finalists
Katie Crull, teacher assistant, Kerr Elementary School; Roger Shideler, multimedia journalist, Communications Team; Anna Stone, school clerk assistant, Monroe Demonstration Academy; Robert Thompson, paint shop foreperson, Maintenance Team, and Golden Washington, parent facilitator at Will Rogers College High School.
The five finalists were selected from a pool of 61 candidates by a committee including 2017 Support Employee of the Year Robyn Metrailer. The district’s 2018 Support Employee of the Year will be announced in spring 2018.
About The Finalists
Katie Crull is a teacher assistant at Kerr Elementary and joined the Tulsa Public Schools team in 2013. Crull is always finding creative ways to make students feel loved and appreciated and is always willing to fills in for teachers when needed. She never sees someone who “can’t” but finds a different way and reminds them they “can’t…yet!” Crull models character and excellence by always doing the right thing with peers and students.
Roger Shideler works on the Communications Team as a multimedia journalist and has been with Tulsa Public Schools for nearly 24 years. Shideler embodies the spirit of joyous learning and a growth mindset and continuously strives to improve his work and develop new skills. He also developed and launched the #loveTPS social media campaign and #PhotoFriday series and played a foundational role in developing the district’s digital media portfolio and brand.
Anna Stone is the school clerk assistant at Monroe Demonstration Academy and has been with Tulsa Public Schools for 22 years, beginning at Cleveland Middle School. She is one of the founders of Monroe Demonstration Academy and has been there for six years. Stone starts her day by greeting parents and scholars and goes out in the afternoon to see “her” scholars off. She is always ready to provide assistance to her co-workers and parents and loves being a team player.
Robert Thompson is the paint shop foreperson at the district’s maintenance facility and has been with Tulsa Public Schools for 31 years. Thompson’s knowledge, experience, and skills allow him to identify opportunities to create an amazing atmosphere in classrooms, offices, gyms, auditoriums, and inside and outside of the schools. He has created unique floor tile designs in schools across the district and identifies carpet material and colors that provide a pleasant atmosphere that is environmentally sound. Thompson continues to set the standard on how work orders are scheduled, assigned, completed, and audited. He is often a mentor for new employees in the understanding of the work order system.
Golden Washington is a parent involvement facilitator at Will Rogers High School and has worked for Tulsa Public Schools since January 2014. She approaches all her work with a high bar for excellence: for example, she has transformed the closet where uniforms and other apparel are stored for students in need into a clean, charming, and well-organized boutique. Washington handles food supplies for students and distributes goods to students in need daily. She is a team player who does her job with enthusiasm, expertise, and a focus on great customer service.
