There are stars of education throughout Oklahoma City Public Schools, but a group that oftentimes stays under the radar is members of the district’s support staff. This group of hardworking individuals does the work of supporting our kids, teachers and principals for low pay and little recognition.

Support staff members serve in a variety of roles. They are our clerks, teaching assistants, media assistants, bus drivers and cafeteria workers. They serve quietly, but play a huge role in the culture of a school and its ability to run efficiently.There will be three support staff members recognized at the Stars of Education/Teacher of the Year Awards event next week and each will receive a $500 check, courtesy of The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools. These individuals were selected from a large pool of worthy nominees, submitted by school principals or other staff members.

Mayra Cisneros from Linwood Elementary School, Nguyet Nguyen from Britton Elementary and Sherri Han from Putnam Heights Elementary will receive recognition this year and their nominators had glowing remarks to make about the value they bring to their respective schools. From Greg Worley, nominator of Mayra Cisneros, “Everyday Ms. Cisneros shows her dedication to the students, families and staff of Linwood Elementary. She is often the only form of communication between our building and the parents who are not bilingual. This is an important position, because often our parents rely solely on her to communicate needs, wants, worries and concerns. She is an effective communicator who does her job without hesitation.”From Principal Ronda Hamilton, nominator of Nguyet Nguyen, “She can complete three tasks at once. She not only handles library duties, but has her hand in everything that transpires at school. She is my right-hand person; I know that if I ask her to complete a task, it will be done correctly and promptly.”From Principal Susan Carlson, nominator of Sherri Han, “She is dedicated to stimulating the intellectual development of children. She engages students in helping them understand that culture is not just traditions or language, but is instead an experience unique to each individual.”Support staffs at Oklahoma City Public Schools are changing the lives of our children through their dedication, care and selflessness. They are Stars of Education.

Read Mary Mélon’s original NewsOK editorial.