The Department of Education has announced the selection of the 2010 Public Employees of the Year: Sonia Serrano of St. Croix’s Charles H. Emanuel Elementary and Telmar Maynard of Evelyn E. Marcelli Elementary in the St. Thomas-St. John District. In congratulating this year’s recipients the Education Commissioner Dr. La Verne Terry said, “Public service refers to service that is performed for the benefit of the public or its institutions within a government system. Our 2010 honorees represent the epitome of public service each, consistently exceeding expectations in their service to their schools and districts. It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the leadership and staff of this department to congratulate them on this very important recognition in their professional careers.
“As paraprofessionals, both Mrs. Serrano and Ms. Maynardare trained to assist and work alongside teaching professionalsin the dispensation of their duties in the classroom. Mrs. Serrano is an 18-year veteran paraprofessional, who embraces her profession with commitment, dedication, a willingness to learn, serve and create systems for continuous improvement for her colleagues and the students with whom she interacts, Self-motivated, she regularly works beyond her assigned schedule coming in early and leaving well after the school day has ended, as well as weekends and during the summer months, to ensure that everything that requires completion is, in fact, done.”
The St. Thomas-St. John District honoree, Ms. Telmar Maynard, in addition to the timely completion of her own responsibilities steps up and assumes responsibility for any task that she is given and sees needs attention. Enthusiastic about her work, Ms. Maynard is alert, intuitive and patient. She is loved by the students and respected and admired by her colleagues,” says Marcelli Elementary Principal, Whitman Browne. It is really a joy to have Ms. Maynard at my school and on the Marcelli team. She is a very thoughtful, dependable, conscientious and humble young woman. I appreciate her efforts and constant willingness to make processes seamless and without stress for others. I am very proud of her and wish her much continued success.”
Joining other honorees from the various departments, Serrano and Maynard will receive their accolades during the week-long celebration of public service employees May 23-29.
