After graduating from La Plata High School, Brenda Garner was working at the fast food restaurant, Hardee’s, when she got a call from her former secretarial teachers. They knew of an opening for a secretary/typist in the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) transportation office and thought Garner should apply.

“I interviewed and got the job,” she said. “I started in November 1980.” Garner is celebrating her 45^th year with CCPS, and will be among other staff members at a March 19 ceremony marking milestone years in their employment with the school system.

Garner worked as a secretary/typist for a while before moving into the role of stenographer. Then, following the retirement of transportation director Sharon Turner’s secretary, she made another move. “I applied for the [secretary] position and here I am,” Garner said. “Seven directors … I’m on my eighth one now and I’m still here.” She still talks with Turner, who was the first director of transportation for CCPS.

There are more than 600 bus drivers and attendants who work with CCPS and part of Garner’s job is to ensure all drivers and attendants maintain their proper certifications through the county and state. She’s also certified as a bus attendant who has been known to fill in where needed.

When she started her job in 1980, the office staff worked on typewriters and transportation staff handled bus contractors’ payrolls, which were written out by hand. The county and school system have seen massive growth in the 45 years since Garner began working for CCPS. “Nothing has or will stay the same with growth,” she said.

But some things don’t change. “I love what I do and the people I work with,” Garner said. “I have made lifelong friends, and we call ourselves a family in the office.”

Employees recently recognized by CCPS and the Board of Education of Charles County are below.

Employees with 45 years of service

• Brenda Garner, secretary to the director of transportation, Annex I.

Employees with 40 years of service

• Tony Chase, building service manager, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center.
• John Farmer, building service manager, F.B. Gwynn Educational Center.
• Lisa Peters, secretary, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.
• George Simms, pupil data specialist, Starkey.

Employees with 35 years of service

• Tanya Ansell, resource teacher, Theodore G. Davis Middle School.
• Heather Beaton, media specialist, Glymont Middle School.
• Glenn Belmore, risk manager, Annex I.
• Cheryl K. Davis, principal, Henry E. Lackey High School.
• Tanya Dorsey, building service manager, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School.
• Lawrence Gross, building service manager, Malcolm Elementary School.
• Jana Heyl, theatre arts teacher, Maurice J. McDonough High School.
• Lisa Love, secretary, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.
• Sheryl Morrison, pupil personnel worker, J.C. Parks Elementary School.
• Wendy Proctor, building service worker, Gwynn.
• Jean Walter, instructional assistant (IA) for special education, Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School.
• Bruce Washington, operations foreman, Annex I.
• Julie Yowell, second-grade teacher, William B. Wade Elementary School.

Employees with 30 years of service

• Michael Blaine, world language teacher, La Plata High School.

Employees with 25 years of service

• Anisah Ansari, language arts teacher, Mattawoman Middle School.
• Christine Baert, payroll analyst, Starkey.
• Clive Bailey, JROTC instructor, La Plata.
• Jeffrey Berkowitz, mathematics teacher, Milton M. Somers Middle School.
• Deborah Bracken, food service worker, J.P. Ryon Elementary School.
• Nicole Brock, fourth-grade teacher, Wade.
• Christopher Brown, physical education teacher, Matthew Henson Middle School.
• Teresa Buckmaster, social studies teacher, Somers.
• Roxane Burlack, special education instructional specialist, Starkey.
• Ray Scott Burton, music teacher, Davis.
• Dawn Chavez, fifth-grade teacher, Mary H. Matula Elementary School.
• Olivia Coffey, school counselor, Billingsley Elementary School.
• Geraldine Cooper, building service manager, Dr. Brown.
• Marlon Curtis, physical education teacher, Westlake High School.
• Heather Diable, IEP facilitator, Starkey.
• Megan Dooley, instructional resource teacher, Malcolm Elementary School.
• Jacqueline Douglas, kindergarten IA, Billingsley.
• Timothy Emhoff, environmental education teacher, Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center.
• Jennifer Fitzpatrick, speech language pathologist, Gwynn.
• Jo Ann Garner, third-grade teacher, T.C. Martin Elementary School.
• Lori Gould, kindergarten IA, Malcolm.
• Shannon Grebe, music teacher, Berry Elementary School. 
• Jo Lynn Griffith, prekindergarten teacher, Arthur Middleton Elementary School.
• Wanda Gross, building service manager, Stethem.
• Margaret Grove, second-grade teacher, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School.
• Pamela Jenkins, IA for prekindergarten, Dr. James Craik Elementary School.
• Carllisa Jordan, IA for mathematics, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School. 
• Jill Locco, science teacher, John Hanson Middle School.
• Michael Keener, social studies teacher, Piccowaxen Middle School.
• John Kraft, director of transportation, Annex I.
• Tony Mast, assistant principal, Davis.
• Theresa McPherson, supervisor for payroll, Starkey.
• Suzanne Miles, world language teacher, Thomas Stone High School.
• Graham Paterson, psychologist, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School.
• Hope Ransom, school counselor, Stone.
• Diana Regis, family and consumer science teacher, Westlake.
• Leonard Rickett, physical education teacher, Berry.
• David Russell, physical education teacher, La Plata.
• Sherri Russell, English teacher, Lackey.
• Glenn Saluter, HVAC mechanic, CCPS maintenance shop.
• Jean Schenck, mathematics teacher, Hanson.
• Lisasue Smiroldo, media specialist, Piccowaxen.
• Bradley Snow, assistant principal, Stethem.
• Corey Specht, fifth-grade teacher, Mitchell.
• Terry Stotler, secretary for guidance office, Hanson.
• Nichole Thomas, school counselor, Hanson.
• Dedra Van Gelder, content specialist for library media, Starkey.
• Stephanie Walent, language arts teacher, Somers.
• Katheryne West, kindergarten IA, Matula.
• Steven Willett, special education compliance facilitator, Somers.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,904 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

 

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).