CCPS celebrates staff members for years of service

Charles County Public Schools

March 14, 2024

The Board of Education of Charles County and Superintendent of Schools Maria Navarro, Ed.D., honored several Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) employees on March 14 for their years of service to the school system and commitment to education during a ceremony held at North Point High School. Honored were employees with careers that span a period of 45, 45, 40, 35, 30 and 25 years.

Lee Clark, a mail truck driver for CCPS, graduated from La Plata High School and a couple of months later, on Sept. 8, 1978, he was working for the school system. He started as a building service worker at Thomas Stone High School but moved into driving for food service by the next year. Back then, food was distributed from the central office to schools, shuttled by drivers.

Clark has been the pony driver for CCPS for several years, many of which he did solo. It was hard work to manage and deliver mail for more than 40 schools throughout the whole county. Now he shares the route with another driver.

They split the day delivering mail and warehouse supplies and most days are pretty good, if the weather and traffic are decent. Traversing the county day in and day out gives Clark a unique perspective on progress. He sees neighborhoods spring up seemingly overnight, and swaths of trees disappear almost as fast. “I’ve definitely seen how the county has grown,” he said. He has a simple and straightforward secret to his longevity at work. “Treat people how you want to be treated,” Clark said. “And they will treat you with respect.”

Employees with 45 years of service

  • Melbourne “Butch” Arbin III, career and technology resource teacher, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

  • Lee Clark Sr., mail truck driver, CCPS warehouse.

  • Charles Kelly, foreman – athletic fields/grounds, CCPS maintenance shop.

Employee with 40 years of service

  • Joseph Brawner, building service manager, Henry E. Lackey High School.

Employees with 35 years of service

  • Diane Bicknell, assistive technology facilitator, F.B. Gwynn Educational Center.

  • Diane Brawner, building service worker, Westlake High School.

  • Melanie Cole, business education teacher, North Point High School.

  • Donna Depamphilis, IEP facilitator, William A. Diggs Elementary School.

  • Janice Earnshaw, ESOL teacher, Theodore G. Davis Middle School.

  • Carol Hamilton, carpenter II, CCPS Maintenance Shop.

  • Beverly Hoy, psychologist, Henry E. Lackey High School.

  • Larry Johnson, building service assistant manager, Arthur Middleton Elementary School.

  • Jean Proctor, kindergarten teacher, Berry Elementary School.

  • Cherie Reynolds, secretary to the principal, Piccowaxen Middle School.

  • Carrie Richardson, principal, Mary H. Matula Elementary School.

  • Ernestine Swann, student data technician, Milton M. Somers Middle School.

  • Katrina Thompson, student data technician, Henry E. Lackey High School.

  • Renee Ward, accounting assistant, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

Employees with 30 years of services

  • James Baker, general maintenance worker II, CCPS Maintenance Shop.

  • David Bradshaw, physical education teacher, Maurice J. McDonough High School.

  • John Brooks, first-grade teacher, J.P. Ryon Elementary School.

  • Denise Childers, English teacher, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center.

  • Christina Coulby, social studies teacher, Piccowaxen Middle School.

  • Rebecca Franch, art teacher, Arthur Middleton Elementary School.

  • Apryl Gray, business education teacher, La Plata High School.

  • Sean Heyl, EACC president, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

  • Patricia Mooring, assistant principal, Arthur Middleton Elementary School.

  • Darlene Thornton, supervising specialist of transportation, CCPS Annex 1.

  • Lisa Wehausen, instructional specialist, William A. Diggs Elementary School.

Employees with 25 years of services

  • Barbara Anderson, Title 1 resource teacher, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

  • Tracy Blake, reading resource teacher, William B. Wade Elementary School.

  • Rose Burroughs, food service manager, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School.

  • Christina Caballero, principal, Matthew Henson Middle School.

  • Brandy Dennison, ESOL teacher, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School.

  • Franco Foraci, physical education teacher, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School.

  • Patricia Fulcher, art teacher, Westlake High School.

  • Catherine Graff, prekindergarten teacher, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School.

  • Alexis Howell, second-grade teacher, J.P. Ryon Elementary School.

  • Luis Island, student data technician, Westlake High School.

  • Jonna Jarboe, fourth-grade teacher, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School.

  • Cornelia Jerman-Webb, special education instructional assistant, Gale-Bailey Elementary School.

  • Aparna Joshi, social studies teacher, St. Charles High School.

  • Theresa Kidd, food service assistant manager, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building.

  • Barbara Kirkum, educational interpreter, F.B. Gwynn Educational Center.

  • Matthew Loyd, assistant principal, Maurice J. McDonough High School.

  • Kristi Nelson, mathematics teacher, Piccowaxen Middle School.

  • Wendie Newcamp, language arts teacher, Theodore G. Davis Middle School.

  • Karen Rowledge, family and consumer science teacher, Maurice J. McDonough High School.

  • Rachel Ruiz, secretary to the principal, Berry Elementary School.

  • Michelle Sains, third-grade teacher, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School.

  • Joseph Sbordone, language arts teacher, Milton M. Somers Middle School.

  • Kelly Short, special education secretary, F.B. Gwynn Educational Center.

  • Kim Smoot, food service worker, Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School.

  • Shellia Soderstrom, assistant principal, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School.

  • Shawn Starcher, science teacher, La Plata High School.

  • Stephanie Sullivan, third-grade teacher, Mary H. Matula Elementary School.

  • Laura Taylor, environmental education assistant, Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Center.

  • Tiffany VanDyke, Virtual Academy high school specialist, Robert. D. Stethem Educational Center.

  • Ivy Wade, pre-school instructional assistant, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School.

  • Curry Werkheiser, assistant principal, Thomas Stone High School.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,765 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 Kathy Kiessling, 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).