AHS recently announced the school level winners of FCPS’s Outstanding Staff Awards. Five staff members from AHS were chosen from a pool of nominees.
ESOL teacher Tricia Kapuscinski won Outstanding Teacher. Math teacher Allyson Pak won Outstanding New Teacher. Social studies teacher and tech specialist Catie Bishop won Outstanding Professional Employee.
Director of Student Services Erik Healey won Outstanding Leader. Office Assistant Jewad Abdulhadi won Outstanding Operational Employee.
“We have some amazing leaders in this building so I feel incredibly honored to receive the outstanding leader award,” Healey said. “However, the accomplishments we’ve achieved have been done so by a team of dedicated professionals, so the credit is not mine alone.”
For several weeks in November and December, anybody could nominate any staff member for these awards.
Faculty, staff, students, and community members were able to submit a name and write about why they thought that particular staff member should be awarded.
“When Mr. DeRose announced my name, I was glad it was a virtual staff meeting and no one could see my tears,” Kapuscinski said. “I am shocked, honored, and really grateful for the recognition. It’s been a tough stretch recently for the ESOL department with big programming changes and large class sizes at the lower levels. My ESOL colleagues have really lifted me up on their shoulders with support and I’m sharing this recognition with them and their hard work too.”
The Outstanding Staff Awards are a yearly recognition of FCPS’ staff. With the school level winners being announced, the Annandale Pyramid will now select winners from all of the schools.
After the pyramid winners, the region will select winners, and after that FCPS will select an overall winner.
“I think specifically any type of awards process is about recognizing the amazing work that is happening at AHS and the people doing that work,” AHS principal Shawn DeRose said.
The school level winners received a certificate and a succulent, which is a type of plant.
“My favorite thing about being part of the AHS staff is the supportive community here,” Kapuscinski said. “I started my teaching career at AHS 15 years ago. This place is my second home and the people here are family. From admin, coaches, counselors, and department chairs, to teachers and students – we are a team. AHS students are kind and appreciative, my colleagues are dedicated and work hard. When times are tough, like we’re all feeling now with the continual impacts of Covid, I feel like we all lean on each other to get through it together. Atom Nation is a special place and I’m proud to be a part of it.”