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Fairfax County Public Schools recognized employees across the division in its May 2026 FCPS CARES roundup, highlighting acts ranging from an unusual bus rescue in Washington, D.C., to emergency assistance during a choking incident.

May’s regional honorees

Central Office recognition went to Ferdinando Greco and Mervin Greenwood of Stonecroft Transportation. On May 1, a field-trip bus broke down in a traffic lane in Washington during a protest. Police prevented a tow truck from reaching it, leaving the driver stranded for hours. After dispatch requested help late Friday afternoon, supervisor Greenwood drove Greco into the city. Greco relieved the stranded driver and waited until the bus was towed, while Greenwood returned the original driver to his parking location.

Callie Harris of Cooper Middle School was honored in Region 1 for transforming a seventh-grader’s relationship with science and providing extensive support during the student’s medical leave. Harris sent encouraging messages, visited the student at home to proctor a test and became certified as a homebound teacher so she could continue providing instruction.

Region 2 recognized Patti Harling-Gray of Haycock Elementary School for mentoring a first-year teacher developing an Algebra 1 Honors pilot curriculum. She was also praised for challenging younger students with advanced concepts, including multistep equations involving the distributive property.

Grace Vivirito of Whitman Middle School received the Region 3 honor for expanding participation in the Early Identification Program. Whitman recorded the most nominations among EIP schools and led in completed applications after Vivirito organized support sessions for students and families.

Region 4 honored Ranilo Abrigo of Robinson Secondary School. During a Teacher Appreciation luncheon, Abrigo calmly assisted a choking colleague, prepared to perform the Heimlich maneuver and guided her until she cleared the obstruction. The former Air Force medic then helped her regulate her breathing and remain seated as she recovered.

Betty Ablimit of Chantilly High School was recognized in Region 5 for supporting the local Uyghur community. Since 2023, she has led the Capital Uyghur Youth Sports Club, coached teenage girls in volleyball on Fridays, assisted student clubs and tutored young people. She has also helped parents understand special-education resources and their children’s IEPs.

Region 6 recognized Rachael Altekruse of Lewis High School for sustaining a challenging, high-quality orchestra program despite limited funding and students’ uneven access to private lessons.

Additional school and community recognition

Aaron King of Edison High School was praised for bringing an industry professional into a Career Pathways in Tech workshop and helping Cyber IT students connect classroom lessons with future careers.

At Chantilly High School, John Glufling earned recognition for attentive communication and individualized support that helped a student succeed during the 2025-26 school year. Melissa Bibbee was thanked for 29 years of coaching soccer while teaching in FCPS.

Mysoon Ahmed of Centreville High School was recognized for supporting students with complex academic, behavioral and personal-care needs and for assisting in both Category A and Category B special-education classrooms.

Ellen Singletary of Cunningham Park Elementary School was thanked for recognizing a student’s artistic abilities, featuring her work in an art show and assembling a carefully curated portfolio.

Christy Fesak of Fairfax Villa Elementary School helped a student with an IEP adjust after moving from Chicago to Fairfax, providing consistent academic and emotional support.

Katie Fierek of Keene Mill Elementary School received a student’s thanks for offering kind care when the child felt unwell. Suzanne Miller was separately recognized for adapting instruction so another Keene Mill student felt understood, respected and supported.

At London Towne Elementary School, Carolina Salazar was praised for her work in the Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program and for organizing Noche de Villancicos. Ashley Harrison was honored for creating a classroom where students feel valued while growing academically, socially and emotionally.

Bethany Martin of Graham Road Community Center was recognized for building independence and maintaining ambitious expectations for blind students and children with multiple disabilities.

Rebecca Stroud was credited with strengthening C.G. Woodson High School’s PACE classes over three years. Her work has supported students’ academic, social and behavioral growth, including their participation in Community-Based Instruction outings.

Katie Sherwood of Mount Eagle Elementary School was commended for approaching her first year at the school with creativity, resilience and a commitment to belonging.

Elicia Parks of Gatehouse Administrative Center helped an employee resolve costly out-of-network insurance reimbursement problems after the transition to CareFirst, providing detailed and timely updates throughout the process.

Rachael Smith of Fort Hunt Elementary School was recognized for excellence in teaching, generous collaboration and continued professional growth while pursuing a doctorate. Maggi Aitken was praised for inclusive, energetic teaching, while Debbie Trenchard was thanked for keeping the school supplied and organized. Music teacher Nicole Gray was recognized for instruction, all-school meetings, recycling work and the Garden Club.

Morgan Elliott of Westgate Elementary School was described as an organized, professional and deeply caring educator.

Mel Mollick and Summer Johnson of the Nancy Sprague Technology Center helped Columbia Elementary School advance its AI Lab and Lighthouse Schools work. Their coaching supported the development of Gemini Gems, NotebookLM workflows and differentiated staff-learning stations labeled “Mild, Medium, Spicy.”

Timothy Hawkins of Edison High School was thanked by a student for making ninth-grade history memorable through storytelling and for offering flexible help during difficult periods.

At Fort Belvoir Upper Elementary School, Jacob Street helped a student gain confidence in reading and writing, while Griffin Deysher helped another student overcome anxiety about math. At Fort Belvoir Primary Elementary School, Jillian Messineo encouraged a first-grader’s academic and personal growth.

Bella DeMaso of Riverside Elementary School was recognized for the patience, professionalism and enthusiasm she has brought to her first year of teaching. Billy VanCuren, an instructional assistant at Riverside, came in during scheduled leave to help substitute staff manage a difficult transition between morning and afternoon ECCB classes.

Cherie Cintron of Bryant High School was honored for leading the IPFIT and Catch-Up Club intervention program for students facing chronic absenteeism, graduation risks or required SOL assessments. During a critical testing period, she changed her own assignment to provide additional help to 10 seniors.

Erica Preston of Irving Middle School provided sustained support during another teacher’s maternity leave, tracking student progress, collaborating across classes and frequently staying after school to plan.

Luke Garris of Spring Hill Elementary School was recognized for building relationships with students and families, attending children’s sporting events and moving from fourth to fifth grade with the same group.

Bus driver Tuan Ong of Lorton Center stayed with a frightened first-grader when the child’s family was not at an early-arriving bus stop. The same driver had previously intervened when peers upset the student and had kept children calm during a breakdown.

Shelli Farquharson of Marshall High School was praised for linking students and families with educational and career opportunities.

At Dogwood Elementary School, Sandra Rocha, Kathryn Kobel and Eyman Boules were credited with helping a child make major gains in communication and social development through the morning ECCB special-education class.

Karl Gussow of Herndon High School personally delivered testing materials to the classroom of an educator using canes after major ankle surgery, removing a physical barrier while preserving a secure testing environment.

Micah Bushrod and his Herndon Support Center electrical team responded after snowplows damaged cords serving Stonecroft Transportation’s block-heater outlets on February 6. The team removed the damaged cords and restored power before a frigid weekend, increasing the likelihood that buses would start Monday. The work was recorded under request 31887723.

Robert Salzberg of Navy Elementary School was recognized for attending middle-school concerts, helping tune hundreds of instruments and encouraging students to continue their musical studies during the summer.

At Oak View Elementary School, Elizabeth Sweet, Teresa Lykins, Candace Shafer and Young Yoon created a Kindergarten Music Share that showcased students’ progress in an inclusive setting. Mary Lalande, Jacquelyn O’Brien, Liz Revell and Principal Jamie Luerssen were separately recognized for managing a large influx of families during the event while adapting to a new visitor-management system.

Ricardo Bethencourt of Dunn Loring Center drew more than 150 people to a Getting to Know FCHS presentation through outreach to Luther Jackson families.

Lisa Nobles of Willow Oaks Administrative Center received two recognitions for mentoring novice teachers at Stone Middle School and volunteering to help during SOL testing when absences left the school short-staffed.

Sheryl Schneider of Bailey’s Upper Elementary School was praised for years of patient, collaborative work as a behavior intervention teacher.

Nicoleta Abott of West Springfield High School took on the additional role of assessment coach while continuing to serve as the multilingual learners department chair.

Susan Byrd was described as the foundation of Lake Braddock Secondary School’s adapted curriculum program, using much of her planning time to help newer teachers with IEPs and the Seastars system.

Brittney Floyd of West Potomac High School received two recognitions. One praised the individual attention and course guidance she gives advisory students; the other highlighted the activities she develops and shares across the special-education team.

Ofelia Clark of Mount Vernon High School was thanked for supporting Edu-Futuro’s programs and community work.

Bryan Buser of Gatehouse Administrative Center was recognized for responding immediately and thoroughly to an urgent issue.

Sean Scinta of West Springfield Elementary School helped a fifth-grader persist through advanced math, retakes and emotional setbacks. The student ended the year with a pass-advanced result on the Math 6 SOL.

A Department of Special Services team met an April 26, 2026, deadline to bring hundreds of digital assets into alignment with WCAG 2.1 standards. The group created a Digital Accessibility Monitoring Tool later adopted by other FCPS offices and provided templates, weekly guidance and hands-on assistance. Those recognized were Lea Skurpski, Mollie Kropp, Lisa Rueda, Lisa Phifer, Beth Cantu, Laysha Kemp, Heather Padgett, Brittany Vigil, Andrew Guillen and Keyanna Williams.

Tommy Burke of Gatehouse Administrative Center was thanked for responsive, patient assistance with hiring instructional coaches.

Susie Britton, Katy Smallwood and Paul Arena of Robinson Secondary School were recognized for calm, compassionate teamwork during a highly stressful situation involving a student and family.

Kim Norton of Lemon Road Elementary School was praised for helping children feel confident in art and for supporting school events. Fifth-grade teacher John Spence was recognized for making more than 30 students feel seen while maintaining close communication with families.

Several employees were celebrated for supporting FCPS Academy students and programs. Megan Neforos of West Springfield High School creatively fit Academy options into students’ schedules; Kristen Morgan and Bonnie Kolbenstetter of Lake Braddock Secondary School visited and promoted programs; Mikquan Johnson of West Potomac High School supported students with IEPs in TV and Media Production; Elizabeth Bruins of Justice High School improved IEP meeting coordination; and Patricia McDonald of Falls Church High School championed students pursuing career goals.

Carmela Pine of Mount Eagle Elementary School was honored for guiding students through self-regulation and challenges with patience. Office assistant Carmen Salamanca was recognized for helping students, staff and families feel welcome, and Erika Paz was praised for building trust and following through to connect families with support.

Richard Waltz of Wilton Woods Center was recognized as a helpful, attentive and collaborative member of the Department of Information Technology.

Paul Davis of Food and Nutrition Services led a pilot of new front- and back-of-house software. He supported kitchen managers with daily guidance, created short training videos and shared effective practices with other operations specialists ahead of a larger rollout.

Bessie Fealey of Hayfield Secondary School helped a family navigate course selection after their son was admitted to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. She contacted a TJ counselor, recovered missing links and helped the student submit summer and regular-year selections before the deadline.

Oakton High School Officer Kevin Bonanno founded a student-led soccer club whose members commit to improving attendance, grades and behavior. Staff said the club has given some students a powerful reason to attend school.

K J Holland of Braddock Elementary School helped a fourth-grader dramatically improve reading confidence by selecting engaging material, including books about skateboarding, and becoming a trusted adult at school.

At Belvedere Elementary School, Shannon Millsap and Allison Hunter coordinated IEP support, encouragement and small rewards that improved a child’s writing, spelling, motivation and confidence.

Ann Borres of Gatehouse Administrative Center came prepared to an IEP meeting with documents in the family’s home language.

Kyoung Sook Lee of Union Mill Elementary School was recognized for helping students with unique needs consistently access AAC devices and for balancing independence with timely support.

Mi Huh, Miriana Simova-Tete, Imran King, Farnaz Lohrasebi and Evelyn Harocopos of Pimmit Hills Early Childhood Center were praised for creating a consistent, compassionate environment in which a neurodivergent child felt understood and could grow.

Neal Kramer, a school-based substitute at Hayfield Secondary School, was recognized for building lasting relationships despite teaching four or more subjects in some weeks.

Ember Taylor of West Springfield Elementary School supported students with significant behavioral needs, used de-escalation strategies, collected IEP data and independently delivered individualized Benchmark lessons with visual and motor accommodations.

Stephanie Duffield of Haycock Elementary School taught fourth-graders research, planning and presentation skills through a multipart travel project culminating in brochures about destinations such as national parks.

Banafsheh Jamshidi of South Lakes High School received a student’s thanks for clear, patient instruction and help with missing assignments.

Pierce Prior of Bucknell Elementary School was recognized as a bilingual counselor who builds trust in English and Spanish, helps children de-escalate and offers thoughtful guidance to staff.

Stonecroft Transportation bus driver Felix Chin was praised for reliably assisting fellow drivers and helping operations run smoothly.

Michael Luley of Lake Braddock Secondary School supported the theater department’s production of “Cabaret” by clearing his band room for more than 100 Cappies NCA critics and covering pit-orchestra rehearsals on his own time.

Sleepy Hollow Elementary School recognized four staff members. Psychologist Victoria Dumornay was praised for special-education advocacy, family communication and student lunch groups. Reading specialist Maria Farrell coordinated interventions, assessments, HIT tutoring, progress monitoring and SOL support. Head custodian Delmy Martinez maintained a clean and welcoming building despite staffing shortages. Carmen Andersen analyzed SOL data, organized remediation groups and supported teachers while coordinating spring AAP screening.

Sharon Sacks of Hunt Valley Elementary School was recognized for a structured, dependable classroom that strengthened a child’s enthusiasm for science.

Kelsey Keza, a music therapist at Kilmer Center, spent personal time seeking business donations to make Teacher Appreciation Week meaningful at a school without a PTA.

Anna Slevin of Rocky Run Middle School helped Brookfield, Cub Run and Poplar Tree elementary schools host a successful AAP orientation, handling room setup, technology and family questions.

Olivia Williams of White Oaks Elementary School was praised as an energetic first-year teacher who used interactive games for Science SOL preparation and daily meetings to reinforce inclusion and positive self-talk.

Sumera Naqvi of Forest Edge Elementary School was recognized for experienced, caring teaching and engaging classroom activities.

MacKenzie Frakes of Groveton Elementary School served as lead mentor and AVID lead, organized the school’s first Career Day and planned pep rallies for older students.

In two weeks at Mountain View High School, Tracie Thomas introduced hot breakfast and lunch options and redesigned cafeteria procedures to make service more consistent, efficient and student-centered.

Cheryl Zimmerman, Katherine Hover, Martha Paz-Espinoza, Sheryl Schneider, Cathryn Sethian, Diana Grace, Simone Turnbull, Isabella Alvarez, Kathryn McGrath, Assia Samizay, Fresia Mercado-Rodriguez, Felicidad Nogales Ferrufino, Miechia Ballard, Astrid Mendez, Khalida Jawaid, Keyli Villela Mancilla and Amanda Freese provided inclusive childcare during the 2026 Special Education Family Conference, allowing parents to attend sessions with confidence.

Jaime Carroll of Canterbury Woods Elementary School helped a first-grader become more confident and develop from a reluctant reader into an enthusiastic reader of chapter books.

Kathleen Bunch of Colvin Run Elementary School patiently supported a student during his first year in the United States, helping him develop English skills and adjust to a new school.

Katherine Hover of Willow Oaks Administrative Center was recognized for mentoring new special-education teachers, quickly locating policies and resources, and helping educators interpret IEP goals and report student progress.

Desirae Jackson of Eagle View Elementary School helped a child make the transition from preschool to kindergarten through frequent communication, patience and reinforcement of the school’s SOAR values.

Laura Worrell of Gatehouse Administrative Center was praised for resolving questions at the final stages of digital-resource approval, helping keep the Digital Ecosystem Library current.

Jenn Lindsey of Fort Belvoir Primary Elementary School was recognized for supporting families inside and outside her assigned community, including through after-hours social-media communication.

Taslima Rokib and Thitiporn Sankom of Terra Centre Elementary School were praised for understanding preschool students’ individual needs, seeking therapeutic strategies and creating an inclusive classroom.

Photographer Donnie Biggs helped students from 16 middle schools feel recognized by documenting the county’s Battle of the Books competition and encouraging wider communications coverage.

Driver Shaheen Abbasi of Lorton Center was honored for transporting a student on the autism spectrum with warmth, respect and skill while keeping families informed about traffic-related delays.

Drew Patterson of Sideburn Support Center repeatedly responded to air-conditioning failures at Eagle View Elementary School, restoring systems while maintaining a calm and professional presence.

Eric Johnson was recognized for 30 years at Herndon Elementary School and for contributing personal time and money to activities including Career Day barbecues, teacher lunches, field days and a spring camp.

Bus driver supervisor Elsa Fisher of Stonecroft Transportation was praised by a 32-year FCPS driver for coordinating Robinson Secondary School’s large transportation team, quickly arranging coverage and consistently supporting drivers.

Zelnita Wheeler and Francesca Gilley of Hollin Meadows Elementary School met with a family after school during Teacher Appreciation Week and helped align home and school strategies for a child’s emotional development.

Salwa Suliman Mohamed of Deer Park Elementary School was recognized for learning students’ names, building belonging and leading with compassion.

At Langley High School, David Paine was praised for remaining calm and factual through numerous difficult IEP meetings. Elizabeth Tansill was recognized for devoting extensive time to students’ mathematical success while reinforcing respect and a strong work ethic.

Tania Bove of TSRC Graham Road was thanked as a dependable teacher and colleague who helps the center operate smoothly.

Laura Hanley of South County High School was recognized for years of patient, knowledgeable counseling that supported three brothers and their family through different challenges.

Emma Fleming of Kings Glen Elementary School was praised for making fourth-graders feel heard and for giving parents useful guidance about homework and learning goals.

At Stone Middle School, Alison Neun was honored for leading pep rallies, cultural-awareness activities and service projects, including weekly food bags for families. Stephen Estep was recognized for creating a safe and caring learning environment in a Category B program.

CJ Redden-Liotta of Falls Church High School was celebrated for leading choral and vocal-jazz programs, supporting marching band and musical productions, producing livestreams during the pandemic, championing an AP Seminar program now serving nearly 200 students and volunteering to teach music to Category B students.

Mallory Bacalis of Madison High School accommodated South Lakes students who needed AP testing despite attending an IB school. Over two years, she also adjusted arrangements when AP and IB schedules conflicted.

Sara Silva, Taylor Thomas, Kara McElveen, Casey Davidow, Kristen Burke, Sydney Riffe, Claudia Granados, Anna Yim, Brett Terrell, Katherine Tibbals Baer, Catie Summers, Griffin Graves, Sean Stuebner, Amy Werking, Haley Chan, Meghan Winters, Robyn Roundtree, Susan Call, Thuthuy Vu and Olivia Murray of Westlawn Elementary School contributed money so a former student could attend FBLA Nationals.

Liz Smith of Aldrin Elementary School helped a student who transferred in fall 2025 after severe social anxiety, school refusal and absences. Working with Thalia Rembus and other staff, Smith offered regular check-ins, encouragement and strategies that helped the student return to class consistently.

Bryan Harris, Mick Letcher and Mary DeKanter of South County High School were recognized for sustained support of athletics, including behind-the-scenes work and improvements to the softball complex and press box.

Savannah Simmons, Kathleen Stedham and Carol Clark of Franklin Sherman Elementary School transformed the library into a “Reading Restaurant.” First-graders created menus of books and original writing, then served readings to parents, grandparents and siblings as a celebration of their progress.