Six teachers and three support staff members from Lexington-Richland School District Five received a surprise August 16, as a reward for not missing a day of work last school year.
Through a donation from Horace Mann Insurance, the District Five Foundation provided four $500 awards and five $100 awards to staff during a districtwide event. The district’s Teacher P.A.S.S. (Perfect Attendance Spells Success) Program was implemented in the 2017-2018 school year to encourage teachers to earn perfect attendance. David Stanley & Associates, a primary provider of Horace Mann Insurance, donated the funds to the District Five Foundation, and winners were selected through a random drawing of teachers and school support staff with perfect attendance.
Teacher P.A.S.S. Program recipients included: Center for Advanced Technical Studies teacher Ashlon Langley ($100), Chapin Elementary School teacher Myra Waters ($500), Oak Pointe Elementary School Teacher Donald Andrysczyk ($100), Ballentine Elementary School teacher Valerie Hudson-Martin ($500), Nursery Road Elementary School teacher Melody Ficeto ($100), Seven Oaks Elementary School teacher Aja Jackson ($500), District Office support staff Linda Jackson ($100), Irmo High School support staff Peggy Boggess ($100), and Dutch Fork High School support staff Driani Harris ($500).
“Since 1981 David Stanley & Associates, LLC S-Corp, have served South Carolina educators and School District Five,” said David Stanley of David Stanley & Associates. “Giving back to those we serve has and remains a cornerstone to our deep-rooted culture of supporting the educational community. We know educators are taking care of our children’s future, and we believe they deserve someone to look out for theirs.”
District Five Foundation President Vera Timmons said, “Recognizing and rewarding teachers with perfect attendance is extremely important for the district and most importantly the children in the classrooms. This program shows teachers that their diligence in the classroom is noted and appreciated. We hope it encourages all teachers to strive towards perfect attendance. The D5 Foundation is proud to support and fund this program.”
The Teacher P.A.S.S. Program is modeled after a former incentive Horace Mann created in School District Five for students, which provided bikes for students earning perfect attendance. During the 2017-2018 school year, the company piloted a student program in several schools, providing scooters for students displaying positive behavior.
