Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By JASON GRIFFIN/ Chilton County Schools superintendent

It has been a challenging year!

I have been superintendent for three years, and the first year, we recognized by nomination of the principals and department heads, the employees of the year for teacher at each school, aide, custodian, bus driver, nurse, lunch room worker, secretary/bookkeeper and any other position in our system, except administrator. I chose not to choose an administrator, since I felt like every administrator was doing a good job. Last year, with COVID striking in March, we did not have an employee of the year recognition. So, over the last few weeks, I have been considering how to recognize our employees. We have had teacher appreciation, nurse recognition, lunch room worker and other types of appreciation that were recognized nationally, but how to recognize Chilton County Schools employees has been the question.

As a coach, I never gave out game balls to individuals, as I always felt that it took the team to win and be successful, which was the whole team and not the individual. I’m not a fan of everyone getting a trophy either. Obviously, there are players that are better than others and contribute more. That is the same way in life, everyone contributes, and others contribute more. I make every attempt to recognize our employees and say thanks on a continual basis, but for employee of the year this year, I’ve decided to recognize everyone who works in our system as employee of the year.

Everyone will not receive a plaque or personal note, but they will get a copy of this article. Every employee this year has contributed to make this school year possible. From the bus driver who picks up and delivers the students, to the custodians who keep the schools and grounds clean, to the lunchroom staff that prepares the meals, to the teachers who provide instruction and the aides who help them, to the librarians who operate our libraries, to the nurses who have made sure everyone was taken care of, to the office staff who keeps it all running, to the counselors who help our students in so many way, to the administrators who oversee it all — it has been a team effort!  And let’s not forget the bus shop who keeps the buses running and the maintenance staff who keeps the buildings operating and the Central Office staff who oversee the whole system, 850 plus employees who make it happen on a daily basis.  Each of those is deserving of being recognized even in a normal year, but in a crazy year like this one, it’s even more fitting that each employee be able to say that for the school year 2020-2021, they are the employee of the year!  And from me personally as Superintendent, I know it has been a challenge. Enjoy some much-needed rest this summer, and let’s come back ready to go in the fall!