Ernest DuBose has been named DCSD District Support Staff Person of the Year
Ernest DuBose, campus supervisor for the Darlington County Intervention School, is DCSD’s 2022-23 District Support Staff Person of the Year.
Superintendent Dr. Tim Newman announced the honor during the district’s Back-to-School Convocation on Tuesday, July 26.
“Mr. DuBose goes above and beyond to ensure the safety and security of both students and staff at his school,” Newman said. “He is always looking to help students in any way he can. He truly believes the work being done in the classrooms of DCSD is foundational to the futures of our students. We are excited to have him represent all of the vital support staff employees across the district.”
DuBose said during the convocation that in his 20 years of working with students, he has been fortunate to witness countless students go on to be successful in all walks of life. In fact, as part of a requirement during the judging process, he wrote those experiences are what he finds most rewarding.
“The part of my job that gives me the most satisfaction is the interactions I have had with our students in the community,” he wrote. “Former students have come up to me to thank me for believing in them and keeping them on the right track. They mention the physical training they received every morning before school started. I suppose what may have seemed tedious has made them better equipped to deal with life after high school. They are eager to tell me about their accomplishments, which have included diving directly into a career, working on a college degree, or enlisting in one of the many branches of our military.”
During the convocation, the district also celebrated all of the School Support Staff Persons of the Year, along with the three finalists for District Support Staff Person of the Year.
The Support Staff Finalists are:
• Ernest DuBose, campus supervisor, Darlington County Intervention School
• Tonya Ward, school nurse, Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology
• JoLynn Parnell, teacher assistant, Pate Elementary School
Teachers and employees at each school nominated their choices for school honorees. The winners are chosen by vote at each respective school.
A panel of judges, consisting of school and district representatives, selected the Support Staff finalists from a pool of all school winners through an application process. The finalists then participated in live, scored interviews.
All Support Staff honorees will become members of the Superintendent’s Support Staff Advisory Cabinet. These cabinets provide valuable insight and feedback for the operation of the school district.
The 2022-2023 Support Staff Persons of the Year are:
· Chassidy Johnson, student data manager, Bay Road Elementary School
· Tarris Rouse, teacher assistant, Brockington Elementary Magnet School
· Enrico Pendergrass, teacher assistant, Carolina Elementary School
· Ernest DuBose, campus supervisor, Darlington County Intervention School
· Angela Watts, bookkeeper/secretary, Darlington County Institute of Technology
· Angela Johnson, student data manager, Darlington County Virtual Academy
· Tonda Weaver, administrative assistant, Darlington High School
· Chris Watson, school nurse, Darlington Middle School
· Lisa Gabriel, teacher assistant, Hartsville High School
· Michelle Conyers, teacher assistant, Hartsville Middle School
· Kim McInville, teacher assistant, J. L. Cain Elementary School
· Lisa Green, teacher assistant, Lamar High School
· Francesca Himes, bookkeeper, Lamar-Spaulding Elementary School
· Tonya Ward, school nurse, Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology
· Travis Hamlin, teacher assistant, North Hartsville Elementary School
· JoLynn Parnell, teacher assistant, Pate Elementary School
· Connie Garland, school nurse, Rosenwald Elementary and Middle School
· Chyrstal Taylor, teacher assistant, Southside Early Childhood Center
· Vincent Moore, lead custodian, Spaulding Middle School
· Crystal Grant, school nurse, St. John’s Elementary School
· Ronda Covington, teacher assistant, Thornwell School for the Arts