Posted on August 13, 2008

About Our People

Andrew Cole* The Robert R. Spillane Leadership Award honors two outstanding Fairfax County Public Schools employees each year who, through their leadership, have made a significant impact on students.

This year's winners, whose names were announced at the Leadership Conference on August 6, are Andrew Cole, director, Office of Leadership Development, Department of Professional Learning and Training (top), and Jill Jakulski, principal of Burke School (bottom).

Other Spillane award nominees were:

  • Jill JakulskiBarbara Bosworth, reading teacher, Haycock.
  • Peggy Belmont, manager, therapy and adaptive services, Department of Special Services.
  • Pamela Hirsch, head librarian, Edison.
  • Diana Jarrett, coordinator, student registration, Department of Special Services.
  • Kimberly Karayannis, social studies resource teacher, Edison.
  • James Oliver, principal, Mountain View.
  • Debra Reeder, director, employment services, Department of Human Resources.
  • Laura Romstedt, manager, media and training, Department of Information Technology.
  • Marguerite Saitta, ESOL teacher, Rolling Valley.
  • Recardo Sockwell, director, Office of Program Evaluation, Department of Accountability.
  • Carol VanPuymbroeck, special education lead teacher, Pine Spring.

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* Four FCPS employees have been selected to receive the Onthank Award, the highest honor the Fairfax County government bestows on its employees. Recipients were honored June 30 by the Board of Supervisors.

The Onthank Award recognizes accomplishments of outstanding worth in advancing and improving public service in Fairfax County government and the school system by an individual county employee. No more than ten awards may be given each year. Six were given to county government employees.

Recipients from FCPS were:

  • Keith Buchanan, coordinator III, English for speakers of other languages, Instructional Services Department.
  • Oscar Calagua, management technician, Instructional Services Department.
  • James Collins, building supervisor, Franklin.
  • Thau Nguyen, technology support specialist, Waples Mill.

The Onthank Award was established by the Board of Supervisors in 1966 to honor the memory of Col. A. Heath Onthank, the first chairman of the Fairfax County Civil Service Commission (1957-62) and a guiding force for the county's career merit system.

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Eric Kinne



* Eric Kinne, English teacher at Fairfax, was named as a teaching ambassador fellow by the U.S. Department of Education. Kinne, one of 25 instructors from across the country chosen from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants, will participate in education policy discussions during the next year and take part in a variety of projects.

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* Paul Cammer, director of the neuroscience laboratory at TJHSST, is the first recipient of the Life Sciences Educator Award, sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

Cammer was recognized for his dedication to his work and his unique approach to engaging students in the study of life sciences. The award, which includes a $10,000 prize, is presented annually to a secondary school educator with at least five years of teaching experience who has made a significant and positive contribution related to promoting the study of life sciences to his or her students. Nominees are also expected to show proficiency in teaching Advanced Placement biology and/or chemistry courses and must demonstrate outstanding student guidance and mentoring skills in their work with students on independent projects. (view press release)

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* Six teachers from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) have been awarded Fulbright Teacher Exchange grants and will travel abroad during the 2008-09 academic year.

The Fulbright Teacher Exchange grant recipients are:

  • Theresa DeFazio, health and physical education teacher at Poe.
  • Kyle Julian, third grade teacher at Virginia Run.
  • Inge Pisano, French teacher at Oakton High School.
  • Ronielle Romney, English teacher at South County.
  • Janis Sotherden, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teacher at Holmes.
  • Rebecca Watt, social studies teacher at Stuart.

The Fulbright program is the U.S.’s flagship international educational exchange program and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  Since being established in 1946, the program has provided more than 286,000 individuals—including more than 108,000 Americans and more than 178,000 students, scholars, and teachers from foreign countries—with the opportunity to observe each other’s political, economic, educational, and cultural institutions and to exchange ideas or to embark on joint ventures benefiting the general welfare of the world’s inhabitants. The program operates in more than 155 countries.

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* Kristina Gehrki, marketing teacher-coordinator at Oakton High, recently presented "Timeless PR Strategies" at the annual MarkEd Professional Conclave held in Portland, Oregon. The conference is for high school and college marketing and business educators.

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How Do I Get Mentioned in About Our People?

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