RSD celebrated the remarkable contributions of RSD educators and staff at the annual End of the Year Celebration ceremony. The event highlighted the dedication and achievements of RSD Teachers of the Year, RSD Staff Ambassadors, STORM Award recipients, and retirees.
RSD Teachers of the Year
Each year, RSD honors outstanding teachers who have demonstrated exceptional teaching skills, creativity, and a deep commitment to student success each year. Teachers of the Year are voted on at each building and the overall RSD Teacher of the Year is chosen from among the building Teachers of the Year and will be moving forward in applying to become the Arkansas Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year recognition program is a part of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recognition program which Arkansas school districts participate in each year.
All building teachers of the year received their award and a $100 check courtesy of Roy’s Heating & Air. The RSD Teacher of the Year received a $1,000 check sponsored by Centennial Bank!
2023-2024 Teachers of the Year:
Center Valley Elementary Teacher of the Year: Baylee Baker
Crawford Elementary Teacher of the Year: Megan Heikkila
Dwight Elementary Teacher of the Year: Monica Childers
London Elementary Teacher of the Year: Ashlyn Gearhart
Oakland Heights Elementary Teacher of the Year: Makayla Golden
Russellville Intermediate Teacher of the Year: Sarah Connerly
Russellville Middle School Teacher of the Year: Kylie Gallegos
Russellville Junior High School Teacher of Year: Jessica Baldwin
Russellville High School Teacher of the Year: Paxton Anderson
Secondary Learning Center/RCVA Teacher of the Year: Micah Bennett
RSD Teacher of the Year: Mrs. Melissa Storm from Sequoyah Elementary!
RSD Staff Ambassadors
RSD also recognized the 2023-2024 RSD staff members who completed the first RSD Staff Ambassador Program.Throughout the program, attendees learned more about the offerings, systems, and opportunities in the District. Thank you to the incredible ambassadors who have devoted their time and energy to becoming champions for RSD!
The 2023-2024 RSD Staff Ambassadors were as follows:
April McNack
Brian Canard
Cherish Holt
Jessica Baldwin
Kerry Kucala
Laura Tucker
Laurabeth Tripp
Marty Watts
Megan Green
Sheila Gamero
STORM Award Recipients
The RSD Storm Award is awarded to Russellville School District classified and certified employees who are nominated by their peers for being an employee who supports, teaches others, observes, recognizes, and motivates. Recipients are nominated by their peers for demonstrating these qualities in their daily work.
There were 11 recipients of the RSD STORM Award this year. Recipients are as follows:
Lindsey Hefner, Russellville High School Teacher
Mrs. Dee Broyles, Secretary at Russellville Middle School!
Mrs. Laura Binz, Russellville Intermediate School Principal
Mrs. Kimberely Nettles, Center Valley Elementary Teacher & Building Learning Coordinator!
Mrs. Krista Malin Principal at Dwight Elementary
Mrs. Melissa Storm Teacher at Sequoyah Elementary & RSD Teacher of the Year!
Mr. Dale Hunter, RSD Bus Manager.
Mrs. Jenny Barber, RSD Federal Programs Supervisor.
Mr. Ryan Deming, member of the RSD Technology Department
Mrs. Patricia Golightly, Special Education Teacher at Russellville High School
Mr. Jeff Holt, RSD Deputy Superintendent
Honoring Retirees
RSD also paid tribute to its retiring staff members, whose careers have been marked by years of dedicated service and significant contributions to the district. These retirees have touched countless lives through their work, leaving a lasting legacy of commitment and excellence. The district expresses its heartfelt gratitude for their years of service and wishes them a fulfilling and joyous retirement.
Please note: RSD appreciates all the retirees who have served in the District. Some retirees have chosen not to be announced publicly, and with respect to their wishes, will not be included in this announcement.
2023-2024 Retirees:
Sharon Bell, Music Specialist at Oakland Heights Elementary School, 22 years of service in RSD with a total of 30 years in education.
Cindy Broadhead, Teacher at Russellville Junior High School, 33 years of service in RSD with a total of 33 years in education.
Clarence Fuller, Special Education Paraprofessional at Russellville Middle School, 16 years of service in RSD with a total of 16 years of service in education.
Robin Johnson, Counselor at Center Valley Elementary School, 12 years of service in RSD with a total of 28 years in education.
Renee King, Special Education Supervisor, 21 years of service in RSD with a total of 28 years in education.
Tammy Mabry, Paraprofessional at Center Valley Elementary, 18 years of service in RSD with a total of 18 years of service in education.
RSD hosted the Retiree Celebration Reception in The Center for the Arts lobby after the conclusion of this ceremony for families and friends of the participating retirees to celebrate.
Years of Service Gifts
In addition to the other awards, RSD employees who have served in the District for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years received Years of Service gifts.
Thank you to all of the incredible RSD staff members for your dedication and hard work. Together, we create a brighter future for the students of RSD!