Orange County Public Schools is excited to reveal the five Support Person of the Year finalists. The winners will be announced during the Stellar broadcast, Jan. 27, 2021. The finalists are:
Jennifer Bhullar, Nurse
Baldwin Park Elementary School
Ms. Bhullar loves being part of a school environment and helping the students and staff with their day to day needs. From helping diabetic students stay healthy to bandaging scraped knees, she values the daily interactions. She’s conducted CPR/First Aid certification classes and staff trainings on signs and care of head injuries and seizures. Mr. Bhullar has formed partnerships with the Winter Park Health Foundation and Kinsa for Schools to aid students and families, when needed.
Yi-Ping (Lydia) Folks, School Secretary/Bookkeeper
Blankner School
Her servant’s heart is just one of her qualities the school community loves about Ms. Folks. As a school secretary and bookkeeper, Ms. Folks is detail orientated and goal-driven. While her primary responsibilities involve the financial health of the school, she is never too busy to help others. Whether she’s creating spreadsheets, unjamming a copy machine, assisting a parent or calming an upset student, she enjoys making a positive impact on those around her.
Joseph (Dan) Rebuck, Physical Education Paraprofessional
Castleview Elementary School
Mr. Rebuck enjoys helping students learn the lifelong benefits of physical, mental and emotional fitness. He sees PE as an opportunity to teach real-world skills like teamwork, empathy and leadership that will benefit students throughout their lives. Additionally, Mr. Rebuck feels lucky that he plays a role in assisting students in building their self-esteem and self-worth through cooperative games and activities. Participating in Lunch Bunch, Field Day, Fun Runs and Ride Your Bike to School Day, he models active participation in his school community.
Cynthia Gomez, Administrative Secretary
Professional Learning
In addition to her financial related duties, Ms. Gomez uses skills she learned in the OCPS Emerging Leadership Academy to helps plan district events, like the Superintendent’s Summit, the annual Principal’s Breakfast and the Assistant Principal Institute. To ensure each event’s success, she builds relationships with other departments and outside vendors. Learning, helping others and supporting district initiatives that contribute to students’ success brings her fulfillment.
Olga Vazquez, Transportation Specialist
Transportation Services
Ms. Vazquez takes pride in being timely, efficient and friendly. Her ability to create, implement, manage and evaluate on-time arrival, cost per student, safety and customer service help her team successfully meet the department’s operational needs and the district’s strategic goals. She’s also served on a variety of transportation committees, like Safe Routes to School and Best Foot Forward to improve the safety of student bus riders and pedestrians.
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