Charles Board of Ed. Honors Students, Staff

Board recognizes outstanding students


The Board of Education honored four students on Tuesday, March 10 for excellence in academic achievement, career readiness and personal responsibility. Honored were Nehemiah Strawberry, fifth grade, J. P. Ryon Elementary School; Wesley Thompson, fifth grade, William A. Diggs Elementary School; Veronica LeBeau, eighth grade, General Smallwood Middle School; and Rainey Southworth, senior, Thomas Stone High School.

Strawberry was honored by the Board in the area of personal responsibility. He is enrolled in gifted mathematics and reading classes, and reads on a seventh-grade level. Strawberry is a leader and role model for his peers and is well known among his teachers as an outstanding student who takes initiative to help his classmates. He also exhibits higher-level thinking skills and is a talented writer. Strawberry is a member of the Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) team and assists with the fourth-grade math team.

Thompson was honored by the Board in the area of academic achievement. He receives gifted services in mathematics and reading, and received the highest score available on the Cognitive Abilities Test, which is administered to gifted education students. Thompson is a well-rounded student and continues to earn the principals’ honor roll every quarter. At school, Thompson is active on the school math team and is a member of the Sea Perch club. Outside of school he is active in Cub Scouts and takes piano lessons.

LeBeau was honored by the Board in the area of career readiness. She plans to pursue a career in mechanical engineering after she finishes high school and is an honor roll student. She maintains a 4.0 grade-point average and was recently recognized for her accomplishments in gifted education. LeBeau’s character and self-discipline, as well as her athletic abilities and musical talent, make her a well-rounded student. She is part of Smallwood’s MESA bridge design team, which earned a first-place win at the county competition for the past two years. LeBeau also plays the cello and is part of a traveling softball and soccer team.

Southworth was honored by the Board in the area of academic achievement and is an honor roll student. She is a member of the National Honor Society, W.E.B DuBois Honor Society and the school math team. Southworth also plays field hockey and lacrosse at Stone. Earlier this school year, she was chosen to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders to learn about careers in the medical field. After she graduates, Southworth plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to study marine science.

Each month the Board of Education honors students for their success in academic achievement, career readiness and personal responsibility.

Board honors exemplary employees


The Board of Education honored four Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) employees during the March 10 Board meeting, including Nancy Jeffrey, Jennifer Jenkins, Anita Riggans and Jacqueline Stancliff.

Jeffrey is a German teacher at Thomas Stone High School and has worked for the school system for the past 25 years. She was nominated for recognition for her dedication to teaching and for helping to expand foreign language learning opportunities for students. Jeffrey also travels abroad each summer, when possible, to learn more about culture and history of the languages she teaches. She is also the longtime It’s Academic coach at the school, and has helped several teams compete in the regional televised competition. Stone Principal Michael Meiser said Jeffrey’s passion for teaching is evident in all that she does. “Nancy has taught the last five years without a planning period. She teaches every day, every period, with passion for her subjects. She continues to grow a Latin and German program here at Thomas Stone High School,” Meiser wrote in a nomination letter.

Jenkins is a special education instructional assistant at J.P. Ryon Elementary School. She is well known for her passion in working with children and has helped to create a positive and warm learning environment for all students. Jenkins maintains a caring and consistent approach in all that she does and brings joy into the classroom on a daily basis. She recently took on the role of sponsor for the Just Say No/Kiwanis club and helps students participate in several community oriented service projects. Ryon Principal Robert Opiekun said Jenkins demonstrates a great degree of pride in her work. “She can always be counted on to attend many activities at Ryon. She greets all children with a smile and interacts very well with parents. She is a clear asset to J.P. Ryon Elementary School,” Opiekun wrote in an award nomination letter.

Riggans is a special education teacher at General Smallwood Middle School where she has taught for more than 35 years. During her career at Smallwood, Riggans has worked with students in all content areas from self-contained and inclusion classes to working with students in a one-on-one setting. Her coworkers describe her as a friendly, approachable and dependable professional and an exemplar role model for teachers. Riggans is also well known for her commitment to helping anyone in need of assistance. Smallwood Principal Kathy Perriello said Riggans embodies all characteristics of a master teacher. “To say she is dedicated is an understatement. She embodies the General Smallwood philosophy of being a GREAT school; she is a GREAT educator who focuses on Growth, Relationships, Excellence, Accountability and Teamwork,” Perriello wrote in her nomination letter.

Stancliff is a fourth-grade teacher at William A. Diggs Elementary School where she has taught for the past 12 school years. She was chosen for recognition for demonstrating a high degree of pride in her work. Stancliff is dependable, flexible and maintains a positive attitude in all that she does. She is dedicated to ensuring her students are successful, and has also taught at different grade levels to work with various levels of learners. Stancliff helped sponsor the fifth-grade math team for more than 10 years and also has experience coaching the school robotics team. She supports the Diggs community as the yearbook sponsor and has presented at several parent nights. Diggs Principal Sandra Taylor said Stancliff is a role model for other teachers. “Stancliff maintains a positive attitude and has an open rapport with parents. She is effective and prompt in her communication with parents and is willing to be flexible and accept challenges,” Taylor wrote in a nomination statement.

The Board honors several exemplary employees each month.