Lori Graham
Contributing Writer
Many special recognitions for county students and staff were announced during the Montgomery County Public Schools Board meeting Mar. 5, 2024.
During the MCPS Board meeting, a total of 23 Support Staff Employees of the Year nominees were recognized, with many appearing to receive a small token of appreciation from the county. One person from each school or department was chosen who demonstrates their dedication in their field and as a person who goes above and beyond the normal call of duty.
Dr. Amanda Widner, Director of Human Resources, along with the President of the Christiansburg-Blacksburg Rotary Club Thomas Bell joined Assistant Director of Human Resources Dr. Thomas Brewster, in recognizing the nominees.
Millie McPherson, Purchasing Specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools, was chosen as Support Staff Employee of the Year for 2024-25.
“On behalf of the Rotary Club, Mr. Bell will present a $1,000 check to our school division employee of the year,” Brewster said. “This honor is a testament to outstanding contributions to Montgomery County Public Schools, a recognition she truly deserves.”
McPherson has been a dedicated MCPS employee for almost 20 years in the purchasing warehouse department, Brewster said.
“Millie exemplifies dedication and efficiency in managing purchasing paperwork, assisting bookkeepers, collaborating with directors, principals, and vendors on purchasing matters and meticulously reconciling credit card statements each month. Renowned for her diligence, team spirit, and unfailing positive attitude, Millie has significantly contributed to the department’s success, consistently going above and beyond to ensure smooth operations and stepping in during emergencies to prevent any disruptions,” Brewster said.
In student recognitions, Harry Farmer, Music Director, along with Principal Dr. Robert Johnson, applauded the accomplishments of the Blacksburg Middle School Band, who competed in All District at Salem High School, with 41 BMS students qualifying.
“People talk about all the bad things that happen in our schools, and this is a wonderful example of the good things that sometimes we forget in all the different students we will see here tonight,” Board member Jamie Bonds said. “So, thank you guys. You look professional, you sounded professional, and more wonderful, great things yet to come to you.”
Mark Husband, Director of Career & Technical Education and Business Partnerships at Montgomery County (VA) Public Schools highlighted the hard work and dedication of the Fall 2023 athletic state champions.
Auburn High School Women’s Volleyball team was first introduced by Principal Dr. David Hurd. The team, under the guidance Coach Sherri Millirons, has won eight state championships out of the last eleven, Hurd said.
“While this is a normal occurrence for our volleyball team it is always special,” Hurd said.
Principal Guylene Wood-Setzer introduced the Blacksburg High School Golf Team, led by Coach Rick Mattox, in recognition for their continued success winning three consecutive Class Four state championships.
“We are currently ranked number two in the country for high school teams,” Mattox said. “Now before anybody gets real excited about that there’s a lot of magnet schools that will be playing in the spring; we may drop a little bit, but still we have a great group of young folks on this team.”
BHS Cross Country Team, led by Coach Stephen Howard, also received recognition at the MCPS Board meeting for their state championship win.
“I just want to say what an honor it is to be here with the Golf Team and the Auburn Volleyball team,” Howard said. “It is a testament to the athletes’ hard work that they put in day in and day out to make it to this level and these guys right here are absolutely the pinnacle of hard work. It was about this time last year that we stood up here, after our state championship last year, and I got to brag about how much work they’ve put in.”
March 2024 Seniors of the Month were announced from each high school division of MCPS. The recipients are: Nicholas Millirons – Auburn High School, Ahmad Kutkut – Blacksburg High School, Kenneth Conner – Christiansburg High School, and Hailey Akers – Eastern Montgomery High School.
The second cohort of graduates from the Alternative Model for Professional Studies (AMPS) were also congratulated on completion of the program. These individuals have completed the required 30-month professional studies program to meet the requirements for a provisional teaching license: Evan Gray, Emily Gruver, and Cameron Harris-Gilliam.
