Ten Fox C-6 School District educators, staff members or volunteers recently received a Masterpiece Award, a new award started this school year designed to recognize those “who illustrate profound love, service, and care to the Fox C-6 Community,” the district reported in a written statement.
The first-ever Masterpiece Award winners were: Cheryl Hayes, teacher at Guffey Elementary; Ryan Wideman, teacher at Ridgewood Middle School; Eric Pickles, district bus driver and volunteer at Fox High School; Jim Ray, assistant principal at Simpson Elementary; Brian Dale, teaching assistant with the special education program at Seckman Middle School; parents Mistti and Pete Ritter, volunteers at Fox Elementary and other schools on the main Fox schools campus in Arnold; Ed Svoboda, custodian at Hodge Elementary School; Staff Sgt. Zachary Chand of the U.S. Army Recruiting Office in Festus, who has worked with Seckman High School students on community service projects; and Richard Simpson, retired Fox district administrator and community volunteer.
District residents and employees nominated nearly 200 people for the award, and a selection committee made up of parents, staff and other community members selected nine of the winners. Fox Superintendent Jim Wipke selected the 10th winner – Richard Simpson.
District administrators surprised the winners on March 27 and March 28 with visits to their school buildings to let them know they had won the award. Each winner received a gold pin. The winners also will be recognized in May, when the district holds its annual special recognition dinner to honor retirees, teachers of the year and the Masterpiece Award winners.
“We are incredibly pleased to honor these recipients,” Wipke said in the written statement. “We have one of the greatest communities I’ve ever been lucky enough to be a part of. This is just one way we can recognize those who help make us the Fox C-6 family we are so proud of.
“I hope we all take the opportunity to congratulate those we know who are on this list. We have a lot to be proud of and I want to personally thank all of our staff members for creating an environment where students and staff alike can find success.”
