DOVER — The Delaware Department of Education is honoring 20 educational support professionals for their work in assisting students and school communities.

The Educational Support Professional of the Year program recognizes outstanding service by school employees who provide direct or indirect services to students and their families. Along with public schools, the Delaware Charter School Network is invited to participate.

Staffers considered include paraprofessionals, custodial staff, secretaries, nutritional staff, information technology workers, bus drivers and bus aides.

“Educational support professionals are vital to the success of our schools. Their work often is behind the scenes and rarely gets the recognition it deserves. I’m honored to have the opportunity to celebrate these outstanding employees and spotlight the important roles they and the colleagues they represent play supporting our school communities,” Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said.

One Educational Support Professional of the Year moves forward to represent charter schools plus each district in the state program. Each of those receives a $2,000 award from their district or charter.

The state event then chooses one person annually to serve as Delaware’s Educational Support Professional of the Year and to receive an additional $3,000 award from the Department of Education, plus $5,000 to be used for the benefit of his or her students.

The 2023 state winner will take over the title from 2022 winner David Thomas, a computer lab/technology paraprofessional at Lake Forest East Elementary School.

A committee of Education Department and nondepartment judges is reviewing the local winners’ state applications, and the ESPOY will be announced at Delaware’s inaugural Educational Support Professional of the Year celebration Dec. 7 in Dover. The event will be livestreamed on the department’s YouTube and Facebook pages following the dinner, which will begin shortly after 7.

The 2023 honorees are:

• Appoquinimink — Claudine Strawbridge, paraprofessional, Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School.
• Brandywine — Meg Brown, senior secretary/registrar, Concord High School.
• Caesar Rodney — Jossette Threatts, service/instructional paraprofessional, Maj. George S. Welch Elementary School.
• Cape Henlopen — Brittany Hoeller, paraprofessional, Lewes Elementary School.
• Capital — David Hom, operations technician, Office of Technology (has left district employment and will not participate).
• Charter Network — Eric Winston, nutrition coordinator/facilities manager/assistant athletic director, Early College School.
• Christina — Matthew Stearn, paraprofessional, Networks School for Employability Skills.
• Colonial — Joseph Davis, custodian, John G. Leach School.
• Delmar — Michelle Niblett, paraprofessional, Delmar Middle and High schools.
• Indian River — Arleth Avalos, paraprofessional, Early Learning Center.
• Lake Forest — Heather Hitchens, paraprofessional, Lake Forest Central Elementary School.
• Laurel — Ashley Pugh, secretary, Laurel High School.
• Milford — Lisa McQueen, paraprofessional/behavior interventionist, Lulu M. Ross Elementary School.
• New Castle County Vo-Tech — Michele Marra, administrative assistant to the superintendent, district office.
• Polytech — Jodine Cybulski, paraprofessional, Polytech High School (has left district employment and will not participate).
• Red Clay Consolidated — Clare Lawrence, chief custodian, McKean High School.
• Seaford — Daniel Hopkins, chief custodian, West Seaford Elementary School.
• Smyrna — Pamela Hilliard, paraprofessional/behavior interventionist, Sunnyside Elementary School.
• Sussex Tech — Kim Speicher, administrative assistant to the superintendent, district office.
• Woodbridge — Ricki L. Truitt, student services/guidance secretary, Woodbridge High School.