James Boyd of Newport was one of four educators and administrators honored for excellence within the Cincinnati Public School system. The awards were presented by The Rotary Club of Cincinnati.
Boyd, who is the mechanical systems manager for facilities for the school system’s 65 schools, was named Administrator of the Year.
Iranetta Wright of Mt. Auburn, the new Superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools, welcomed the honorees and pledged to work with teachers, staff, parents and the community “to make sure CPS is a world-class destination.”
Jonathan Brown, Monfort Heights, with Top Administrator James Boyd, Newport, and Cincinnati Rotary President-elect Steve King of Montgomery.
Awards were presented by Interim Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Jonathan Brown of Monfort Heights, who noted that the award program, often called teacher appreciation, honors more than teachers.
“Some work inside the classroom, some provide service or support our facilities. It takes all of us to assure our students are able to be successful,” Brown said.
He said Boyd combines innovative problem-solving with more than 30 years of knowledge and expertise in how the building trades operate.
“He keeps our buildings operational and safe for all students,” said Brown.
Kerri Hopkins of Sayler Park was named Community Service/Humanitarian of the Year. She took a small budget and tight time frame and built the Sayler Park School’s after-school program, creating what Brown called “A sacred place where all students are at home and parents have the ability to work, knowing their children are learning in an enriched, safe environment.”
Elissa Veite of Cincinnati was named Teacher of the Year for her work with at-risk students in the Strides program at Lighthouse High School in Madisonville.
Erin Kernohan of Hamilton, Ohio, Manager of Quality Improvement, was named Innovator of the year for her “out-of-the-box” solutions to educational challenges that impact quality of life as well as quality of instruction for students.
The Rotary Club of Cincinnati was founded in 1910 and is the oldest and largest Rotary Club in Greater Cincinnati, with close to 300 members. It has a mission to promote service above self, and sponsors annual recognition programs for law enforcement, firefighters and educators.
