Putnam City - Public Schools Foundation

The spring/summer winners of the Golden Apple award for the 2007-08 school year have been announced.  The four recipients are:

Jerry Campbell, a volunteer at Rollingwood Elementary

Brett Payne, a 5th grade teacher at Tulakes Elementary

Tonya Wilkins, financial secretary at Putnam City High School

Laurie Wilson, a Pre-K teacher at Francis Tuttle Vo-Tech

Jerry Campbell has been a part of the Rollingwood family for the past 7 years when his daughter entered preschool.  He donates his time and resources almost daily.  He substitutes when needed, volunteers at the book fair, helps PTA, assists the PE teachers with fitness tests, decorates the stage for music programs, delivers snacks, and even monitors at recess!  He encourages the teachers at Rollingwood by enriching the environment of the entire building.  Jerry unselfishly volunteers countless hours of his time to Rollingwood Elementary School.

Brett Payne exemplifies the definition of an educator.  He provides multiple opportunities for his students to be successful in the classroom.  Each year, Brett sponsors a golf tournament and other fund raising events so that students from Tulakes can attend the "People to People" youth leadership conference in Washington, D.C. He offers one-on-one instruction, a study hall, and intramural sports activities.  Mr. Payne has been a driving force behind a tutoring-basketball program for 4th and 5th grade students for several years.  This program helps students stay accountable for their grades and behavior for the privilege to play basketball.  This year the program at Tulakes expanded to five other schools.  Brett has a vision that students are more successful in the classroom when they are involved in extra-curricular activities and sports.

Tonya Wilkins is a Putnam City Pirate through and through.  Not only did she graduate from PC High School, she has held the important position of financial secretary for the last 28 years!  Hers is definitely a "behind the scenes" job.  Tonya is responsible for the legal and correct accounting of the school budget, she helps gate workers at sports events, runs errands for teachers, shops for the school, is in charge of receptions, keeps the inventory, delivers packages, moves furniture and does all the big and little things that have to be done to make a school become great.  This Super Pirate fan probably bleeds orange and black.  She has invested her entire life in PC High.

Laurie Wilson has had the unique opportunity to be the first Putnam City teacher to teach at an off-site location.  The first four years, she taught at the Putnam City United Methodist Child Development Center.  Two years ago, however, Laurie moved to Francis Tuttle, where Putnam City began a new partnership to create an off-site pre-K there.  Mrs. Wilson's professionalism, grace and kindness have paved the way to an equally successful partnership with Francis Tuttle at both locations.  She has served on the interview team to select new teachers, answered questions from the candidates, and helped the new teachers with ideas and support.  She has been on the district committee to develop the mastery report card and plan its implementation.  "Nice, sweet, gives good snacks, and reads good books" are words that one 4 year old used to describe Mrs. Wilson.  The parent who wrote those words explained that Mrs. Wilson goes above and beyond to help children understand the importance of education while making it fun at the same time. 

The Golden Apple Award winners will receive a brass apple along with a check for $200 from the Putnam City Foundation at the Board of Education meeting on Monday, May 5th at 6 pm.