St. Claire receives Classified Employee of the Year

Betz Elementary School head custodian Cecilia (Cissy) St. Claire has been named the Cheney School District's Classified Employee of the Year and was honored at the school board's Feb. 11 meeting.

St. Claire has been with the school district since 2007, beginning as a custodian at Cheney High School and then at Betz Elementary School for the past two years. In her nominating letter, Cheney Superintendent Dr. Debra Clemens wrote that St. Claire goes beyond her regular duties to take an active role with students, serving as a mentor and a positive adult role model.

Betz launched a "Positive Behavior Intervention and Support" (PBIS) this year, and while not part of her duties, Clemens said St. Claire has an active and enthusiastic role in "creating behavior expectations for our students." Clemens said St. Claire took part in both instructional academies - one for staff, one for students - at the beginning of the year by developing and teaching lessons for proper restroom behavior.

St. Claire's award gives her the opportunity to earn the Educational School District 101 Classified School Employee of the Year award, with a committee then selecting a state award winner from among all of the regional finalists.