LCS ANNOUNCES 2025-26 SUPPORT PERSONS OF THE YEAR

(LYNCHBURG, VA) – The 2025-26 Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) Support Persons of the Year for each school have been selected! The following staff members go above and beyond to foster environments where all students can thrive. From making our learning spaces safe and welcoming to providing essential support in classrooms, offices, and beyond, their contributions are invaluable to the LCS community. We are deeply grateful for their hard work, dedication, and leadership, which make a lasting impact on students’ lives every day.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the division-wide LCS 2025-26 Support Person of the Year soon! Congratulations to the 2025-26 Support Persons of the Year:

Elementary School

• W. M. Bass Elementary: Jutta Patterson, head custodian
• Bedford Hills Elementary: Mia Reeves, attendance clerk and administrative assistant 
• Dearington Elementary: Rodney Early, instructional assistant
• Heritage Elementary: Zafar Husain, special education instructional assistant
• Linkhorne Elementary: Chantel West-White, school nurse
• Paul Munro Elementary: Sheila Hughes, instructional assistant
• Perrymont Elementary: Sarah Pringle, special education instructional assistant
• R.S. Payne Elementary: Vickie Waller, administrative assistant
• Sandusky Elementary: Heather Godsie, instructional assistant
• Sheffield Elementary: Sherry Mueller, special education instructional assistant

Middle School

• Linkhorne Middle: Jessica Marino, attendance clerk
• P.L. Dunbar Middle: Steven Brown, special education instructional assistant
• Sandusky Middle: Quinijah Slaughter, instructional assistant

High School 

• E.C. Glass High: Margretta "Gretta" Ford, head custodian
• Heritage High: Merrill Burton, registrar

Specialty Schools

• Fort Hill Community School: Cassandra Newman, administrative assistant
• Hutcherson Early Academy: Donna Thomas, head custodian
• Laurel Regional Program: Derricka Jones, therapeutic educational assistant
• T.C. Miller Academy: Judy Duncan, instructional assistant
• Turning Point Academy: Zhakia Scott, student support transition specialist
• Adult Learning Center/RODEO: Lillian Cardwell, head custodian

Other Locations

• Administration Building: Rob Wooters, payroll supervisor
• Transportation: Shemika Lovelace, bus driver
• Information Technology: Sarah Burch, Help Desk technician 
• Facilities & Maintenance: Jan Penn, administrative assistant

Photos provided by LCS. For more information, contact Austin Journey at journeyat@lcsedu.net or (434) 515-5068.