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Barrow's BEST

Barrow's BEST

2025-2026 Barrow's BEST

 

Contributing Professional – Jade Baker (Project Aware Clinician assigned to Apalachee High School)
School Nutrition – Betsy Sheffield (School Nutrition Manager at Bear Creek Middle School)
Service Employee – Abraham Villegas (Day Porter Custodian at Austin Road Elementary School)
Support Personnel – Natalie Hodge (Bookkeeper at Winder Elementary School)
Transportation – Collene Lee (Transportation Supervisor for Barrow County Schools)

 

Barrow County School System logo featuring a green and blue emblem.

Congratulations to the 2025-2026 Barrow's BEST Award winners! BEST stands for Barrow's Exceptional Support Team. A winner is selected in each of five service categories: Service Employee, School Nutrition, Transportation, Support Personnel, and Contributing Professional.

Collene Lee

Transportation

Natalie Hodge

Support Personnel

Betsy Sheffield

School Nutrition

Jade Baker

Contributing Professional

Abraham Villegas

Service Employee

  • 2024-2025 Barrow's BEST employees

    Pictured (left to right): Erika Adkinson Smith, Michael Wadleigh, Debi Palermo, Carole Kennedy, and Jakson Hensley

     

    Congratulations to the 2024-2025 Barrow's BEST Award winners! BEST stands for Barrow's Exceptional Support Team. A winner is selected in each of five service categories: Service Employee, School Nutrition, Transportation, Support Personnel, and Contributing Professional.

    • Jakson Hensley, Multi-Media Production Coordinator – Service
    • Carole Kennedy, Russell Middle School – School Nutrition
    • Debi Palermo, Training Specialist – Transportation
    • Erika Adkinson Smith, Admin Assistant – Support Personnel
    • Michael Wadleigh, School Counselor at Holsenbeck Elementary School – Contributing Professional

  • Contributing Professional – Whitney Hardegree
    School Nutrition – Kimberly Peppers
    Service Employee – Latasha Jones
    Support Personnel – Alma Jones
    Transportation – Amanda Hill

    A woman with blonde hair smiles in front of a brick wall.

    Whitney Hardegree

    A woman with short brown hair and glasses stands in front of a brick wall.
    Kimberly Peppers

    A woman wearing a cap and glasses smiles at the camera.
    Latasha Jones

    A woman with gray hair smiles at the camera in an office setting.
    Alma Jones

    A woman smiles, posing in front of a yellow school bus.
    Amanda Hill

  • Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Barrow's BEST Award winners! BEST stands for Barrow's Exceptional Support Team. A winner is selected in each of five service categories: Service Employee, School Nutrition, Transportation, Support Personnel, and Contributing Professional.

    • Lenell Carr, Maintenance – Service Employee
    • Tiffany Simms, Statham Elementary – School Nutrition
    • Katie Patterson, Training Specialist – Transportation
    • Jovan Rogers, Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper – Support Personnel
    • Laura Etheridge, School Social Worker – Contributing Professional

    "We are proud to have each of you giving your best to our students and your peers every day! It is an honor to serve with each of you on the Barrow BOLD Team!" - Superintendent Dr. Chris McMichael

  • Congratulations to the 2021-2022 Barrow's BEST Award winners! BEST stands for Barrow's Exceptional Support Team. A winner is selected in each of five service categories: Service Employee, School Nutrition, Transportation, Support Personnel, and Contributing Professional.

    • Ashley Parham – Service Employee, ITS
    • Betsy Sheffield – School Nutrition, Bear Creek Middle
    • Verel (Valentine) Whittaker – Transportation, Bus Driver
    • Debbie Davis – Support Personnel, School Nurse, Winder-Barrow High
    • Gary Wood – Contributing Professional, Westside Middle Counselor

    "We are proud to have each of you giving your best to our students and your peers every day! It is an honor to serve with each of you on the Barrow BOLD Team!" - Superintendent Dr. Chris McMichael

  • Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Barrow's BEST Award winners! BEST stands for Barrow's Exceptional Support Team. A winner is selected in each of five service categories: Service Employee, School Nutrition, Transportation, Support Personnel, and Contributing Professional.

    • Steve Hall, ITS - Service Employee
    • Mary Maples, Apalachee High School - School Nutrition
    • Melissa Courtney - Transportation
    • Teri Head, Kennedy Elementary - Support Personnel
    • Amy Dew, Professional Development Center - Contributing Professional

    "We are proud to have each of you giving your best to our students and your peers every day! It is an honor to serve with each of you on the Barrow BOLD Team!" - Superintendent Dr. Chris McMichael

  • Congratulations to the 2018-2019 Barrow's BEST Award winners! BEST stands for Barrow's Exceptional Support Team. A winner is selected in each of five service categories: Service Employee, School Nutrition, Transportation, Support Personnel, and Contributing Professional.

    • Randy Gordon, Maintenance - Service Employee
    • Tiffany Landress, Statham Elementary - School Nutrition
    • Tonya Bailey, Transportation - Transportation
    • Donna Reeves, Sims Academy - Support Personnel
    • Mary Griner, Bethlehem Elementary School - Contributing Professional

    "We are proud to have each of you giving your best to our students and your peers every day! It is an honor to serve with each of you on the Barrow BOLD Team!" - Superintendent Dr. Chris McMichael