A pair of hard-working Killeen ISD employees who prefer to labor behind the scenes recently found themselves in a spotlight.
Ellison High School budgeting secretary Elena Hatton and property management records center technician Tammie Thorman are KISD STEEL Award winners for January.
Superintendent Jo Ann Fey joined Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Will Baker and other district leaders in honoring the two award-winning employees.
STEEL stands for Supporting the Education and Empowerment of Learners.
In just two years at Ellison, Hatton has made a major impression.
Principal David Dominguez nominated her for the monthly district honor.
She began working at the school as a coordinator for substitute teachers.
Her effort to get to know the subs personally and call on specific people based on their availability helped streamline the daily process of getting classes covered.
That led to Hatton moving into a different role, overseeing budgeting for the school administration.
When the group entered Ellison to honor the secretary, she was clearly surprised and shied from the spotlight as students in the commons area cheered.
Curriculum Director Angela Espada confirmed that the soft-spoken Hatton is universally appreciated by faculty. Now, there are substitute teachers who request to go to Ellison because of her personal touch.
“It was a shock. I was surprised. I was very surprised,” Hatton said of winning the award.
“I like the people. I like the kids,” she said of her position at the high school.
Espada praised the humble employee, who learned the school’s procedures quickly and has jumped into a variety of roles as needed because she is willing and able.
“We know our classes are going to be covered because she’s going to get it done,” the curriculum director said.
In KISD’s Property Management Department, technician Tammie Thorman is similarly inclined to work diligently behind the scenes.
She helps to coordinate the purchase of textbooks, furniture and other instructional material without fanfare.
Her colleagues, however, know that her work is critical to keeping the school district functioning.
“For me, it’s being able to get everyone what they need to be able to teach our kids,” Thorman said of her motivation to do her job well.
“I just want to help everyone so we can achieve what we want to achieve.”
“I was shocked, surprised,” she said of winning a district award. “It was gratifying to know that what we do here is recognized.”
Each month, two staff-nominated KISD employees receive the STEEL Award, a circular steel plaque cut, polished and painted at the Career Center.
See past honorees at the following: www.killeenisd.org/steel
