BUCKHANNON – On Tuesday, Upshur County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus announced that Upshur County Service Personnel of the Year, Stephanie Bennett, is one of the final five candidates in the selection for the West Virginia Schools Service Personnel of the Year.
That achievement marks a first for the Upshur County School system, as Bennett joins Erin Anderson, fifth-grade instructor at Tennerton Elementary School, who is also one of the top five in the running for the West Virginia State Teacher of the Year. This is the first time Upshur County has had a top five candidate for both of these titles in the same year.
Bennett is the coordinator of payroll services for the Upshur County School System, a job that makes her very popular with everyone (at a minimum of twice a month, she’s joked). Bennett also recently became the transportation supervisor at the Upshur County Schools Bus Garage. Bennett said she is currently serving in both capacities until someone begins as the coordinator of payroll services Aug. 3.
“I will also serve as a mentor to the person taking over for payroll,” she said.
Bennett said her career with Upshur County Schools began in 2002 as a substitute, and she began working as a full-time employee in the Upshur County Board Office in 2005. She considered being named as the Upshur County Schools Service Personnel of the Year as a real honor, adding that she was a little bit surprised because there had been some talk about who would win at the office.
When the announcement was made that Bennett was the Upshur County School Personnel of the Year winner for 2019-2020, former Upshur County Schools Finance Manager/Treasurer George Carver said Bennett is “outstanding in the performance of her job duties in a high-pressure position with two hard deadlines to meet each month to prepare payroll timely and accurately.” He said Bennett is “always willing to help with other activities and takes on many responsibilities to help keep things moving.”
She said when she found out she was one of the top five in West Virginia who will be vying for the West Virginia State Service Personnel of the Year, she was very excited.
“Folks came to me and told me I should apply to be the West Virginia State Personnel of the Year,” Bennett said. “They said I had the qualities which were ‘up to state par.’ I worked with my colleagues to get that application completed.”
Bennett said for the state contest, there has to be a letter from the nominating committee from the county, references as well as copies of all her awards and continuing education hours to make the application.
“I was very surprised when I received the call that I was one of the top five finalists,” Bennett said. “I think if you are lucky enough to have a job in today’s economy, you need to give 110 percent and don’t ever think you are not good enough.”
Everyone in the Upshur County School system is proud to have Bennett represent the county as the 2019-2020 School Personnel of the Year. Stankus said she wishes her the best as she competes along with the top five for the West Virginia State Service Personnel of the Year, adding the state winner was to be announced on Oct. 13, 2020 in Charleston.
“Unfortunately, with COVID-19, this announcement may be pushed back,” Bennett said. “State Superintendent Clayton Burch was looking at maybe putting the announcement for the West Virginia State Personnel of the Year and West Virginia State Teacher of the Year together.”
During Tuesday’s BOE meeting, Stankus said that Bennett had her online interview for the State School Service Personnel of the Year before the board meeting.
“We are in a very unique place,” Stankus said. “I do not think Upshur County has been in this place where we had one in the top five for the Teacher of the Year and one in the top five for School Service Personnel of the Year.”
