Hilton Head Island Middle School Special Education Assistant named 2023 “District Support Staff of the Year”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 9, 2023
BEAUFORT –Hilton Head Island Middle School (HHIMS) Special Education assistant Sarah Vinopal was named as the Beaufort County School District’s 2023 “Support Staff of the Year” at the district’s annual celebratory Support Staff breakfast.
(L-R) HHIMS Principal Clint Austin, Sarah Vinopal, and Dr. Rodriguez
Vinopal was selected based on an application consisting of essays describing her role within the district; how she contributes to student achievement; and how she inspires, motivates, challenges others, and encourages excellence.
HHIMS Principal Clint Austin conveyed how essential Vinopal is to the school. “Ms. Vinopal is very deserving of this honor. Her impact is not limited to our Special Education department as her dedication is felt schoolwide,” said Austin. “She is always willing to help and comes in every day with a smile. It is a privilege to have her on our team.”
Vinopal was overwhelmed with emotion after being named District Support Staff of the Year. “I am so honored and proud to be representing the Special Education department. The SPED teachers, assistants, and paraprofessionals do such amazing work every day. I’m so incredibly happy to be a part of my team and humbled to receive this title,” said Vinopal. “I just love my school, my family here at HHIMS, and most of all - my students.”
All of the school-level Support Staff of the Year recipients were recognized during the breakfast held at the Technical College of the Lowcountry’s Culinary Institute of the South. Support Staff of the Year recipients typically include social workers, school nurses, bookkeepers, office managers, teacher assistants, school secretaries, and technology and data specialists.
Support Staff of the Year
Battery Creek High - Latricia Brown
Beaufort Elementary - Myrtle Thompson
Beaufort High - Lana Simmons
Beaufort Middle - Kateria Hamilton
Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence - Denise Hahn
Bluffton Elementary, Early Childhood Center - Deborah Albert
Bluffton High - Laura Pumarejo
Bluffton Middle - Mary Ann Jones
Broad River Elementary - Tony Butler
Coosa Elementary - Jennifer Chastain
H. E. McCracken Middle - Ina Rollins
Hilton Head Early Childhood Center - Florida Barroso
Hilton Head Island Elementary (IB) - Marcia Cimpric
Hilton Head Island Creative Arts, Daufuskie Island - Faquita Aiken
Hilton Head Island High - Mary Meghan Burke
Hilton Head Island Middle - Sarah Vinopal
Joseph Shanklin Elementary - Regina Holmes
Lady’s Island Elementary - Kartika Greene
Lady’s Island Middle - Maureen Murphy
May River High School - Julie Gadley
M. C. Riley Elementary/Early Childhood Center - Mayra Dimaio
Mossy Oaks Elementary - John Webster Ogle
Okatie Elementary - Jennifer Williamsen
Port Royal Elementary - Elizabeth Bornscheuer
Pritchardville Elementary - Sarai Ortega
Red Cedar Elementary - Eddie Rodriguez
River Ridge Academy - Dr. Peter McCray
Robert Smalls Leadership Academy - Tanisha Byas
St. Helena Elementary, Early Learning Center - Nadiah Gantt
Whale Branch Early College High - Lorna Lamar
Whale Branch Elementary, James J. Davis Early Childhood Center - Deann Evans
Whale Branch Middle - Torrea Washington
Adult Education – Pameka Mulligan
Transportation – Amy Munda
District Office - Ana (Amparo) Islas
Office of Early Childhood- Pink House - Monique Wallace