Lakeville Elementary School’s Darreyl Williams was named the OCPS 2017 Support Person of the Year on Wednesday, February 8, during a celebratory evening. It was a red carpet evening honoring more than 200 Support Person of the Year candidates from every school and department district-wide at the Rosen Centre.
Williams is an Exceptional Student Education program assistant at Lakeville Elementary. He has worked at Orange County Public Schools for 13 years and at Lakeville for one year.
Williams works with small groups in reading, math and writing interventions and provides one-on-one academic and behavioral assistance. He is often called the “Child Whisperer” by colleagues.
“He reaches out with a quiet grace to every child in need of assistance. He molds the hearts and minds of students who need to believe in their own future,” an OCPS spokeswoman said. “He is particularly influential with male students who are missing a positive parent in their lives by sponsoring a boy’s leadership lunch group.”
Lakeville Principal Cindy Swanson said, “The teachers love to see Mr. Williams enter their classrooms because they know their students are benefiting greatly, not only from his instruction but from the personal attention he provides them. He is the epitome of a hard-working educated professional and mentor who can and does make big differences in children’s lives.”
Last spring, District 7 School Board member Christine Moore presented Williams with an OCPS Stellar Customer Service Award. “He approaches all interactions with an attitude of service. He coaches football, does service trips with his children and is active in his faith community,” the spokeswoman said.
As the Orange County Public Schools 2017 Support Person of the Year, Williams will now be considered for the Florida School-Related Employee of the Year. It is the state program that honors outstanding support personnel for their contributions to schools and districts.
For more pictures, visit the Orange County Public Schools Facebook page.