The Poway Unified School District is proud to announce that David MacNeil and Jamal Felton have been chosen as Poway Unified School District Classified Employees of the Year for 2007-2008.
A committee of district and site representatives selected the two district-level Classified Employees of the Year (one representing school sites and one representing district departments) based on work performance, contributions to the school district, and community achievements.
The San Diego County Office of Education also sponsors a Classified Employee Recognition Program, honoring one member of classified service for San Diego County. This year’s Poway Unified representative at the county level will be David MacNeil.
Our PUSD Classified Employees of the Year are:
David MacNeil
Maintenance Worker
Maintenance & Operations Department
David MacNeil’s positive attitude and love of children is evident in everything he does. He approaches his work with dedication. David consistently shows a commitment to the students and staff by considering their safety and satisfaction as his highest priorities. His calm, professional manner and cheerful attitude make him an exceptional role model for the Maintenance & Operations Department and PUSD. David’s colleagues describe him as compassionate, attentive, a patient listener, courteous, and professional. He communicates with staff and students respectfully, and goes beyond what he is asked to do to provide excellent service. To those caught in an emergency (i.e., a teacher distressed because her file cabinet is locked with important papers inside, doors jammed closed limiting access and compromising safety), David can be depended upon to go above and beyond expectations to “get the job done.”
Recently David has taken on a new role in his department which is very demanding and necessitates strong customer service. “In a short period of time, I have seen a dramatic increase in productivity,” said Mike Tarantino, PUSD Director of Maintenance & Operations. “There have been numerous phone calls from our school sites praising the quality of service they are receiving from David.” His efforts have reduced the backlog of work orders and increased customer satisfaction.
David is a devoted single dad who has two children in PUSD. He contributes much of his spare time to working with children in the community. David volunteers as a camp counselor for Camp Reach for the Sky in Julian sponsored by the American Cancer Society and at Camp del Corazon in Catalina which is a camp specifically for children with heart disease. An example of David’s commitment was evident when he spent years allowing his hair to grow. He recently had his 12” pony tail cut in order to donate his hair to provide a wig for a child with cancer. He never said a word to anyone until his hair was gone, and only then when asked what happened to his ponytail! He didn’t brag or boast, but he quietly knew what joy he would bring to a sick child. For 12 years he has partnered with Pat Murphy’s “Reach for the Stars” hot air balloon for children with special needs. David has a huge heart filled with kindness, patience, and love for kids. He takes pride in his work and he deeply cares about people.
Jamal Felton
Campus Security Specialist
Westview High School
Jamal Felton is probably the best known adult on the Westview campus. While he is firm in his role as a campus supervisor, students find him fair, consistent, and deeply committed to their safety and success.
Jamal provides assistance and support to his colleagues and to Westview students.
“Jamal represents everything we look for in a role model for students,” said Westview Principal Dawn Kastner. “He has very high expectations for the students at our school, but is so warm, caring, and funny in his dealings with them that they look for ways to earn his respect.”
Jamal goes above and beyond the expectations of his position to make Westview a better place for students and staff alike. He speaks respectfully to students, and therefore they find him non-threatening and approachable. He clearly defines and demands appropriate behaviors from students, both academically and socially. He helps students learn to change their behaviors and improve their school success.
Last year, Jamal offered to mentor ten of Westviews’s most at-risk students. After introducing himself to their parents, all ten students accepted his invitation and he started meeting individually with them on a weekly basis. He monitors their attendance, their work habits, and their interactions with others. Because of Jamal’s efforts, these students had a better chance of meeting their graduation and college potential goals. The impact on the ten students was significant enough that this year Jamal Felton’s program was formalized and expanded with the support of school funds.
“Jamal is making an enormous difference for kids who need it most, “said Mrs. Kastner.
Jamal supports his colleagues with the same enthusiasm and energy. He can always be counted on to assist with any task or emergency that arises. His caring and commitment has garnered the respect and admiration of the Westview community.
