May 13, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb County High School Tuesday recognized its staff member, student, and parent of the month for March.
Each received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal from Twisted Oaks. A different restaurant offers a meal gift card to each month’s honorees.
Jamie Cripps, DCHS office bookkeeper was selected by the administration as Staff member of the Month while Senior Samuel Gaspar is Student of the Month, voted on by the teachers. The parent of the month is Ross Stanley, and this honor was based on a winning essay written by his daughter Alexis Stanley, a junior at DCHS.
“For the March Parent of the Month honor, Alexis Stanley wrote an essay for her dad Ross. The students here at DCHS submit essays and we read through them and select one based not necessarily on the academic quality, but the substance of the essay and Alexis’s essay was one that impressed us most. We thought she did an excellent job showing us what her parents do for her day in and day out and we wanted to reward them for their efforts in helping make sure Alexis is successful,” said Assistant DCHS Principal Thomas Cagle.
Alexis said writing this essay was a way to express what her father means to her. “My whole family but especially my dad does a lot for us. My grandma can’t work so its really just me and my dad that are able to work. He makes sure all the time we always have what we need. He never lets us down when it comes to that,” said Alexis.
Ross Stanley, Alexis’ father said he was overwhelmed to receive this honor adding that Alexis means everything to him and that he is proud of her.
“For our Student of the Month we have Samuel Gaspar,” said Cagle. “Samuel has been a vital office aide for us. He has done a lot especially as a translator and interpreter. Samuel has helped numerous new students who have come into our school acclimating them to their schedules, showing them around, and being a guide for them. He has been a great student role model for us at school. I wish I had a thousand more students that were as helpful, kind, and courteous as this young man. Samuel is definitely a young man who has earned this award,” said Assistant Principal Cagle.
“I feel incredible just receiving an award like this,” said Samuel. “I really haven’t had an award like this in a while. I’m at a loss for words. I have no way to express how I feel. Its surprising,” he said.
Gaspar said he plans to attend McMinnville TCAT and study auto mechanics and he may later transfer to further his education and skills on that career path at Lincoln Tech in Nashville.
Samuel has enjoyed his experience at DCHS. “I have learned a lot over the past four years. I have made a bond with a lot of the teachers and staff here,” he said.
Gaspar has a younger brother who is a student at Northside Elementary School.
Seventeen-year veteran educator Jamie Cripps was selected as the staff member for the month of March.
“Jamie really keeps this place going and all of us on track. We would be lost without her guidance, especially me being a new administrator for the last two or three years. I find it valuable to have her as part of this staff. She does a great job interacting with and being a friend to all the teachers and administrators. Jamie is very compassionate, loving, and caring and it shows in the way she relates with all of us in the office. We couldn’t be prouder to have her here at DCHS,” said Assistant Principal Cagle.
Jamie said the announcement of her being honored as staff member of the month took her by surprise, but she is thankful and humbled to have received it.
Cripps has spent her entire 17-year education career at DCHS. For the last eight years, Jamie has worked in the office as bookkeeper. In the beginning she worked in the CDC program before transitioning to the guidance office and then when dual enrollment went to an online offering, she moved to the classroom where she served for five years before taking the bookkeeper position.