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NOVI — JoEllen Steinhebel of Orchard Hills Elementary School, was honored with a certificate of recognition on Wednesday as the 2019 Betty Campion Support Staff winner by the Oakland County Education Foundation.

The Betty Campion Distinguished Support Service Award was established in 1990 “to recognize the many contributions support persons make to the learning community in Oakland County. The award is named in honor of former Oakland Schools Board Member Betty Campion.”

Nominees of the Betty Campion Award are members of a local school district’s support staff, which includes transportation, maintenance, custodial, clerical, food service or classroom support and paraeducators.

“As I para, I work with students on their writing and their reading,” Steinhebel said. “I love the kids and love working with the staff. I have a wonderful staff and they are like a second family to me.”

Teachers and staff at Orchard Hills held a recognition luncheon for Steinhebel on Wednesday afternoon.

Orchard Hills staff combined to write a letter in support of Steinhebel, who was nominated by Orchard Hills Principal Pam Quitiquit.

According to the nomination letter: “JoEllen is an ideal choice for this award because she has the ability to reach her students in ways that ignite their success. Students who have ‘Ms. S’ to support them always want to please and impress her. She is consistently kind with all of her students and sets high expectations for their success. She believe in their abilities and goes above and beyond to help them see themselves in the same light…. She follows a challenging schedule to meet the needs of the very young students that she supports.”

Steinhebel helped to decorate the entrance to the school and library in March during National Reading Month. During lunch recess, she goes outside to help students with problem solving. She has also helped provide transportation to staff members who need a ride to and from school.

She has worked at Orchard Hills for the last five years. Prior to that she also worked at Village Oaks Elementary, Parkview Elementary and Novi Woods Elementary.