At its June 7 meeting, Mayor Robert Reichert announced that May 20 had been proclaimed Education Support Professionals Day in Macon-Bibb County in conjunction with the Bibb Association of Educators Awards. The Commission took time that evening to recognize this year’s Education Support Professional of the Year, Rutland High School Head Custodian Beverly Harris.

To see pictures from the recognition, click here. 

The Education Support Specialist of the Year is an award honoring the district’s classified staff members such as nutrition workers, bus drivers, custodians, secretaries, technology specialists, paraprofessionals and all other classified staff members employed by the Bibb County School District.

These professionals provide students with various services that make learning possible. Our future graduates are becoming college and/or career ready because of the support from these caring individuals.

According to BAE President BJ Shepherd, “Her energy and her spirit are prime examples of a woman who is truly dedicated to a job she loves. She is a woman of distinction who inspires and impacts every child, person, and thing she embraces. Ms. Harris` poise and grace was clearly defined in her application.

Ms. Harris is a dedicated member of the Rutland Staff, always going above and beyond for the students of South Bibb. She’s known to work nights and weekends for events, brings in clothes for students that may not be able to afford them, and even has done wake up calls to make sure they make it to school on time.

She has been at Rutland High since day one, getting there before most of the other employees, and is known to people around the community and school district as ‘Mama Harris.’

In addition to the Education Support Specialist of the Year, BAE also awarded the Read Across America winner, Vineville Academy, a $500 Barnes and Noble gift certificate. Also, a student from Vineville and Alexander II each received a Nook e-reader.