A Supportive Team Makes a Difference!

Our own Karen Bulbuk was awarded our district's Support Person of the Year on March 30.  She was completely surprised, and her family was able to join us.

Mrs. Bulbuk is "that" person.  You know the type--always happy, super flexible, a master at reading the room and understanding what needs to be done--behind the scenes.  Mrs. Bulbuk is a paraprofessional in our district.  Her primary responsibility is to help support students with special needs.  In reality, she does so much more.

A student Mrs. Bulbuk started helping in 2002 joined us for the special reveal.  He told Mrs. Bulbuk's family and me why he continues to stay in contact with Mrs. Bulbuk after so many years.  I've paraphrased that story here:

"When I came to this school district as an elementary student, I didn't speak any English, and I struggled to learn to read.  In fact, I'm dyslexic.  Mrs. Bulbuk taught me hand signals I could use to communicate with her.  She would sit with me and show me how to read with a ruler under the words so my eyes wouldn't get so confused.  After I left Novi Woods and when I was a senior in high school I reached out to Mrs. Bulbuk again who reminded me to never give up and to keep moving forward.  She made me believe I could do it."

This young man is now a student at Wayne State University.

I could recount story after story of the many support professionals in our district who make a difference--just like Mrs. Bulbuk.  From cooks and cashiers to secretaries and bus drivers, our technology support specialists, mechanics, maintenance workers, and paraprofessionals support all that is good in our district, and they make a difference.  I am grateful for their work and dedication, and they are an integral part of the entire team that helps our district reach for excellence!