The Board of Education of Charles County each month recognizes outstanding employees who have shown a commitment to their profession and Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students and staff.

At the Oct. 14 meeting, five staff members were honored including Louis Butler, building service manager of Indian Head Elementary School; Brett Gerhart, a resource teacher at Theodore G. Davis Middle School; Kathleen Lyons, the food service manager at Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School; Melissa Moreta, the secretary to the principal of Billingsley Elementary School; and Deborah Williams, the secretary to the principal of Westlake High School.

Principal Shane Blandford of Indian Head knows she can count on Butler to have the building ready each morning for students and staff to work and learn. His team works well together to ensure the school is safe, clean and welcoming. “His diligence and attention to detail set a high standard for excellence, and his steady presence provides a sense of trust and reassurance for our school community,” Blandford said. Butler started his career with CCPS as a building service worker at Westlake High School and was quickly promoted to an assistant manager, working at Thomas Stone High School. He made his way to Indian Head as the building service manager in 2011. He leads his team with professionalism and positivity. “His ability to make work both productive and fun has fostered a culture of collaboration and pride among his team,” Blandford said. Beyond maintaining the building, Butler is always available to jump in where needed. From assisting teachers to supporting events to responding to unexpected emergencies, Butler makes time to lend a hand. “His contributions make Indian Head Elementary School a better place to learn, work and grow,” Blandford said. 

Before becoming a resource teacher at Davis, Gerhart worked for CCPS as a physical education teacher and a teacher for students in the gifted and talented program. Among other duties at  Davis, Gerhart coordinates the testing schedule. “The testing schedule is always a struggle,” Davis Principal Robert Griffiths said. “He works to ensure all voices are heard and takes care of all staff members.” When it comes to testing and gifted and talented education, Gerhart has upped the game at the school. “He has taken Davis to a new level,” Griffiths said. “Our test scores and the growth can always be connected back to his efforts.” He has been honored at the school for having 100% of i-Ready assessments completed and hypes up the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP). Gerhart can be counted on to step in when an administrator is out, run a lunch shift or organize conferences for staff. Outside of school, Gerhart stands at the ready with his fryer to take part in potlucks, cook outs and tailgates. “He is social, but he leads by example,” Griffiths said. “He is professional and takes care of all stakeholders.”

As the food service manager at Mt. Hope, Lyons has an “unwavering” commitment to the wellbeing of students and the community, Louis D’Ambrosio, the school’s principal, said. “With years of long-term experience in her position, she has become a cornerstone of daily operations,” he added. “She often goes above and beyond to make breakfast and lunch a bright spot in each student’s day.” Lyons served as a food service assistant manager at Mt. Hope before segueing into her current managerial role and was instrumental in serving meals to students when the COVID-19 pandemic closed CCPS buildings. Lyons has also been a member of the staff who worked programs overseen by the school system’s food and nutrition services (FNS) over the summer. As a leader, Lyons runs the school kitchen with efficiency, supports her staff with compassion and adapts to challenges with professionalism and grace, D’Ambrosio said. Lyons sets high standards and pays attention to detail. “In a small school where all students receive free breakfast and lunch, her contributions have had an immeasurable impact,” he said. “Not just in feeding minds, but in creating a warm, welcoming environment that supports the whole child. In a community where food resources can be scarce for some of our most needy families, Ms. Lyons ensures all students at Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School are well fed, celebrated and loved.”

Moreta is the first secretary to arrive at Billingsley’s main office each morning, where she greets substitutes and ensures they have their assignments for the day. She serves as the school’s financial secretary, as well as the secretary to Sabrina Robinson-Taylor, Billingsley’s principal. “She is highly responsive to the needs of staff-often providing solutions before a request is even finished,” Robinson-Taylor said of Moreta. “Her exceptional attention to detail has ensured clean financial audits, reflecting her strong work ethic and accuracy.” Moreta doesn’t stay in her office if she is needed elsewhere. She fills in for other secretaries if they are on leave and has stepped in to substitute if a classroom teacher must be out for the day. “Her willingness to do so demonstrates her team-first mentality, which is especially valuable during the busiest times

of arrival, dismissal and lunch shifts,” Robinson-Taylor said. When Margaret J. Thornton Elementary School was preparing to open in August, Moreta connected with the school’s principal’s secretary to offer support and advice. She participates in Billingsley’s activities and events such as the Relay for Life team, chess club, I Love My Family Game Nights and Luminaria Night. “Her impact extends far and wide,” Robinson-Taylor said. “She maintains a calm and welcoming office environment.”

With the daily demands of a high school principal, having a strong support system is vital. At Westlake, Principal Dana Fenwick has come to rely on Williams. “Ms. Williams makes all of my dreams come to fruition,” Fenwick said. “Any idea that I come up with, she makes it happen.” Williams has a knack for keeping Fenwick organized and ensuring payroll is correct. She also has a flair for design, decorating the school for special events or sharing her talents as a makeup artist with students. Before working at schools — she worked at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School for three years before moving to Westlake — Williams worked in the private sector in Washington, D.C. The school environment seems to be a good fit for Williams who revived the Wolverines Teal Diamond pom squad since coming to Westlake and spearheading community partnerships with Dash In, iNgage Church and a neighboring barbershop. Williams leads training for any newcomers to Westlake and assists the school’s substitute teacher coordinator. And when an administrator was absent, she covered their lunch duty. “Deborah Williams exudes pride in her work every day,” Fenwick said. “She maintains professionalism event when it is not displayed by stakeholders. She takes her job very seriously.”

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 39 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.  CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).