The Board of Education honors outstanding employees each month for the dedication they show to students of Charles County Public Schools (CCPS). At the Nov. 12 meeting, five staff members were recognized including Brian Chase, the building service manager at Gale-Bailey Elementary School; Maria Farnham, a kindergarten teacher at Mary H. Matula Elementary School; Christopher Howard, the building service manager at Maurice J. McDonough High School; Erin Rhodes, a science teacher at Milton M. Somers Middle School; and Brandi Youmans, a special education teacher at Arthur Middleton Elementary School.

At Gale-Bailey, Chase leads by example. He continues to improve his knowledge in building maintenance and encourages his team to also grow professionally. Chase has a strong work ethic and is dependable and has put together a building service staff that includes strong and reliable leaders who ensure the ongoing success. “This contributes to the overall positive culture at Gale-Bailey,” Tangie Scales, Ed.D., Gale-Bailey principal, said. Chase oversees numerous projects at the school, making sure it is clean and safe for students and staff. It pays off. The Gale-Bailey building service team was recently recognized with the Green Thumb Award for the second year in a row from the CCPS office of operations and supporting services. The award is given to building service staff that exceptionally maintain the grounds of their building. “Mr. Chase takes immense pride in ensuring that Gale-Bailey Elementary is always pristine,” Scales said. “His commitment to cleanliness, safety and overall school atmosphere sets him apart.”

Farnham is one of the hardest-working people Matula Principal Carrie Richardson has met. “Her pink Jeep is often in the school’s parking lot before I arrive, and it’s still there long after most of her colleagues have headed home,” Richardson said. Farnham not only has high expectations for herself, but her kindergarten students as well. She offers them many layers of support to ensure they succeed. “She is truly dedicated to each and every one of [her students],” Gina Williams, a Matula kindergarten teacher, said. Farnham is the school’s kindergarten team leader who always looks for innovative and interesting opportunities for students. She has an unofficial partnership with the Humane Society of Charles County, inviting staff and animals to the school to teach children about the importance of caring for animals. She finds ways to communicate with her students and their parents even when school isn’t in session and students have moved on from kindergarten. “My son was ecstatic to receive a postcard that Mrs. Farnham had sent to him over the summer,” Amanda Gomez, mother of a Matula first grader, said. “What a great way to continue those strong relationships with her students, even after the school year was over.”

Howard has been the building service manager at McDonough for the past five years. The last three the school has been an active construction site while it underwent renovation and addition projects. “He has played a huge part in making sure the renovation project runs smoothly,” Darnell Russell, McDonough principal, said. “He fields and responds to all requests throughout the building.” Howard directed his team at the same time as coordinating with construction work and staff, and he did it well. “We have three consistent years of 100% on our pre-opening inspection,” Russell said. “Mr. Howard goes above and beyond routinely to ensure the building is taken care of.” Howard works extended hours and comes in on weekends to ensure the building meets his standards and works with his staff members to allow their strengths to be used on the job. He attends trainings and has adapted well when CCPS transitioned to Oracle, an online platform for managing data.

Rhodes is a science teacher at Somers where she is well respected by students and staff. As the science department chair, Rhodes is willing to lend her expertise to support colleagues and serve as a member of the school’s leadership team. When the school system transitioned to Canvas, a learning management system that is a hub for teaching and learning, Rhodes volunteered to steer and lead Somers’ training on the platform. “She single-handedly created and facilitated several of our schoolwide professional learning on Canvas,” Gary Lesko, principal of Somers, said. “Her dedication and leadership are both noted and appreciated.”

At Middleton, Youmans works to meet the needs of students and works with colleagues to provide support for their students as well. Working for CCPS since 2008 — she has spent her entire career at Middleton — Youmans is in her 17^th year in education. She started as a fifth-grade teacher at Middleton and has taught fourth grade and third grade before going into special education. She has served as team leader and helped train new teachers. In 2023, she made a career change, delving into teaching students who receive special education services. Youmans continues training and learning, participating in special education, assessment and intervention trainings, and other opportunities. She is the school’s Synergy coordinator and its representative to the Education Association of Charles County (EACC). Youmans works to build relationships with students, who in turn greet her every day with smiles. “Ms. Youmans is an integral part of the school and school system,” Middleton Principal Nicole Hawkins said. “Even with juggling a large caseload and many tasks, she succeeds in showing pride in her work.”

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,765 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 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).