Ashton Weis (left) and Jenny Weis pose with Paris School district administrator Roger Gahart after receiving community and staff recognition at the Paris School Board meeting.
Each month, Paris School recognizes students, staff and community members that contribute to the excellence of the school.
This month’s community and staff recognitions had a theme — the last name Weis.
The community member recognized was Ashton Weis. Ashton has been spending time helping in the first grade classroom of Jenny Weis, who nominated her for the recognition. Ashton Weis is a senior at Central High School and a Paris alumni.
Though Ashton is helping in the classroom as part of a class, Jenny Weis said she is going beyond what she would have to do. In Jenny Weis’ words:
As a requirement for her course, she had to put in 200 hours of service/work in a classroom. She has gone well beyond her 200 hours of service work and has connected with many of the students in the primary wing here at Paris. She has come to Paris just about every day since the first day of this school year and has helped in many ways. She has set up reading schedules with the first graders and reads with them one on one. Many of my 1st graders have a book in hand when she walks in the door because they can’t wait to share a story with her. She has helped kids throughout the k-4 curriculum and has provided support to staff as well as students. She has helped with bulletin boards, writing projects, art projects, and has even attended many extra-curricular activities and events the school holds. She is going to make a great teacher someday. She cares about kids and strives to help them learn.”
The staff member recognized was Jenny Weis.
Jenny Weis was nominated for her recognition by reading specialist Margie Blair.
Blair praised Weis for being a “mentor and leader in the building.”
That sentiment was echoed by district administrator Roger Gahart. He explained that Weis had been teaching second grade. When a longtime first grade teacher retired last year, he was glad Jenny Weis was willing to move to first grade.
“First grade is the grade in an elementary school,” Gahart said. “Jenny was the teacher we needed in first grade.”
ABout teh award, Jenny Weis said: “… I was a bit suprised. I did not know anything about it until I arrived at the board meeting. It was great to share that moment with Ashton (or Miss Weis) as the kids call her. I truly love my job and love working with the kids.”
