ROYAL CITY - Staff from Royal School District have chosen Candy Vermeer as Certified Employee of the Year and Jamie Widdison as Classified Employee of the Year.

The annual Grant County Excellence Banquet, sponsored by the North Central Education Service District, will honor Widdison and Vermeer at Big Bend Community College on March 27.

Reservations are required. Social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will commence at 6:30, with awards for all NCESD honorees to follow.

A representative from each participating school district will give a brief speech about the honoree and award an engraved plaque to their Employee of the Year.

Vermeer has worked for the district for 24 years and teaches second grade at Red Rock Elementary. One of the many ways she contributes to the district is by being a SIOP Coach, training staff in incorporating critical teaching strategies for ELL students.

Vermeer's creative teaching resulted in the creation of a science unit for her students that involved plant and insect study at the Community Garden in Royal City. According to Superintendent Rose Search, Vermeer exhibits all of the qualities of a professional teacher.

Widdison has worked for the school district since 1988 as a para-professional in the Special Education Program. She is devoted to each of the students' well-being and education, Search said.

According to Search, Widdison has participated on many committees throughout her career, with the goal of providing a first-rate education for students. She is respected by the teachers she works with, Search said, and loved by the students she teaches.

"We are very proud of the hard work and dedication to the students and school district of these two exemplary employees and look forward to their continued service," Search said.