Alrighty, so like, Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is all hyped up about May being Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW) Month. They’re giving props to these PPWs for helping students succeed, academically and socially. Basically, these pros are all about making sure students reach their full potential and become awesome members of society. To boost their efforts, some CCPS schools are running this FLEX mentorship program where middle schoolers mentor elementary school kids under PPW supervision.
The FLEX program, now in its third year at Berry Elementary and Mattawoman Middle School, is all about building leadership and people skills. Justine Jewell, a PPW at a few elementary schools, is all like, “This is our third year doing our FLEX Mentorship Program together with Berry Elementary School and Mattawoman Middle School.” She’s all about giving students a chance to shine and be their best selves every day. Jewell teams up with Tiara King-Phillips, another PPW, to train student mentors and guide them through the program.
The program’s been such a hit that two more schools jumped on board this year. Pam Jenkins and Donna McPherson, PPWs at a couple of schools, launched FLEX at their places too. Jenkins is all like, “It went great,” giving props to Jewell and King-Phillips for helping them out. These PPWs are customizing the mentorship model to fit the needs of their schools, spreading the FLEX love across CCPS.
PPWs at CCPS are like the glue holding students, families, and schools together. They deal with stuff like behavior issues, attendance problems, and social-emotional needs to make sure students have what they need to succeed. And the FLEX program? It’s all about empowering older students to be role models for the younger ones, boosting their confidence and sense of responsibility.
Expanding FLEX shows that CCPS is all in on cool programs that help students grow. By pairing up middle school mentors with elementary school mentees, the program creates this supportive network that’s all about setting goals and boosting self-esteem. Mentors level up their leadership skills, while mentees get guidance from relatable role models, all thanks to the PPWs who keep the program running smoothly.
The fact that CCPS is shouting out PPW Month shows they’re all about showing love to these pros who go above and beyond. These PPWs aren’t just about the classroom—they’re out there making a real difference in families and communities, creating spaces where students can thrive. The fact that FLEX is spreading to more schools just proves how PPWs are all about teamwork, sharing their skills to help students succeed.
This mentorship gig lines up with CCPS’s big-picture plan of prepping students for success down the road. By investing in programs like FLEX, the district is stepping up its support game, making sure students have the tools they need to grow both academically and personally. As PPW Month keeps going strong, CCPS wants everyone to give a shoutout to these hardworking PPWs for shaping the next generation.
