Tiogue Behavior Specialist Recognized with Crystal Apple Award

During a routine staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Tiogue Elementary School faculty members were joined by Colleen Manuppelli from Horace Mann Insurance Company who stopped by to present a special award to an unsuspecting member of the Tiogue School community.

The Horace Mann "Crystal Apple" award recognizes educators across Rhode Island who are strategic, professional, collaborative, supportive and reflective.

Last year, Principal Louise Seitsinger arranged for the entire faculty to receive the award in acknowledgement of their hard work and dedication to students throughout the school year.

This year, staff members nominated and voted on three candidates, who they felt were worthy of the recognition and eventually narrowed it down to one recipient; Behavioral Specialist Denise Gibbons.

While presenting the Crystal Apple, Seitsinger read the following letter to her staff:

Dear Tiogue Faculty and Staff,

This is our second year presenting the Horace Mann Foundation “Crystal Apple” award. Each year it will be awarded to an individual or team to honor and recognize their dedication and special service to our students and school. This year the school faculty and staff nominated three individuals who are all outstanding candidates for so many reasons. Faculty and staff voted for the award winner. 

This year it is indeed an honor to present the “Crystal Apple” award to Denise Gibbons. As our Behavioral Specialist, Denise is the most professional, hard working, positive, caring, and dedicated person. She is truly student centered in her approach and philosophy with all students. Denise manages and supports many diverse and challenging student situations on a daily basis with ease, grace, and dignity. She is highly ethical in her professional and personal behavior with students, parents, and all of us as staff members. She is also a member of our P.B.I.S. teams both at the school and district levels. She manages all of our student data as part of our P.B.I.S. universal program. Denise also reports this information to our RtI team each month. However, she offers so much more than data about students.

Denise sagely offers advice, ideas, strategies and plans to help students to be most successful and work towards independence. Her calm, deeply respectful, and individualized approach with students and staff is truly amazing and so valued. She is the optimal role model of our “BRAVE” rules as she is kind, responsible, a learner, and values herself and others everyday. She makes us all feel and believe that “Everybody is Somebody at Tiogue School!”

On a personal level, there are no words that could ever express our love for Denise and how much we care about her. We want her to know how much we support her and will be here for her as she faces life’s challenges. With her deep faith, the love of her family, friends, and certainly her family at Tiogue, we know that Denise will persevere. We will be there whenever she needs us for sure. Denise, remember that you are loved, appreciated, and valued everyday by the entire school community at Tiogue. Congratulations on being awarded this special and well deserved “Crystal Apple” award today. 

Special thanks to Colleen Mannipulli and the Horace Mann Foundation for all of their support with this special gift and recognition.

With Sincere Appreciation and Gratitude,

Louise 

"With all honesty and sincerity, I'm only as good as the people I work with," said Gibbons to her colleagues as she tearfully accepted the award. "I have felt support, kindness and thoughtfulness since I walked through the doors of this school 23 years ago and have truly been blessed to work here all these years."

"I'm thankful for each and every one of you crossing my path because it's made me who I am today," she concluded.