Employee of the year
Patriot Elementary building supervisor Rob Becker was surprised Tuesday with the Lee County Public School’s 2013 School-Related Employee of the Year award. He accepted the award, but not just for himself. “I was very humbled with winning the award, but it doesn’t just mean something for me, it means something for the whole school, the Patriot family,” Becker said. “It makes me feel so good to see the kids coming in every day smiling. That’s what it’s all about, making it a safe and fun place to be for the students and staff.”Among the things Becker has done in his short 18 months at the school that has helped put those smiles on those faces has been serving as a mentor to a number of students, starting a Dad’s Club and building a winter wonderland and a beach area in the courtyard. He also put together a Veterans Day celebration and the created a Courtyard of Flags honoring military personnel affiliated with Patriot Elementary staff and students. He also helps several students with their reading in the school’s Literacy Lab and Media Center. Every year, the Lee County School District seeks nominations for the School-Related Employee of the Year to select an education support person to represent Lee County in the Florida School-Related Employee of the Year program sponsored by the Florida Department of Education.