photo by: Warren Scott

Jami Packer, left, Brooke County Schools’ Teacher of the Year, and Karen Fox, right, the school district’s Service Personnel Member of the Year, appear with Jennifer Sisinni, principal of Brooke Middle School, where both work, during Monday’s Brooke County Board of Education meeting.

The Brooke County Board of Education on Monday recognized staff and students for a variety of achievements.

Among them were Jami Packer, Brooke County Schools’ Teacher of the Year; and Karen Fox, the school district’s Service Personnel Member of the Year.

Superintendent Jeff Crook noted it’s been a big year for Packer, who also was named the West Virginia Council of Math Teachers’ Middle/Junior High School Teacher of the Year.

A Brooke County native, Packer moved with her family to Florida as a teen and graduated from Osceola High School, going on to Oral Roberts University and California State Polytechnic University.

Crook noted Packer started in the school district as a special education teacher before gravitating to math, a subject close to her heart.

It’s the second time Packer has been named Brooke County’s Teacher of the Year.

“She is one of the best teachers I’ve seen in 29 years,” he said, while telling Packer, “You truly are an inspiration, you truly are one of the best teachers and represent Brooke County Schools very well.”

Crook noted both Packer and Fox are employed at Brooke Middle School, which is headed by Principal Jennifer Sisinni.

He noted Fox started in the school district as a substitute custodian in 2002 and through the years has worked at the high school, Brooke Intermediate North, Brooke Primary North and the former Follansbee Middle School as well as the middle school, where she heads the custodial department.

“The kids and staff love her,” said Crook, who added Fox is known as a hard worker who cheerfully takes on whatever task is required of her.

The school board also recognized Michelle Mahan, a substitute aide at Brooke Primary South who applied the Heimlich maneuver to a choking student on March 21.

“Thanks to Michelle’s quick actions, she saved the life of that student,” said Crook.

The board also recognized the following students for their athletic and academic accomplishments:

– Brooke High School basketball players Garret Milam, who was named to the All-OVAC Second Team; Leyton Toepfer, who was named to the conference’s First Team; and Peyton Toepfer, who was named to the First Team also, received All-State Honorable Mention from the West Virginai Secondary Schools Activities Commission, and attained his 1,000 point on the court this year.

– Brooke High School basketball players Rylee Schwertfeger, who was named to the All-OVAC First Team; and Maggie Diserio, who was named to the conference’s second team.

– Brooke High School wrestlers Landon Burdine, who placed fifth in the OVAC Tournament and sixth in the state tournament for his weight class; Gavin Moore, who placed seventh in the OVAC Tournament for his weight class; Joey Rea, who placed seventh in the OVAC Tournament for his weight class; and Sophie Diaz, who placed fourth in the state tournament for her weight class.

– Brooke Middle School pupils Sophia Tacozza, Carter Nielson and Andrew Pintus, who have been named to the West Virginia Golden Horseshoe Society for being among West Virginia eighth graders with the highest scores on a state exam testing their knowledge of the state’s history, geography, culture and current events.