Student of the Month
Ridgefield High School is honored to recognize junior Payton Grimm as our April Student of the Month. Not only does Payton epitomize respect, resilience and responsibility, but she also exudes passion in everything she does. If ever you come early to the RHS campus, or stay late into the night, chances are you will see Payton around. Whether that be for a play or musical (where she’s actually behind the scenes as the stage manager), for an early morning SPUD club workout, or planning the next NHS service project, Payton is never not here. When Payton puts her mind to something, it’s bound to happen. As one staff member wrote, “when Payton recently learned about the lack of hygiene items at the Family Resource Center, she single-handedly organized a hygiene drive and collected over a thousand items.” Payton loves RHS because the staff are inclusive, caring, and push their students to be their best. When asked what advice she would give a younger student, Payton didn’t hesitate: “Be open to meeting new people. We all make a different impact in the world and gaining a new perspective is eye-opening.” You are a bright light, Payton. Your dedication to the high school and your compassion for the students and staff are evident every day. We are lucky to call you a Spudder!
Valerie Bennett - Ridgefield School District's Employee of the Month
If you know Valerie Bennett, then you know she is all heart and kindness with a calm and steady demeanor. After raising ten kids of her own, she not only has an incredible skill set for helping students with their learning and daily needs, but there isn’t much (if anything) that can rattle her. Valerie’s skills and loving traits have provided stability for both students and staff in our Life Skills classroom for years and she has been a constant throughout the changes over time. Valerie is a true team player and an advocate for all of our students in the Life Skills program. When we asked her colleagues in the Life Skills classroom about Valerie, they wrote “Valerie is the ‘team mom’ of the paraprofessional team as she doesn’t hesitate to take in new staff and support them as they transition into our classroom. When Mr. Schewenneker has a sudden student need that takes his attention, Valerie takes the initiative and steps in so that the teaching and learning for all the students continues seamlessly. There is no task too big or too small for Valerie because she is flexible and when she sees a need, she fills a need. She is willing to do everything from changing and toileting students to leading cooking demos and assisting students with their social studies projects." Her colleagues also note that she plays a mean game of ping-pong and was a competitor for our staff ping-pong tournament. We thank Valerie for her years of dedication to our students at RHS and believe she is so deserving of this honor and award. Your Spudder family is proud of you!