By Emily Lessnau
Special Contributor to the Leader
OXFORD TWP. — Compassion. Advocacy. Respect. Empathy. Support. They’re all great words with the power to inspire and spark change.
But when you combine them all? You get the CARES Awards, a new tradition established to honor and recognize members of Oxford Community Schools (OCS) dedicated to providing extraordinary service within the special education community.
“The naming of the award was thoughtful and intentional,” said Pamela Biehl, the director of Special Education for OCS. Alongside Oxford’s Parent Advisory Committee, Biehl and her team created the CARES Awards. “We thought about our learner profile traits and what we strive to teach and model for our students. We reflected on what it means to be ‘caring’ within the special education community. CARES and the values we hold dear were born: Compassion, Advocacy, Respect, Empathy, and Support.”
“The inspiration for the CARES Awards are the educators, caregivers, students, and advocates who support students with disabilities every day. They often go unrecognized for their crucial role in shaping the lives of our students,” said Biehl. “By organizing an event specifically focused on recognizing those who serve students with disabilities, we aim to promote inclusivity, raise awareness about the importance of supporting these individuals, and foster a culture of acceptance and understanding within the community.”
E-mails went out to all OCS families in early April prompting any member of the school district to nominate any student or faculty member who exemplifies the CARES profile with a fill in PDF. Forty-nine nominations were received ranging from students to bus drivers, teachers and administrators.
CARES Award recipients and their guests were invited to a celebration at Laidler Pavilion in Seymour Lake Park on May 21. They shared light refreshments while recipients received certificates with heartfelt words from those who nominated them were read aloud.
“Being nominated was amazing. I didn’t expect it and it felt so nice to be recognized,” said Brandy Lepping, a preschool teacher who has been serving OCS for 21 years, the last two in the Early Childhood Special Education program.
Lepping was nominated by Meeghan Rayner, her co-teacher, who said, “I am a better teacher because she is in our classroom. She loves the kids like they’re her own and she sees the best in all of them. She is able to differentiate instruction for each student easily as it comes naturally to her.”
Ideas to improve and expand next year’s CARES Awards are already in action.
“I am excited for this event to become a tradition and I was so inspired by the sense of community that afternoon,” said Biehl. “As long as we can continue to gather together, celebrate inclusivity, and build a supportive community, I couldn’t ask for more.”
If you are interested in being involved in or sponsoring the 2025 CARES Awards, please reach out to: OxfordCARESawards@gmail.com.