Schools

Love of Children Earns Symmes Secretary County Honors

Kelly Foss is a finalist for the Instructional Support Employee of the Year.

The third time proved a charm for Symmes Elementary School secretary Kelly Foss.

Twice before, Foss was named the Instructional Support Employee of the Year at Symmes.

But she was never a finalist for the county honor until this year.

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Foss was busy reading the Flat Stanley story to a class of kindergartners at Symmes Friday, Jan. 18 when the Hillsborough Education Foundation Surprise Patrol, accompanied by Raymond, the Tampa Bay Rays' mascot, dropped in to announce she was a finalist for the award.

"I was shocked," said Foss. "I didn't expect it at all."

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Foss is one of five finalists for the honor, chosen from 224 nominees from schools throughout Hillsborough County.

A Riverview resident for 15 years, Foss began her career in Hillsborough County schools as a volunteer lunchroom aide at Mintz Elementary School in 1997 when her children, Katie and Christopher, attended the school.

That led to a position in the Mintz media center in 1999. Then, when Symmes opened in 2001, she transferred and became the secretary to the principal.

"I'm on my third principal now," Foss said.

However, it wasn't the performance of her secretarial duties that led to the Symmes staff naming her the school's Instructional Support Employee of the Year for the third time.

It was her love of children.

"I just love kids and I like to be involved with them at the school," said Foss.

She jumps at any opportunity to read to classes, helps out with the school's annual talent show and dresses up as a princess for the school's Fairytale Bowl.

For the past six years, she also has worked at the Disney Store at Westfield Brandon mall where she got involved with the nonprofit organization, Give Kids the World, a storybook resort in Kissimmee for children with life-threatening illnesses.

A member of the Krewe of Shamrock since 2005, she does fundraising for A Kid's Place in Brandon and the Shriners Wheelchair Fund as well.

Most recently, she and her husband of 31 years, Dallas, along with daughter, Katie, have gotten involved in Dreams Take Flight Canada and Dream Flight UK, nonprofit organizations that fly underprivileged and handicapped children to Disney World. The Fosses volunteer to assist the children during their adventure at The Magic Kingdom.

The finalists for the Instructional Support Employee of the Year, the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year and the Teacher of the Year will be honored at an awards ceremony on Thursday, March 28, at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

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Bloomingdale-Riverview Schools Name Top Teachers


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