Unsung Heroes

Transportation: Ricky Markgraf

Ricky is an amazing employee as a driver and a bus driver trainer. First, you can always depend on Ricky for everything. He is always here, as his attendance is impeccable. Second, he does anything that we ask him to do and is constantly doing so much more for us than his job requires.  He goes above and beyond and is someone that we can always count on. Third, Ricky always has a smile on his face. He is positive and a joy to work with, which makes the culture around us extremely positive. Finally, Ricky is also a driver trainer. As such, he is directly responsible for adding more drivers to our transportation department in a timely and safe manner. Whenever Ricky trains someone, the person is ready to safely take large numbers of kids to and from school.

Teacher Aide: Linda Rubens (Early Childhood School)

Linda is one of the most student-centered and dedicated educators this district has had the privilege to work with. She consistently does whatever it takes to support students and approaches her work with a level of care and commitment that is evident every day. Linda is deeply attuned to the needs of each child and each staff member she works with. She is well known for thoughtfully expanding her primary project toy collection year after year to reflect the interests and needs of her students, ensuring they are engaged and supported in meaningful ways.

When a student has a need, Linda is already thinking about how to meet it. We have never hear her respond to a child in need with "no", "I can't", or "my schedule is full".   Instead, her response has always been, "Yes—when can I start?" Going above and beyond isn't something Linda does occasionally; it is simply who she is. Her response is always “yes”—with no hesitation, no reservation, and no focus on workload, caseload, or schedule. She simply shows up for children.

Food Services: Osman Muya

Osman Muya makes our food service department a better place because of his outstanding dedication, selfless actions, amazing attitude and ability to turn anyone's frown upside down. Osman without complaint delivers, no matter what the weather conditions are. He can even be found..."chilling" in our 10 degree below zero freezers, stocking shelves. Through it all, at the end of the day, he still leaves smiling. He truly is an invaluable employee with a one of a kind spirit. There is only one Osman and we are lucky to have him as our co-worker and food service department employee.

Buildings and Grounds: Linda Rice

Linda Rice is an amazing person. She not only takes pride in her job, she makes an effort to connect with everyone in the building. Over the past year, Linda has been responsible for our athletic spaces in senior and junior high. This is not an easy task. She takes the time to connect with the teachers, coaches, and student-athletes who use these facilities. She is always checking in with our athletes on their seasons and how things are going. She does the same with our coaches and teachers. She takes pride in her job as well. Our facilities have never looked better.

Clerical: Ashleah Selvek

Ashleah is the absolute embodiment of dedication, warmth, and professionalism at Victor Central School District. As a member of the senior high clerical staff, she goes far beyond her job responsibilities to ensure that everyone who interacts with our district feels supported and valued. She proactively pitches into problem-solve any challenge brought her way, ensuring the office and district run seamlessly. Ashleah doesn't just do her job; she elevates the entire work environment through her profound work ethic, deep empathy for families, and legendary resilience. She is undeniably a cornerstone of our district community. She is exactly the kind of compassionate professional you want representing the heart and values of Victor Central School District. 

Teacher Assistant: Joanne Chappell (Intermediate School)

Victor Central Schools is lucky to have Joanne! For over 19 years at VIS, she has worked across all the grade levels and class structures. Joanne’s professionalism, unending patience, intuitiveness and kindness are second to none. Students gravitate towards her gentle support and reassurance that they are on track. She finds the balance between supporting and fostering independence for all of the learners she works with. She promotes confidence and makes students feel safe to take academic and social risks. Joanne can walk into a classroom and instinctively know which student needs support and is able to adapt in the moment and pivot when lessons don’t always go as planned. She is a constant communicator with her team and often sees the small stuff that we as teachers sometimes miss - which in 6th grade are many!