Recognizing the Septa Excellence Awards Recipients

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 2026 recipients of the Fairfax County Special Education PTA Awards, an annual tradition that honors the extraordinary educators, students, staff, and community members who champion inclusion and excellence in special education across Fairfax County Public Schools.

These individuals and teams exemplify dedication in supporting students of all abilities, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.

I include in the Record the following names of the 2026 SEPTA Award recipients:

Kely Herrera and Samina Butt: Outstanding Instructional Support Staff

Jae Lee: Outstanding Secondary Administrator

James Racine: Outstanding Support Staff

Jason Collazo and Jan Fisher: Outstanding Secondary Special Educators

Claire Soyeon Lee and Malika Bougri: Outstanding Preschool Special Educators

Patricia Rothweiler, Larissa Miller Pullam, Colleen O'Carroll, and Liz Smith: Mark Stewart Memorial Award for Outstanding Elementary Special Educators

Nia Ravenstahl: Secondary Educator of the Year

Katherine Charlotte ``Casey'' McLellan: Elementary Educator of the Year

Liz Busch: Preschool Educator of the Year

Courtney Kim and Beth Beal: Outstanding Elementary General Educators

Alina Jimenez Rosa: Outstanding Secondary General Educator.

Megan Pitts and Stephanie Schauder: Outstanding Related Services Providers

Hunters Woods SACC Team and Scott Elliott: Community Champions for Special Education

Cara Chaapel and Anne Hollis: Outstanding Co-Curricular Staff

Evelyn Harocopos: Outstanding Central Office Staff.

Becky Timm and Eric Kopacz: Outstanding Elementary Administrators

Devansh Saraff: Outstanding Student

Sheel Patel and Reema Patel: Abbie Bachmore Memorial Award for Students Most Supporting Inclusion

Jenna Cook and Kathryn Guard: Outstanding Inclusive FCPS Program

Cathy Adames, Anice Denton, and Laura Cerda: Outstanding Collaborative Team

Stephanie Curb: Volunteer of the Year

Avi Levy: Reflections: Silver Award of Excellence

Ben Smith: Reflections: Bronze Award of Merit

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 2026 Fairfax County SEPTA Award recipients for their exceptional contributions to students, families, and schools. Their dedication to inclusion, equity, and excellence represents the very best of our community and serves as an inspiration across the Commonwealth and our Nation.

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