School District Employees Honored For Service To Special Needs Students

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Two Cherokee County School District employees have won top awards for their service to students with disabilities.

Adaptive Physical Education Teacher Dave Martinez has won the William A. Hillman Distinguished Service Award.

The national honor was presented by the National Consortium for Physical Education Individuals with Disabilities at its annual conference. 

The award is given to individuals demonstrating an exemplary professional service record.

Recipients must have been elected or appointed to serve the Consortium or other organizations that deal with persons with disabilities including: membership on the board of directors, committees, or editorial boards; editorial boards and/or as a reviewer of scholarly journals dealing with physical education/recreation for individuals with disabilities; serve community volunteer involved with programs and/or athletic events for individuals with disabilities, such as Special Olympics; and presented before educational groups, conventions, media presentations, and other meetings held in the interest and promotion of physical education/recreation for individuals with disabilities.

In addition to his role with the school district, Martinez is the co-coordinator of the Cherokee County Special Olympics.

Joyce Pufnock, assistive technology specialist for the Cherokee County School District’s Office of Special Education, has won the Tools for Life Innovation Award.

The statewide honor was presented at Georgia’s Institute Designed for Educating All Students (IDEAS) Conference in June.

This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding design of a program, project, product, building, spaces and/or inclusive classrooms for individuals with disabilities.

It was created by Tools for Life, the State of Georgia’s Assistive Technology Program. Tools for Life’s goal is to promote creativity and encourage assistive technology and universal design principles in an effort to provide equal access for all people.

Both Martinez and Pufnock will be recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent Dr. Frank Petruzielo the board’s Aug. 13 meeting.

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Photo: Dave Martinez in action at the Cherokee County School District’s Special Olympics Awareness Day event. Credit: Cherokee County School District