Claypool Elementary Named Walmart School of the Year
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
CLAYPOOL – Students cheered enthusiastically Thursday afternoon as 20 Claypool Elementary School teachers’ names were called to the front of the school assembly.
The school was honored as Warsaw Walmart’s “School of the Year.”
With that honor, 20 teachers each received $50 gift cards to use for their classroom. In previous years, 10 teachers were given $100 gift cards.
Nine staff members whose names were not drawn for the gift cards received Walmart gift bags.
Walmart also gave Claypool several boxes of back-to-school items.
Presenting the gift cards, bags and boxes were Brock Heyneman, Walmart store manager; Deb Ponko, Walmart community service; Shelly Alber, Walmart personnel; and Kimberly Secrist, Walmart department manager.
Ponko said Claypool was chosen because it is the neediest school in Warsaw, with a high number of free and reduced lunch students.
Ponko said she’s worked at Walmart for the past 23 years and Walmart has had a teacher appreciation program for at least the last 20 years. It’s a way for Walmart to give back to the local community, she said.
