Atlantis recently honored the recipients of the 2020 Atlantis Charter School 5D Leadership Awards. Created in 2013, the awards honor five members of the school community – staff and board members – who display at least one of the following leadership traits: dedication, determination, discipline, drive and desire.
“We see value in growing leaders from within the organization,” said Mike Lauro, associate executive director of Atlantis. “The 5D Awards are a way for us to recognize prospective leaders and help them grow and develop new skills. The process takes time, but we want to guide them along the way.”
The awards presentation took place virtually during the school’s holiday celebration in December.
The winners of the 2020 Atlantis Charter School 5D Leadership Awards are:
- Dedication Award – Jeanne Benoit, Special Education Teacher
- Determination Award – Robert Shaker, School Board Trustee
- Discipline Award — Danny Rego, Director of Campus Facilities
- Drive Award – Melissa Biello, Technology Integration Specialist
- Desire Award – Katelyn Furtado, Kindergarten Teacher
Every individual within the organization is eligible for an award. They do not automatically go to the longest tenured employee, but to any employee who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the school.
Melissa Biello, for example, stepped out of her role as classroom teacher and into the newly created role of Technology Integration Specialist to help fellow teachers, students and families succeed with remote learning in the midst of the pandemic.
“I am truly honored and thankful for being recognized for this award,” Biello said. “While I do have a passion and a ‘drive’ for bringing the best technology to students and staff, I couldn’t do my job without the dedication, perseverance, flexibility and patience of the entire Atlantis staff behind me.”
Recipients were selected based on their commensurate leadership actions associated with their particular “D” which are defined in detail on their respective award certificates. Each winner also received a trophy made of Lexan glass and laser inscribed on a unique background of Atlantis blue, and their names were added to a plaque that hangs in the school’s conference room.
About the 5D Leadership Awards
The Dedication Award goes to a leader who never loses sight of their passion for the cause and is unrelenting in their pursuits on behalf of their organization and community.
The Determination Award goes to a leader who never settles for 2nd place and demonstrates initiative, perseverance and a will to succeed on a daily basis.
The Discipline Award goes to a leader with superb attention to detail who insures consistency and commitment to best practices.
The Drive Award goes to a leader who is unrelenting in their quest for best practices and continuous achievement.
The Desire Award goes to a leader who not only maintains a desire for high standards but is also proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas of the organization.