Supt. Chris Evans surprised Shannon Silvey with a vase of flowers Monday marking her selection as Natomas Unified "Classified Employee of the Year."
The winner of the prestigious award is a well-kept secret each year until the superintendent breaks the news personally, this time at Heron School, where Silvey works as a secretary.
“So well deserved!” Principal Amy Whitten called out as Silvey hugged the superintendent and accepted congratulations from office staff.
Later, Silvey had a three-word reaction to her selection. “Surprised and humbled,” she said, smiling.
Whitten, in nominating documents, said Silvey’s "friendly and positive nature makes everyone feel welcome.” She is “incredibly efficient” in her job and “able to effectively manage the demands of a busy school while maintaining her positive attitude and focus on serving her community." the principal wrote.
“When students or parents come into the office, Mrs. Silvey greets them by name and often asks about their family members or other important things happening in their lives,” Whitten added. “When visitors call the front office or stop by for information, they are always treated respectfully and professionally.”
Earlier this year, Silvey, a former NUSD health assistant, helped revive a parent during a life-threatening medical emergency at Heron. Upon hearing on the radio that someone needed help, Silvey grabbed gloves and paper towels, determined that the parent was not breathing and immediately began chest compressions. She had learned to perform CPR only a short time prior to the incident.
Less than a week after the emergency, the parent returned to Heron to thank Silvey.
“As I watched his two young children thank ‘Miss Shannon’ for saving their daddy, I was struck by the way Shannon put everyone at ease and really moved attention away from herself and focused on the family," Whitten wrote.”
Silvey, a District employee since 2008, is in her second year at Heron, where two of her three children attend school. Typically, she tried to divert the spotlight away from herself Monday, saying she is humbled by her “Classified Employee of the Year” selection because she knows how hard NUSD's classified employees work to serve students and keep schools operating at a high level.
“I know there were many other qualified candidates,” she said.
