December 19, 2024 • 22 mins
Launched in the fall of 2024, the Power of the Peake is our new Employee Recognition Program and this episode shines a light on the program and our first award recipients in the areas of SUPPORT, TEACH, and LEAD. Listen today as they share their story and why they are the Power of the Peake!
October Power of the Peake Recipients:
- SUPPORT: Van Gholston (Western Branch Primary Custodian)
- TEACH: Laura Labyak (Indian River Middle Instructional Specialist)
- LEAD: Melissa Oliver (Chesapeake Public Schools Director of Assessment & Accountability)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Amplify the Chesapeake Public Schools
podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Chesapeake Public Schools is located in the
Hampton Roads region ofsoutheastern Virginia.
We proudly serve over 40,000students in 45 schools and three
centers.
Join us as we share the storiesbehind our story by celebrating
the people and programs thatmake us one of the premier
school districts in Virginia.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Hey, listeners, this is Matt Graham here with Chris
Bell, and there is a lot to bethankful for and celebrate,
especially during this time ofthe year, and that is what this
episode is all about.
We sat down with three of ourexceptional employees who were
awarded in October as the firstPower of the Peak recipients for
Chesapeake Public Schools.
You know, matt that's right.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
The Power of the Peak is our new employee recognition
program, and it was launched inthe fall of 2024 and celebrates
the remarkable contributionsthat our employees are making
daily in their schools,departments and in the
communities.
Recipients of the award fallunder the three categories teach
, support and lead, and anyonein the community can nominate
(01:14):
one of our employees simply byvisiting our website and filling
out a short form.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Yeah, so part of the premise of this podcast is to
tell the stories behind ourstory, and that's certainly the
case for this episode.
We spoke with our Octoberrecipients Van Golston, the
support category winner, LauraLabiak, the teach category
winner, and Melissa Oliver, thelead category winner.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Hey, and it was a good time.
Matt, we hope you enjoy theconversations as much as we did,
and there's no doubt that youare going to find out just why
they were chosen as the Power ofthe Peak.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Our first guest and Power of the Peak recipient is
Van the man Golston, a custodianat Western Branch Primary.
Welcome to the podcast, Van.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
What was it like when you received that award?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, that day it was a big surprise.
You know, they called me on themicrophone when I came out they
were like surprise.
And I'm like what is this?
And everybody was around andgave me the reward and
everything.
I was shocked.
I was surprised.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
What's the best part about your job at Western Branch
Primary?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Helping people, helping the teachers, the kids.
They really motivate me to domore, you know, for the school,
because I like to see theirlittle smiling faces and they're
always coming to me.
Mr Van, thank you for keepingour building clean, thank you
for this and thank you for that.
And the teachers?
They really always.
Mr Van, you're always working.
(02:46):
You really do a good job.
I'm always helping the teacherswith a big load or whatever.
When they come in, I greet themfirst thing in the morning
because I'm the first one there.
I open up the building, I'malways smiling, I'm always
telling them good morning.
I always say, all right, let'sdo what we got to do.
And they laugh and this andthat.
(03:07):
It's like a family.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
So what sort of impact do you see that you're
having?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
The kindness and the smiles and everything that when
I walk up and down the hall andsee the teachers and the
principal, they are so glad tosee me and I'm so glad to see
them.
It really makes my jobworthwhile.
Well, you never realize theimpact you know that you have on
people, especially when you aremotivated to come to work and
(03:35):
hard days work.
You never realize the impactthat you have on people.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Can you share an experience or a memorable moment
in your position that you'vehad so far?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Well, one moment was the water fountain bust open and
the water started to come inall in the floor and everything.
And when I looked up all theteachers, they was trying to get
the water up.
The water was coming out withpaper towels and everything.
And I'm like, oh, they eventrying to help me out.
(04:07):
So.
But once I got the rightequipment to get the water up
and then I went and found theway to cut the water off, it
just made me realize that theteachers and everybody else, the
way they pitched in to try toget the water up, that it really
helped me a whole lot, thatthey really care too, just like
I do.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Has there been someone that has made an impact
in your life that has helped youfor this role, in this position
?
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Well, my wife.
She worked for Chesapeakedriving a school bus for 26
years and she would get up everymorning.
I never seen her miss a day outof work.
The whole time she was there.
So she really motivated me.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So it sounds like you really have that team
atmosphere or that familyatmosphere over there at Western
Branch Primary.
Oh yeah, so proud to be a Bruinright.
There you go.
You actually, in my opinion,have one of the most important
jobs in a school Right, becausewhat you do helps with the
culture, the environment,providing that safe environment
(05:07):
and so that students, staff,take pride in their school is
the hard work that you put in.
When you get there and you openup that building, you make sure
that building looks clean, it'ssafe for the students and they
can be proud to be a Bruin dayin, day out.
So from all of us at ChesapeakePublic Schools, we appreciate
the hard work you do because notone single day is like another
(05:31):
year.
You know you definitely runinto those difficult ones that
can seem long and never endingproblems right, constantly
trying, and then you have adifferent day right when you're
able to help out, and then yousee your family, your team, come
and assist you.
So we thank you for everythingyou're doing?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Let's say somebody wants to be a custodian with
Chesapeake Public Schools.
What would you tell them?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Have a positive attitude and work hard, and
everything will work out.
For you.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
We're happy that you're here with Chesapeake
Public Schools, and the Bruinsare fortunate to have you as
their custodian.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Any shout out you want to give to your Bruins.
Go Bruins Way to go, all right.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Thank you, van the man Golston.
All right, thank you.
Our next guest and recipient ofthe Power of the Peak is Laura
Labiak, an instructionalspecialist at Indian River
Middle.
Thank you for being on thepodcast.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Thanks for asking me.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Can you go ahead and share a little bit about how you
got here with Chesapeake PublicSchools?
Speaker 5 (06:37):
I started 35 years ago at Chesapeake Public Schools
.
I was hired right out ofLongwood College.
I was an elementary teacher.
I was part of the careercommitment program.
So Chesapeake recruited me andtook me around to the schools
and I signed a contract and havebeen here and been happy ever
since.
So I started elementary andthen I taught eight years at
(06:58):
Western Branch Intermediate andI went to Crestwood Middle as a
reading specialist, was there 17years and went to Oscar Smith
Middle School as theinstructional specialist, Spent
some time there and then COVIDhit and I just had this need to
go back in the classroom becausewe didn't know what we were
doing.
So I went to Indian RiverMiddle as a history teacher and
(07:21):
taught history online for a year.
That was an experience and thenbecame the instructional
specialist and that's what I'mcurrently doing now.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Well, 35 years, so obviously you're enjoying what
you're doing.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
Laura, I am.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Who do you think or there could be multiple people
have impacted your career to getyou where you are today.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Oh, I've worked for the best First Carolyn Bedard,
I've worked for her, paul Josephat Oscar Smith High School now,
but he was at Crestwood.
Jackie Tate was a principal atCrestwood Middle School and now
Brenna Stanley.
I mean, I just have hadwonderful leaders and I just
want to go with them and helpthem and that's what's kept me
going.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Has any one of them had a big impact on you and your
career?
Speaker 5 (08:05):
I think it was Carolyn Bernard the first,
because when she interviewed meas the reading specialist at
Crestwood Middle and I wasn'tquite sure I wanted to leave
elementary world and I metCarolyn and she was so dynamic
and I knew I had to work for herand I knew I had to help her
navigate, having a readingspecialist in the middle school.
So that was it and she taughtme about doing what's best for
(08:29):
kids, what's best for faculty.
She got me to coach, she got meto be a sponsor of clubs and it
hasn't stopped since.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
She has a way of getting everyone involved in
different things Well.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
she's touched everybody's life in this studio
right now.
But with your current role orpast roles, what's the thing you
enjoy most about your job?
Speaker 5 (08:53):
I think it's the involvement with the kids, of
course, because I can see themin the classroom learning and
then I see them outside theclassroom.
So it's coaching, it'ssponsoring the honor society,
it's doing SCA.
And this year I took on a rolethat I was not expecting Now I'm
a PTA treasurer.
(09:13):
So because we have we'restarting our PTA at Indian river
middle school.
We haven't had one in overseven years, so Mrs Stanley has
got that going.
So now I'm working with kidsand their parents through the
PTSA, so that that's been a newthing.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
I think part of getting that power of the peak
is you've always stepped upright.
And filled that role that'sneeded in the school.
So I heard a rumor.
Are we helping out as athleticdirector?
Now too?
We are.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Yes, I am, because I don't have the energy and time
to coach, but I want to be apart of athletics, so we have
part-time athletic directors inthe middle school so I serve as
that so I can set up a footballfield now.
I'm really good at liningsoftball fields, but I haven't
had to do that this year, butyes.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
That's great.
Now, when you got the Power ofthe Peak Award, what was that
like when you received it?
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Oh, I was stunned because I'm always on the other
end of playing surprises onemployees.
So I had just arranged theLiteracy Teacher of the Year
surprise and the Teacher of theYear surprise and we do Employee
of the Month surprises, so I'malways on that end.
So when it happened to me, Iwas flabbergasted and I was in a
(10:30):
classroom and working with kidsand it was Halloween.
I had a witch's hat on my headand someone asked if they could
borrow it and so, okay, I'mworking.
And then in walks, dr Cotton,and I just could have died
because I thought it was for theteacher.
And then when they said, no,we're here for you, couldn't
believe it.
It was really sweet.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
What motivates you to work every day with Chesapeake
Public Schools?
Speaker 5 (10:55):
Just the success of the students and now the
teachers, because there's somuch going on with the Virginia
Literacy Act and always SOLs andthe pressure to succeed.
And since COVID, the changingstudent, because it's not the
traditional sit at the desk andopen a textbook and learn.
(11:16):
I mean we have a whole newstudent.
So it's helping navigate how dowe educate the students the
best and how do we help theparents at home and who are
concerned about their kids.
So it's really just whatever Ican do to help students and
families succeed.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
That's what it's about, laura.
You've had such a successfulcareer I think if you're talking
to future employees or currentemployees what's been a
challenge you've faced and howhave you overcome it to be so
successful?
Speaker 5 (11:48):
I think the challenge is just making sure that you
know that you get a.
You know that you get a freshstart every day.
I mean that that's what I love.
It's that it changes.
And then the year you get afresh start every September and
that's the best, and it's goingto end in June and you can wipe
that away and then fresh start.
That's what I like, and tryingnew things and trying new
(12:12):
strategies and if it doesn'twork, put it away, try it again.
Some people have jobs whereit's just so routine and every
day you're doing the same thing.
Well, you're not doing the samething every hour when you're
teaching or working in a schoolor helping teachers.
It's just so different.
So I think that's what's beenthe best part about the job and
(12:32):
the most challenging.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
You sound like a risk taker to me.
I try to take risks.
I'm not jumping out ofairplanes.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
But, I always tell people you can tell my
personality because of workingin middle school.
I love middle school, so I docorny jokes in the morning, so
I'll stand for hall duty and Ihave a little whiteboard that
has a corny joke.
Well, middle schoolers lovecorny jokes, so that's one of
the things I do just to engagethem as well, because they're
kind of sleeping when they walkin.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Well, and all of us here, we all taught middle
school, so you got to have alittle bit of a screw loose, you
know, to enjoy that middleschool child.
There's a lot going on there,yes.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Well, dr Labiak, thank you for coming in today
and sharing a little bit aboutyou with our listeners, and I
hope that you continue to be inthe school system for 35 more
years.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
We'll try.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And our final guest and another recipient of the
Power of the Peak Award isMelissa Oliver, the Director of
Assessment and Accountability.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Can you take a moment to let our listeners know a
little bit about your path herewith Chesapeake Public Schools?
Speaker 4 (13:48):
I can.
It started a very long time ago, back when I was in elementary
school and we didn't haveElmer's squirt glue.
We had these big jugs of paste,and so the teacher would come
around from table to table andoverturn a lid and plop some
paste on there and give uspopsicle sticks to spread the
paste onto the paper.
And I had this craving to bethe person who passed out the
(14:10):
paste.
So that is what started me ineducation.
I got to pass out the paste.
And then when you get to highschool, I think people have
different ideas for your careerpaths.
We took the career aptitudetest and all my counselors and
all my teachers were like youneed to do math and science.
You need to do math and science.
So I went to the University ofVirginia School of Engineering
(14:33):
and it was 1985.
I was the only female in any ofmy classes.
I had a professor tell me thatwas a great presentation on
magnetic resonance.
Imaging, melissa, maybe youshould be a school teacher.
And then I had anotherprofessor tell me that Mr
Jefferson never intended heelsto be walking this lawn.
And in my freshman engineeringproject group it was five guys
(14:58):
and me and the guys wouldn'ttell me when they were meeting
to do the project.
They did it and gave it to meto type at the end.
So engineering and I'm not goingto kid you, it was really hard
coursework too, At the same timeUVA started the five-year
education program so I joinedthat and was their inaugural
class.
Graduating from there Got somegreat opportunities there.
(15:20):
Charlie Jubilee and Nancy Parkfrom Chesapeake came up there to
Charlottesville for a part ofthe career commitment program
and interviewed me and I canremember when I walked in they
were obviously very thrilledthat I was from Chesapeake
because they thought maybeshe'll come, maybe she'll stay,
which I did 35 years now.
But during the interview I alsoremember Mr Jubilee asking me
(15:41):
about had I taken the nationalteacher exam Because I was a
year from graduating.
And I told him I had and Ididn't really remember my sub
scores but I did remember thatthe lowest one was the 97th
percentile.
But I'd gotten a letter thatmorning from ETS Educational
Testing Services saying thattheir answer key was wrong and I
was going to get two morepoints.
And his eyes got bigger and hisjaw kind of lowered a little
(16:04):
and I figured I kind of had thejob then.
And sure enough I did.
I got the job.
Happened to be in hisdaughter's school, in his
daughter's grade level and inhis daughter's classroom that
year.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
And she now works for Chesapeake Public Schools as
well.
So that was kind of fun.
And my next job was workingwith Nancy Park, who was the
other person in the interview.
So I taught middle school mathand science for a while.
I taught at Crestwood Middleand Hickory Middle when that
opened, Greenbrier Middle whenthat opened.
And then I came to schooladministration building and I've
been here 20 years.
(16:36):
I did school improvementplanning and program evaluation,
which was definitely my passionproject.
I did school improvementplanning and program evaluation,
which was definitely my passionproject.
I was able to help schools getthe data that they needed and
identify their improvement needsand help our schools improve.
And then I came to assessmentand accountability about four
years ago and became thedirector about two years ago.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
What a story and a journey right there.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
That was a long-winded answer.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I mean, but you and a few of the other guests that
we've had on here.
It just like when you mentionedNancy Park and some of these
other people.
It's really that family that itkeeps coming up throughout
these stories.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Well, and then the passion you can feel, the
passion that you have for yourwork and to still be here for 35
years.
It says a lot to yourcommitment to education for
Chesapeake Public Schools.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Right, right.
You've been with us for 35years.
What keeps you coming to workevery single day?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
I have always felt that I had a pretty privileged
upbringing and I had a lot offantastic educational
experiences, and I feel likeeveryone has the right to those
educational experiences, and Imade it my mission to ensure
that people from all walks oflife and all situations could
have the types of experiences Ihad.
And in the classroom, it wasvery easy to do that because I
(17:54):
had direct interaction with thestudents.
In my current role, I do thatby supporting our principals.
I try to give them what theyneed, when they need it, how
they need it, in a format that'seasily digestible so that they
can spend their time supportingthe teachers that are impacting
lives.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Well, I think they're feeling that impact because
they're the ones who put you upfor power of the peak.
So keep doing what you're doing.
Dr Oliver, it's amazing, butfor you to get to the position
you're in, who has?
Speaker 4 (18:26):
had the biggest impact on you in your career.
The biggest impact on my careertrajectory was Rick West.
He interviewed me in 1996 to goto Hickory Middle School, when
we were first opening the middleschool there, and he's always
had a keen eye for knowing thewhole person.
He knows your strengths.
He knows your strengths, heknows your weaknesses, he knows
what drives you and he's veryempowering.
(18:46):
He puts you in positions to beable to excel and from the day I
met him at that interview Ifollowed him everywhere he went.
We opened Hickory Middle thatyear, we opened Greenbrier
Middle together and then, whenhe retired, I came to SAB.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
And Greenbrier Middle is celebrating their 25th
anniversary this year.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
That makes me really old.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
No, not at all.
Not at all.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
And Mayor West just won a reelection for the city of
Chesapeake.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
And I think those people skills and understanding
of people and what makes a teamtick that he had here in
Chesapeake is also making himhighly successful in the larger
scheme of things for ourcommunity.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
There was a moment that you were like man.
That's another reason I'm hereevery day.
What would that be?
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I'll try to get through this story, but it was
my first year of teaching and wewere decorating for Christmas.
So we were putting up theChristmas tree in my classroom
and one of my girls in my classstayed after to decorate with me
and she was so enthralled by it.
It was my grandmother's oldtree, it was like old glass
ornaments, but she was justholding them and admiring them.
How beautiful they were.
I had given them a pencil thatsaid Merry Christmas from Miss
(19:52):
Smith, and she's like I'm nevergoing to sharpen it.
And then she told me that itwas going to be her best
Christmas ever because her momtold her she was going to go to
bed full.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yep, and some of those you know.
Those are the situations that Idon't think the public, you
know, hears about that.
Our teachers deal with thosesocial issues that are coming in
, what's going on at home andbefore you can get to that
curriculum, it's building thatrelationship with that child and
for that student to come outand say that to you, that's a
whole lot of trust.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
So there are a lot of times, I think as a classroom
teacher, particularly in some ofthe areas of our city, where
you can truly change lives andit's very meaningful.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
Going back to the award, how did that feel when
you received it?
Speaker 4 (20:41):
So I think it felt really good, particularly
because it was from the people Iserve.
It wasn't something that wasdesignated from the top down.
It was something from thepeople who I'm here to serve,
and so that was very affirmingthat maybe I am doing what they
need and helping them in waysthat are valuable to them.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Well and it shows you the large role you play.
Now.
You might not be in theclassroom impacting that
individual child, but the workyou do now with the data,
putting that in the principal'shands, working with them,
impacts more than one child.
It impacts those 40,000students that we have in
Chesapeake Public Schools.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
And I think I've reminded myself of that a lot
throughout my career because atfirst you see the direct impact
you have on 25 kids and as youmove positions in the school
division you may not have thatdirect impact, but you can
impact.
I genuinely feel like in myrole in school improvement,
planning and program evaluationI had a smaller but positive
impact on 40,000 kids and now Ihave impact on testing and
(21:43):
helping principals, so I reallyvalue my ability to help
principals get kids throughthose tests.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
I hope our listeners know that the power of the PEAK
recipients, the power that theyhave in our community, whether
you're at NSAB, whether you'rethe custodian or whether you're
teaching there in the classroom,the positive effect that you
have had and our otherrecipients have had is through
the roof.
I mean it's a great thing.
(22:09):
So congratulations again.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
We hope you enjoyed the stories behind our story on
this episode of Amplify theChesapeake Public Schools
podcast.
Behind our story on thisepisode of Amplify the
Chesapeake Public Schoolspodcast.
Feel free to visit us atcpschoolscom forward slash
Amplified for any questions orcomments and make sure to follow
us wherever you get yourpodcasts.
Welcome to Amplify the Chesapeake Public Schools
podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Chesapeake Public Schools is located in the
Hampton Roads region ofsoutheastern Virginia.
We proudly serve over 40,000students in 45 schools and three
centers.
Join us as we share the storiesbehind our story by celebrating
the people and programs thatmake us one of the premier
school districts in Virginia.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Hey, listeners, this is Matt Graham here with Chris
Bell, and there is a lot to bethankful for and celebrate,
especially during this time ofthe year, and that is what this
episode is all about.
We sat down with three of ourexceptional employees who were
awarded in October as the firstPower of the Peak recipients for
Chesapeake Public Schools.
You know, matt that's right.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
The Power of the Peak is our new employee recognition
program, and it was launched inthe fall of 2024 and celebrates
the remarkable contributionsthat our employees are making
daily in their schools,departments and in the
communities.
Recipients of the award fallunder the three categories teach
, support and lead, and anyonein the community can nominate
(01:14):
one of our employees simply byvisiting our website and filling
out a short form.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Yeah, so part of the premise of this podcast is to
tell the stories behind ourstory, and that's certainly the
case for this episode.
We spoke with our Octoberrecipients Van Golston, the
support category winner, LauraLabiak, the teach category
winner, and Melissa Oliver, thelead category winner.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Hey, and it was a good time.
Matt, we hope you enjoy theconversations as much as we did,
and there's no doubt that youare going to find out just why
they were chosen as the Power ofthe Peak.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Our first guest and Power of the Peak recipient is
Van the man Golston, a custodianat Western Branch Primary.
Welcome to the podcast, Van.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
What was it like when you received that award?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, that day it was a big surprise.
You know, they called me on themicrophone when I came out they
were like surprise.
And I'm like what is this?
And everybody was around andgave me the reward and
everything.
I was shocked.
I was surprised.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
What's the best part about your job at Western Branch
Primary?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Helping people, helping the teachers, the kids.
They really motivate me to domore, you know, for the school,
because I like to see theirlittle smiling faces and they're
always coming to me.
Mr Van, thank you for keepingour building clean, thank you
for this and thank you for that.
And the teachers?
They really always.
Mr Van, you're always working.
(02:46):
You really do a good job.
I'm always helping the teacherswith a big load or whatever.
When they come in, I greet themfirst thing in the morning
because I'm the first one there.
I open up the building, I'malways smiling, I'm always
telling them good morning.
I always say, all right, let'sdo what we got to do.
And they laugh and this andthat.
(03:07):
It's like a family.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
So what sort of impact do you see that you're
having?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
The kindness and the smiles and everything that when
I walk up and down the hall andsee the teachers and the
principal, they are so glad tosee me and I'm so glad to see
them.
It really makes my jobworthwhile.
Well, you never realize theimpact you know that you have on
people, especially when you aremotivated to come to work and
(03:35):
hard days work.
You never realize the impactthat you have on people.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Can you share an experience or a memorable moment
in your position that you'vehad so far?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Well, one moment was the water fountain bust open and
the water started to come inall in the floor and everything.
And when I looked up all theteachers, they was trying to get
the water up.
The water was coming out withpaper towels and everything.
And I'm like, oh, they eventrying to help me out.
(04:07):
So.
But once I got the rightequipment to get the water up
and then I went and found theway to cut the water off, it
just made me realize that theteachers and everybody else, the
way they pitched in to try toget the water up, that it really
helped me a whole lot, thatthey really care too, just like
I do.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Has there been someone that has made an impact
in your life that has helped youfor this role, in this position
?
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Well, my wife.
She worked for Chesapeakedriving a school bus for 26
years and she would get up everymorning.
I never seen her miss a day outof work.
The whole time she was there.
So she really motivated me.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So it sounds like you really have that team
atmosphere or that familyatmosphere over there at Western
Branch Primary.
Oh yeah, so proud to be a Bruinright.
There you go.
You actually, in my opinion,have one of the most important
jobs in a school Right, becausewhat you do helps with the
culture, the environment,providing that safe environment
(05:07):
and so that students, staff,take pride in their school is
the hard work that you put in.
When you get there and you openup that building, you make sure
that building looks clean, it'ssafe for the students and they
can be proud to be a Bruin dayin, day out.
So from all of us at ChesapeakePublic Schools, we appreciate
the hard work you do because notone single day is like another
(05:31):
year.
You know you definitely runinto those difficult ones that
can seem long and never endingproblems right, constantly
trying, and then you have adifferent day right when you're
able to help out, and then yousee your family, your team, come
and assist you.
So we thank you for everythingyou're doing?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Let's say somebody wants to be a custodian with
Chesapeake Public Schools.
What would you tell them?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Have a positive attitude and work hard, and
everything will work out.
For you.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
We're happy that you're here with Chesapeake
Public Schools, and the Bruinsare fortunate to have you as
their custodian.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Any shout out you want to give to your Bruins.
Go Bruins Way to go, all right.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Thank you, van the man Golston.
All right, thank you.
Our next guest and recipient ofthe Power of the Peak is Laura
Labiak, an instructionalspecialist at Indian River
Middle.
Thank you for being on thepodcast.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Thanks for asking me.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Can you go ahead and share a little bit about how you
got here with Chesapeake PublicSchools?
Speaker 5 (06:37):
I started 35 years ago at Chesapeake Public Schools
.
I was hired right out ofLongwood College.
I was an elementary teacher.
I was part of the careercommitment program.
So Chesapeake recruited me andtook me around to the schools
and I signed a contract and havebeen here and been happy ever
since.
So I started elementary andthen I taught eight years at
(06:58):
Western Branch Intermediate andI went to Crestwood Middle as a
reading specialist, was there 17years and went to Oscar Smith
Middle School as theinstructional specialist, Spent
some time there and then COVIDhit and I just had this need to
go back in the classroom becausewe didn't know what we were
doing.
So I went to Indian RiverMiddle as a history teacher and
(07:21):
taught history online for a year.
That was an experience and thenbecame the instructional
specialist and that's what I'mcurrently doing now.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Well, 35 years, so obviously you're enjoying what
you're doing.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
Laura, I am.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Who do you think or there could be multiple people
have impacted your career to getyou where you are today.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
Oh, I've worked for the best First Carolyn Bedard,
I've worked for her, paul Josephat Oscar Smith High School now,
but he was at Crestwood.
Jackie Tate was a principal atCrestwood Middle School and now
Brenna Stanley.
I mean, I just have hadwonderful leaders and I just
want to go with them and helpthem and that's what's kept me
going.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Has any one of them had a big impact on you and your
career?
Speaker 5 (08:05):
I think it was Carolyn Bernard the first,
because when she interviewed meas the reading specialist at
Crestwood Middle and I wasn'tquite sure I wanted to leave
elementary world and I metCarolyn and she was so dynamic
and I knew I had to work for herand I knew I had to help her
navigate, having a readingspecialist in the middle school.
So that was it and she taughtme about doing what's best for
(08:29):
kids, what's best for faculty.
She got me to coach, she got meto be a sponsor of clubs and it
hasn't stopped since.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
She has a way of getting everyone involved in
different things Well.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
she's touched everybody's life in this studio
right now.
But with your current role orpast roles, what's the thing you
enjoy most about your job?
Speaker 5 (08:53):
I think it's the involvement with the kids, of
course, because I can see themin the classroom learning and
then I see them outside theclassroom.
So it's coaching, it'ssponsoring the honor society,
it's doing SCA.
And this year I took on a rolethat I was not expecting Now I'm
a PTA treasurer.
(09:13):
So because we have we'restarting our PTA at Indian river
middle school.
We haven't had one in overseven years, so Mrs Stanley has
got that going.
So now I'm working with kidsand their parents through the
PTSA, so that that's been a newthing.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
I think part of getting that power of the peak
is you've always stepped upright.
And filled that role that'sneeded in the school.
So I heard a rumor.
Are we helping out as athleticdirector?
Now too?
We are.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Yes, I am, because I don't have the energy and time
to coach, but I want to be apart of athletics, so we have
part-time athletic directors inthe middle school so I serve as
that so I can set up a footballfield now.
I'm really good at liningsoftball fields, but I haven't
had to do that this year, butyes.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
That's great.
Now, when you got the Power ofthe Peak Award, what was that
like when you received it?
Speaker 5 (10:10):
Oh, I was stunned because I'm always on the other
end of playing surprises onemployees.
So I had just arranged theLiteracy Teacher of the Year
surprise and the Teacher of theYear surprise and we do Employee
of the Month surprises, so I'malways on that end.
So when it happened to me, Iwas flabbergasted and I was in a
(10:30):
classroom and working with kidsand it was Halloween.
I had a witch's hat on my headand someone asked if they could
borrow it and so, okay, I'mworking.
And then in walks, dr Cotton,and I just could have died
because I thought it was for theteacher.
And then when they said, no,we're here for you, couldn't
believe it.
It was really sweet.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
What motivates you to work every day with Chesapeake
Public Schools?
Speaker 5 (10:55):
Just the success of the students and now the
teachers, because there's somuch going on with the Virginia
Literacy Act and always SOLs andthe pressure to succeed.
And since COVID, the changingstudent, because it's not the
traditional sit at the desk andopen a textbook and learn.
(11:16):
I mean we have a whole newstudent.
So it's helping navigate how dowe educate the students the
best and how do we help theparents at home and who are
concerned about their kids.
So it's really just whatever Ican do to help students and
families succeed.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
That's what it's about, laura.
You've had such a successfulcareer I think if you're talking
to future employees or currentemployees what's been a
challenge you've faced and howhave you overcome it to be so
successful?
Speaker 5 (11:48):
I think the challenge is just making sure that you
know that you get a.
You know that you get a freshstart every day.
I mean that that's what I love.
It's that it changes.
And then the year you get afresh start every September and
that's the best, and it's goingto end in June and you can wipe
that away and then fresh start.
That's what I like, and tryingnew things and trying new
(12:12):
strategies and if it doesn'twork, put it away, try it again.
Some people have jobs whereit's just so routine and every
day you're doing the same thing.
Well, you're not doing the samething every hour when you're
teaching or working in a schoolor helping teachers.
It's just so different.
So I think that's what's beenthe best part about the job and
(12:32):
the most challenging.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
You sound like a risk taker to me.
I try to take risks.
I'm not jumping out ofairplanes.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
But, I always tell people you can tell my
personality because of workingin middle school.
I love middle school, so I docorny jokes in the morning, so
I'll stand for hall duty and Ihave a little whiteboard that
has a corny joke.
Well, middle schoolers lovecorny jokes, so that's one of
the things I do just to engagethem as well, because they're
kind of sleeping when they walkin.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Well, and all of us here, we all taught middle
school, so you got to have alittle bit of a screw loose, you
know, to enjoy that middleschool child.
There's a lot going on there,yes.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Well, dr Labiak, thank you for coming in today
and sharing a little bit aboutyou with our listeners, and I
hope that you continue to be inthe school system for 35 more
years.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
We'll try.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And our final guest and another recipient of the
Power of the Peak Award isMelissa Oliver, the Director of
Assessment and Accountability.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Can you take a moment to let our listeners know a
little bit about your path herewith Chesapeake Public Schools?
Speaker 4 (13:48):
I can.
It started a very long time ago, back when I was in elementary
school and we didn't haveElmer's squirt glue.
We had these big jugs of paste,and so the teacher would come
around from table to table andoverturn a lid and plop some
paste on there and give uspopsicle sticks to spread the
paste onto the paper.
And I had this craving to bethe person who passed out the
(14:10):
paste.
So that is what started me ineducation.
I got to pass out the paste.
And then when you get to highschool, I think people have
different ideas for your careerpaths.
We took the career aptitudetest and all my counselors and
all my teachers were like youneed to do math and science.
You need to do math and science.
So I went to the University ofVirginia School of Engineering
(14:33):
and it was 1985.
I was the only female in any ofmy classes.
I had a professor tell me thatwas a great presentation on
magnetic resonance.
Imaging, melissa, maybe youshould be a school teacher.
And then I had anotherprofessor tell me that Mr
Jefferson never intended heelsto be walking this lawn.
And in my freshman engineeringproject group it was five guys
(14:58):
and me and the guys wouldn'ttell me when they were meeting
to do the project.
They did it and gave it to meto type at the end.
So engineering and I'm not goingto kid you, it was really hard
coursework too, At the same timeUVA started the five-year
education program so I joinedthat and was their inaugural
class.
Graduating from there Got somegreat opportunities there.
(15:20):
Charlie Jubilee and Nancy Parkfrom Chesapeake came up there to
Charlottesville for a part ofthe career commitment program
and interviewed me and I canremember when I walked in they
were obviously very thrilledthat I was from Chesapeake
because they thought maybeshe'll come, maybe she'll stay,
which I did 35 years now.
But during the interview I alsoremember Mr Jubilee asking me
(15:41):
about had I taken the nationalteacher exam Because I was a
year from graduating.
And I told him I had and Ididn't really remember my sub
scores but I did remember thatthe lowest one was the 97th
percentile.
But I'd gotten a letter thatmorning from ETS Educational
Testing Services saying thattheir answer key was wrong and I
was going to get two morepoints.
And his eyes got bigger and hisjaw kind of lowered a little
(16:04):
and I figured I kind of had thejob then.
And sure enough I did.
I got the job.
Happened to be in hisdaughter's school, in his
daughter's grade level and inhis daughter's classroom that
year.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
And she now works for Chesapeake Public Schools as
well.
So that was kind of fun.
And my next job was workingwith Nancy Park, who was the
other person in the interview.
So I taught middle school mathand science for a while.
I taught at Crestwood Middleand Hickory Middle when that
opened, Greenbrier Middle whenthat opened.
And then I came to schooladministration building and I've
been here 20 years.
(16:36):
I did school improvementplanning and program evaluation,
which was definitely my passionproject.
I did school improvementplanning and program evaluation,
which was definitely my passionproject.
I was able to help schools getthe data that they needed and
identify their improvement needsand help our schools improve.
And then I came to assessmentand accountability about four
years ago and became thedirector about two years ago.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
What a story and a journey right there.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
That was a long-winded answer.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
I mean, but you and a few of the other guests that
we've had on here.
It just like when you mentionedNancy Park and some of these
other people.
It's really that family that itkeeps coming up throughout
these stories.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Well, and then the passion you can feel, the
passion that you have for yourwork and to still be here for 35
years.
It says a lot to yourcommitment to education for
Chesapeake Public Schools.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Right, right.
You've been with us for 35years.
What keeps you coming to workevery single day?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
I have always felt that I had a pretty privileged
upbringing and I had a lot offantastic educational
experiences, and I feel likeeveryone has the right to those
educational experiences, and Imade it my mission to ensure
that people from all walks oflife and all situations could
have the types of experiences Ihad.
And in the classroom, it wasvery easy to do that because I
(17:54):
had direct interaction with thestudents.
In my current role, I do thatby supporting our principals.
I try to give them what theyneed, when they need it, how
they need it, in a format that'seasily digestible so that they
can spend their time supportingthe teachers that are impacting
lives.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Well, I think they're feeling that impact because
they're the ones who put you upfor power of the peak.
So keep doing what you're doing.
Dr Oliver, it's amazing, butfor you to get to the position
you're in, who has?
Speaker 4 (18:26):
had the biggest impact on you in your career.
The biggest impact on my careertrajectory was Rick West.
He interviewed me in 1996 to goto Hickory Middle School, when
we were first opening the middleschool there, and he's always
had a keen eye for knowing thewhole person.
He knows your strengths.
He knows your strengths, heknows your weaknesses, he knows
what drives you and he's veryempowering.
(18:46):
He puts you in positions to beable to excel and from the day I
met him at that interview Ifollowed him everywhere he went.
We opened Hickory Middle thatyear, we opened Greenbrier
Middle together and then, whenhe retired, I came to SAB.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
And Greenbrier Middle is celebrating their 25th
anniversary this year.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
That makes me really old.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
No, not at all.
Not at all.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
And Mayor West just won a reelection for the city of
Chesapeake.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
And I think those people skills and understanding
of people and what makes a teamtick that he had here in
Chesapeake is also making himhighly successful in the larger
scheme of things for ourcommunity.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
There was a moment that you were like man.
That's another reason I'm hereevery day.
What would that be?
Speaker 4 (19:30):
I'll try to get through this story, but it was
my first year of teaching and wewere decorating for Christmas.
So we were putting up theChristmas tree in my classroom
and one of my girls in my classstayed after to decorate with me
and she was so enthralled by it.
It was my grandmother's oldtree, it was like old glass
ornaments, but she was justholding them and admiring them.
How beautiful they were.
I had given them a pencil thatsaid Merry Christmas from Miss
(19:52):
Smith, and she's like I'm nevergoing to sharpen it.
And then she told me that itwas going to be her best
Christmas ever because her momtold her she was going to go to
bed full.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yep, and some of those you know.
Those are the situations that Idon't think the public, you
know, hears about that.
Our teachers deal with thosesocial issues that are coming in
, what's going on at home andbefore you can get to that
curriculum, it's building thatrelationship with that child and
for that student to come outand say that to you, that's a
whole lot of trust.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
So there are a lot of times, I think as a classroom
teacher, particularly in some ofthe areas of our city, where
you can truly change lives andit's very meaningful.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
Going back to the award, how did that feel when
you received it?
Speaker 4 (20:41):
So I think it felt really good, particularly
because it was from the people Iserve.
It wasn't something that wasdesignated from the top down.
It was something from thepeople who I'm here to serve,
and so that was very affirmingthat maybe I am doing what they
need and helping them in waysthat are valuable to them.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Well and it shows you the large role you play.
Now.
You might not be in theclassroom impacting that
individual child, but the workyou do now with the data,
putting that in the principal'shands, working with them,
impacts more than one child.
It impacts those 40,000students that we have in
Chesapeake Public Schools.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
And I think I've reminded myself of that a lot
throughout my career because atfirst you see the direct impact
you have on 25 kids and as youmove positions in the school
division you may not have thatdirect impact, but you can
impact.
I genuinely feel like in myrole in school improvement,
planning and program evaluationI had a smaller but positive
impact on 40,000 kids and now Ihave impact on testing and
(21:43):
helping principals, so I reallyvalue my ability to help
principals get kids throughthose tests.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
I hope our listeners know that the power of the PEAK
recipients, the power that theyhave in our community, whether
you're at NSAB, whether you'rethe custodian or whether you're
teaching there in the classroom,the positive effect that you
have had and our otherrecipients have had is through
the roof.
I mean it's a great thing.
(22:09):
So congratulations again.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
We hope you enjoyed the stories behind our story on
this episode of Amplify theChesapeake Public Schools
podcast.
Behind our story on thisepisode of Amplify the
Chesapeake Public Schoolspodcast.
Feel free to visit us atcpschoolscom forward slash
Amplified for any questions orcomments and make sure to follow
us wherever you get yourpodcasts.
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