The Olympia School District (OSD) Board of Directors formally presented Mohamed “Mr. Mo” El-Sokkary with the Classified School Employee of the Year (CSEY) award at a special recognition ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 9.
During a surprise announcement at Lincoln ES last month, El-Sokkary, Family Liaison at Garfield and Lincoln Elementary Schools, learned of his award.
“This award celebrates employees who go above and beyond in their daily work showing exceptional performance, leadership, (and) teamwork, while also making [a] meaningful impact on students,” said Executive Director of Human Resources Scott Niemann.
In November 2024, the district opened and received several nominations for the CSEY award. A screening committee reviewed nominations and selected one exceptional individual to honor.
“The Classified School Employee of the Year program is a statewide recognition organization organized by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). It starts with local nominations from school districts across Washington. From there, honorees can move to become the regional winner and potentially compete for the state title,” Niemann said.
Mr. Mo’s track record in supporting students, staff and family was reflected in one of the district’s social media posts and principals’ comments.
“Over his 19 years of employment, El-Sokkary has held numerous positions throughout our district. He has served as a Paraeducator, Teacher, and Family Liaison. His experience includes working at Avanti High School, Jefferson Middle School, Olympia High School, and Student Support,” OSD’s social media post stated.
Garfield Elementary School Principal Brendon Chertok lauded Mo’s years of service to OSD in “breaking barriers.”
“Mo’s worked for our district for many years as a paraeducator and teacher at the secondary and elementary levels. He has consistently been a point of contact for students and families,” Chertok said.
Chertok added that Mr. Mo’s work has given voice to people “historically underrepresented” in the community.
Mr. Mo, as Chertok said, has established a rapport with students and families, as well as maintaining a consistent partnership with other employees.
Lincoln Elementary Principal Marcela Abadi said that Mr. Mo has supported students who faced various challenges.
“He created a space for these students … where they felt a sense of belonging and were better prepared to navigate their paths toward a more successful experience as young adults,” Abadi said.
“This work resulted in better attendance and a resiliency that positively contributed to the physical, emotional and social development.”
Abadi said the Family Liaison position was created for Mr. Mo.
“The Family liaison was developed to create deeper connections between our schools and the communities we serve. This position was made for Mo," Abadi said.
Mr. Mo has also created community resource centers that provide relief to families in need with clothing, household supplies, washing services and a pantry, free of charge.
“Thank you so much everybody ... This award is a reflection of everybody that's in this room,” Mr. Mo said.
Mr. Mo thanked Superintendent Patrick Murphy, the board and the audience for his award.
“This is not just about me; it's about this community … I’m hoping that we can keep going. I'm hoping that this little small space that we have at Garfield becomes a bigger space because there are more families that we're going to be needing to support,” Mr. Mo said.
The state Superintendent of Public Instruction will recognize the regional finalists for the state CSEY, and the state winner will be recognized at an award ceremony in spring.
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