The ABCD Award is given out by the Board of Education as a way to recognize staff members who go Above and Beyond the Call of Duty each and every day to give back to our school community and make sure our students feel safe, secure, and loved – and above all else, provide them with the very best educational opportunities and experiences.
Left to Right: RN Megan Boles (Johnstown High School), RN Stephanie Ellsworth (Nurse Emeritus/recently retired), LPN Deborah Ruggeri (Warren Street Elementary), LPN Bobbie Jo Senzio (Knox Middle School), LPN Ashley Valik (Pleasant Avenue Elementary), and LPN Karen McClelland (Warren Street Elementary/ District-wide Support Nurse).
At the District’s May 21 Board of Education meeting, the entire nursing staff at Johnstown was honored as ABCD Award recipients:
- LPN DEBORAH RUGGERI – Warren Street Elementary
- LPN BOBBIE JO SENZIO – Knox Middle School
- LPN ASHLEY VALIK – Pleasant Avenue Elementary
- LPN KAREN McCLLELAND – Pleasant / District-wide Support Nurse
- RN MEGAN BOLES – Johnstown High School
- RN STEPHANIE ELLSWORTH – Nurse Emeritus
More about our ABCD Award winners:
Nurses Deborah Ruggeri and Bobbie Jo Senzio are highly devoted longtime staff members, having joined the Greater Johnstown School District in 1996 and 2005, respectively, with a combined service total just shy of 50 years. Nurses Ashley Valik, Karen McClelland and Megan Boles are newer to their positions in the GJSD, having come aboard in 2023 and 2024, but have absolutely hit the ground running. Nurse Stephanie Ellsworth faithfully tended to our Johnstown High School community for almost a decade and a half, before retiring earlier this year.
Each of these professionals have cared for GJSD students, staff, and families on a daily basis with empathy and compassion. No matter the scenario, you can count on them to take charge of the situation, assess it with expertise, and nurture the patient effectively.
They provide comfort to the sick and first aid to the injured; they offer support for students with chronic conditions; they help to educate others regarding medical issues; and they facilitate communications with families and health care providers. They also help to secure donations, supervise and chaperone activities, lend assistance with extracurricular programs, and encourage our students, staff and district residents to engage in lifelong healthy habits.
Each year, National Nurses Week is celebrated in May, with the Wednesday of that week recognized as National School Nurse Day. This is a time to celebrate the essential and vital role school nurses play in contributing to the well-being and safety of students and staff.
The Greater Johnstown School District is proud to recognize and celebrate the District’s school nurses Deb Ruggeri, Bobbie Jo Senzio, Ashley Valik, Karen McClleland, Megan Boles, and Stephanie Ellsworth, and to thank them for going Above and Beyond the Call of Duty to nurture and care for our school community.
Left to Right: GJSD BOE President David D’Amore, Director of Student Engagement / Athletic Director Bob Kraemer, Megan Boles, Stephanie Ellsworth, Deborah Ruggeri, Bobbie Jo Senzio, Ashley Valik, Incoming Superintendent Alicia D. Koster (back row), Karen McClelland, and GJSD Superintendent Dr. William Crankshaw.