HCR54 • 2025

COMMENDING MELISSA WILSON REPRESENTING THE SMYRNA SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR BEING SELECTED AS DELAWARE'S EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR FOR 2025 AND COMMENDING EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER NETWORK’S EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR.

Education Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Ross Levin
Last action: 2025-05-15
Official status: Passed 5/15/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source confirms the list of names and titles but does not explicitly define 'Educational Support Professional' beyond describing their service to students; however, the listed job titles support the definition provided.

Honoring Delaware's 2025 Educational Support Professionals

This resolution officially praises Melissa Wilson as the state winner and recognizes one support professional from each school district and charter network in Delaware.

What This Bill Does

Names Melissa Wilson of Smyrna School District as the 2025 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year.
Lists the names, job titles, and schools for the top support professional chosen by each of the other school districts and charter networks.
States that these workers provide direct or indirect services to students and families in public schools.
Requires copies of this resolution be given to Melissa Wilson and all district winners as a formal thank you.

Who It Names or Affects

Melissa Wilson, the state winner from Smyrna School District.
The selected Educational Support Professional of the Year from each Delaware school district and charter network.
School employees who work in roles such as secretaries, paraprofessionals, mail couriers, or nutrition workers.

Terms To Know

Educational Support Professional: A school employee who helps students and families but is not a classroom teacher. This includes roles like secretaries, paraprofessionals, mail couriers, and nutrition workers.
Concurrent Resolution: An official statement passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate to express an opinion or give praise without creating new laws.

Limits and Unknowns

This resolution does not change any state laws, rules, or funding for schools.
The text lists specific winners but does not explain how each district chose their representative.
No effective date is listed because this document serves as a formal commendation rather than an enforceable law.

Bill History

2025-05-15 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced in House
2025-05-15 Delaware General Assembly
Passed In House by Voice Vote
2025-05-15 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

Official Summary Text

COMMENDING MELISSA WILSON REPRESENTING THE SMYRNA SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR BEING SELECTED AS DELAWARE'S EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR FOR 2025 AND COMMENDING EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER NETWORK’S EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR.
This Concurrent Resolution commends the 2025 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year, Melissa Wilson, and all of the District/Charter Network Educational Support Professionals of the Year.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Ross Levin & Rep. K. Williams & Sen. Sturgeon on behalf of all Senators

Reps. S. Moore, Bush, Carson on behalf of all Representatives

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 54

COMMENDING MELISSA WILSON REPRESENTING THE SMYRNA SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR BEING SELECTED AS DELAWARE'S EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR FOR 2025 AND COMMENDING EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER NETWORK’S EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR.

WHEREAS, educational support professionals work each day with more than 141,000 children who attend 250 Delaware public schools in 19 school districts and 23 charter schools; and

WHEREAS, educational support professionals strive for excellence in their profession when they know that the community supports them and appreciates their efforts on behalf of our children; and

WHEREAS, the Educational Support Professional of the Year program identifies building and district representatives who embody the best qualities of all Delaware teachers; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year Program recognizes outstanding service by school employees who provide direct or indirect services to students and their families: and

WHEREAS, Melissa Wilson of Smyrna Elementary School in the Smyrna School District has been named Delaware State Educational Support Professional of the Year for 2025; and

WHEREAS, 19 of the other school districts and the Delaware Charter Network have chosen a 2025 District/Charter Educational Support Professional of the Year, namely:

Appoquinimink: Tina Finch, school secretary, Bunker Hill Elementary School

Brandywine: Howard Laws, district mail courier, SITE Program

Caesar Rodney: LaToya Smith, special education paraprofessional, W. Reily Brown Elementary School

Cape Henlopen: Zachary Coffman, computer lab manager, Milton Elementary School

Capital: Leisha Rutkowski, administrative secretary, Capital District Office

Charter Network: Brandon Gray, behavior interventionist, Kuumba Academy Charter School

Christina: Donna Smith, paraprofessional, Shue-Medill Middle School

Colonial: Gabriel Phillips, strategic communications specialist, Colonial District Office

Delmar: Robin Cox, in-school intervention paraprofessional, Delmar Middle & Senior High School

Indian River: Allison Wright, paraprofessional, Indian River High School

Lake Forest: Ann Busker, paraprofessional, Lake Forest North Elementary School

Laurel: Sara Jo Whaley, multilingual learner paraprofessional, Laurel Middle High School

Milford: Kyle Moore, student information systems specialist, Milford Curriculum Office

New Castle County Vo-Tech: Grace Miller, instructional paraprofessional, Delcastle Technical High School

POLYTECH: Breahna Pierce, paraprofessional, POLYTECH High School

Red Clay Consolidated: Bernice Witmer, lead nutrition worker, Early Learning Center

Seaford: Emma J. Trammell, paraprofessional, Seaford Middle School

Smyrna: Melissa Wilson, registration administrative assistant, Smyrna Elementary School

Sussex Tech: Domineque Scott, coordinator of student activities and student government, Sussex Technical High School

Woodbridge: Heather Ray Taylor, enrollment/finance secretary, Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the Members do hereby commend Melissa Wilson for the well-deserved designation as 2025 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the entire membership of the Delaware General Assembly does hereby extend heartfelt gratitude to Melissa Wilson, Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year, and to each of the fellow Educational Support Professionals of the Year for 2025, for their many contributions to the betterment of education in Delaware.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that suitably prepared copies of this House Concurrent Resolution be presented to Melissa Wilson and each of the District/Charter Network Educational Support Professionals of the Year.

SYNOPSIS

This Concurrent Resolution commends the 2025 Delaware Educational Support Professional of the Year, Melissa Wilson, and all of the District/Charter Network Educational Support Professionals of the Year.