2025-2026 School Year

Mrs. Yingst-Pyle has been and continues to be a tremendous asset to Nottingham Elementary School and the Oxford Area School District.  Her leadership is steeped in the Kids First, Progress, and Unity vision statement that embodies all things Oxford.

Lisa Summers is receiving the Kids First, Progress, and Unity Award for all she does in keeping kids first, progress and unity both in the school and outside the school walls. Mrs. Summers is the music and band teacher at Nottingham. Mrs. Summers runs a successful Grade 4 Band Program. This is the first opportunity in which students in the OASD to begin their passion in playing an instrument. For many years, Mrs. Summers has 80-100 Grade 4 students participating in the band program. (A little less than ½ of the Grade 4 student population).

Her dedication, creativity, and passion for music shine through in every rehearsal, performance, and interaction with the students. You don’t just teach music—she builds confidence, teamwork, and a sense of belonging.

Not only does Mrs. Summers guide and direct a strong band program, she organizes the Nottingham Fine Arts Night at Nottingham. She also brought the Jazz Alive Program to Nottingham. For the month of February and March, Grade 4 Band Students are participate in the afterschool Jazz clinic. These jazz clinics are made possible by the Mrs. Summer’s partnership she established with the New Holland Education Endowment which brings professional musicians from Jazz Alive. The Jazz Alive also provides a live concert for the entire school and local community thanks to Mrs. Summer’s efforts.

Mrs. Summers also organizes and facilitates the Nottingham Morning News and takes on the task of organizing the entire Nottingham Talent show (a HUGE undertaking) and assists with the school’s student positive behavior support program.

Note: Our students are better musicians and better people because of the environment she creates both in her music and band classes. The school’s music and band program thrives because of her leadership, and the school community is a stronger, more vibrant place.

Missy Ludwig (“Miss Missy”) embodies Kids First, Progress, and Unity through her leadership in bringing Project ADAM to Jordan Bank. After additional AEDs were added, she championed this national program to strengthen cardiac emergency preparedness. She coordinated CPR/AED training, partnered with Oxford EMT for drills, and led the HIVE Safety Committee to earn Heart Safe School recognition from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Youth Heart Watch. Jordan Bank now has a 12-member response team including teachers, support staff, nurse, and administration. This, in addition to her everyday responsibilities as a nurse at a kindergarten center.

Mr. Mark James has been awarded the Kids First, Progress, and Unity Award for going above and beyond for his STEM students. Mr. James has been taking students to West Chester University to participate in a Super Saturday Program, where students participate in a variety of hands-on experiments, which include the Polarization of Light, Developing Filtering Mediums for Purifying Water, and Extracting DNA. Mr. James has also taken a group of 16 students to GETT (Girls Exploring Today's Technology) at the Philadelphia Expo Center, where they learned about a variety of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Courtney Greer, Stacey Lock, Melissa Verikakis, and Jenny Buck have been honored with the Kids First, Progress, and Unity Award in recognition of their exceptional dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to students. Their work has profoundly impacted OAHS’ Life Skills population, creating meaningful opportunities for inclusion, growth, and connection.

Through their efforts, students are empowered to compete in Unified Track alongside their peers, fostering teamwork, confidence, and a true sense of belonging. Their leadership in organizing the Swarm Team at Oxford Area High School has brought the school community together through engaging activities and events that promote awareness, acceptance, and unity.

Their commitment extends even further through their support of the Special Olympics, including participation in the Polar Plunge, demonstrating not only advocacy but heart. Their passion and care continue to inspire, making a lasting difference in the lives of their students and the entire school community.

Mr. John Barcus has been recognized as a recipient of OASD's Kids First, Progress, and Unity Award. Mr. Barcus always puts our students first, enjoys each day with students in the STEM classroom, and also promotes unity throughout our district. He always has a smile on his face and is willing to do anything to assist our students and staff. He coordinates Envirothon for our 5th and 6th grade students. He sits on the district committee for STEM. Mr. Barcus volunteered his time after school to assist one of our new teachers in studying for the Praxis test. He stayed after school to work with him and ensure that he was ready to pass this challenging test. This teacher passed this test last week with Mr. Barcus’ help and guidance. He has served as a mentor to many and never wants any accolades. Congratulations, and thank you for always putting Kids First, ensuring the Progress of all, and promoting Unity.

Katie Ward, Supplemental Learning Support Teacher at Elk Ridge, is being recognized for her incredible dedication to one of her students. When a first-grade student on her caseload who is deaf was still in the process of receiving appropriate services, Katie took it upon herself to begin learning basic ASL so she could better communicate with him and ensure he felt included in the classroom. Her efforts quickly spread beyond her own learning. Students and staff began using ASL as well, creating a classroom environment where communication, kindness, and inclusion are visible every day.