The PBIS Leadership Team is proud to announce our Mustang of the Month award recipients for January. Congratulations to Nori Hibbard, Joe Roche and Hannah Raymond.
Mount Markham’s first Mustang of the Month is Nori Hibbard, a dedicated educator in the middle school who has been teaching at the district for 32 years, working in both the elementary and middle school buildings. She earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Geneseo and her master’s degree from SUNY Cortland. In addition to teaching, she has contributed to the athletics program by keeping stats for the Girls’ Varsity and JV teams for several years. “I enjoy the friendships and connections I have made with many people over the years as well as watching my children grow up here. I have worked with some very hard working, dedicated, and talented colleagues and students that make my time here rewarding and memorable,” she said. Committed to lifelong learning, she continually seeks opportunities to grow and enhance her teaching. She strives to support others in achieving success and improvement, regardless of their starting point. Her perseverance, high expectations, and dedication to preparation serve as an inspiration for others to work hard. Outside of school, Hibbard enjoys spending time with family, especially her grandchildren. She appreciates being outdoors—particularly in warmer weather—and enjoys watching sports and shopping.
The next Mustang of the Month is Joe Roche, a bus driver at Mount Markham. Originally from Endicott, NY, Joe is a 1990 graduate of Mansfield University. He is a retired US Army veteran and a retired teacher, with his last teaching assignment at Sherburne-Earlville MS/HS. Joe is passionate about being a part of the transportation team and contributing positively to the students in any way he can. He believes in discipline, structure, and showing empathy for others and their challenges. He enjoys making people smile and brings humor into his work. “I try every day to do my best to be helpful and keep the team values and goals foremost in my mind,” he shared. In addition to his role as a bus driver, Joe teaches part-time at Gigliotti’s Driving School in Utica, NY, where he also instructs defensive driving. He enjoys adjudicating marching band and winterguard competitions and is a season ticket holder for Utica City FC Soccer. Joe credits his wife, Carolee, as his daily support and source of encouragement. Together, they reside in New Hartford and enjoy spending their summers at their camp on Kayuta Lake.
The final Mustang of the Month is Hannah Raymond, a high school teacher and a Mount Markham graduate. She attended SUNY Cobleskill for both her associate and bachelor’s degrees, followed by SUNY Oswego for her Masters and Coordinator of Work-Based Learning Certification. Hannah grew up on a dairy farm with her parents and two brothers. In 2015, the family sold the dairy cows and transitioned to raising beef, pigs, and chickens. As her family grew, so did their farm, which now operates at two separate locations in Richfield Springs. Hannah, her husband Jim, and their two daughters, Reagan and Harper, recently completed building their dream home right off the farm. Before becoming a teacher, Hannah worked in the dairy industry as a Bovine Midwife and at a veterinary clinic. These roles sparked her passion for teaching others about dairy and agriculture. She values the friendships and connections she has made over the years and enjoys watching her children grow up in the community. Hannah appreciates the hard work, dedication, and talent of her colleagues and students, making her time at Mount Markham rewarding and memorable. She is committed to lifelong learning and constantly seeks ways to improve herself and her teaching. “I try to help others be successful and strive for improvement regardless of current levels/circumstances,” she shared. She hopes her perseverance, expectations, and dedication to being prepared inspire others to work hard.
Hannah loves to spend time with my family and friends, read, bake and travel. During the summer, when she is not traveling with her family, she spends most of her time at the farm helping where is needed and representing Old Homestead Farm at local farmers markets and her on site farm store that’s open daily.
To nominate one of our outstanding employees for a future Mustang of the Month award, please submit their name here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdV_n4GjyuGjdiQq3oPmToGTALwt71n44Aq4Z8tJA8-K0VAwA/viewform