Field student Brayden Giannese and staff member Vanessa Kaegi are the D64 Shining Stars for December! We had the opportunity to honor this duo for furthering our District mission every day within their Field Phoenix community.
Here in D64, we take great pride in our mission to “foster opportunities for discovery, engagement, and growth for all students. We accomplish this by nurturing interdependence, appreciating differences, and caring for self and others.” At Field, staff and students use C.A.R.E.S, which stands for cooperation, acting safely, respect and responsibility, empathy, and self-control. Giannese, a 5th grader, has consistently demonstrated strong skills in each area.
“Brayden Giannese is one of our exceptional 5th graders who stands out from the crowd by always showing Field C.A.R.E.S,” said Field Assistant Principal Christa Donnelly. She then shared some comments from Giannese’s classmates. “He is always respectful.”, “He always wants to help others.”, “He always includes others.” and “He’s always on task, never goofing around, and willing to be friends with everyone.”
The Field educator we celebrated was Vanessa Kaegi, a social worker at Field. As a social worker, Kaegi works with and supports many things daily, making it one of the most multifaceted roles in an entire school building.
“Vanessa is tasked with working with every staff member, every student - all 630 of them as a school social worker,” said Field principal Dr. Courtney Goodman. “She supports the social-emotional learning of all 630 students and helps support all staff members in implementing those. In addition, she also services a number of students with special education needs, so her role is really widespread and diverse.”
Kaegi’s smile and personality make her stand out. “Every single day, she goes above and beyond,” said Dr. Goodman.” Kaegi helped start a “lending lockers” program at Field this year where she helps gather unclaimed items from the overflowing lost and found and sets them aside for students to use during the winter months. “It’s been a wonderful addition!”
Additionally, Kaegi helps recognize and celebrate the Field students chosen as Phoenix of the Month each month. “Christa and I are not sure what we would do without Vanessa. She is an integral part of our team, and we’re so thrilled to be able to honor her for all of her tremendous work,” said Dr. Goodman.
Thank you to Brayden Giannese and Vanessa Kaegi for being D64 Shining Stars and making Field and our District a better place!
