MIU honors employee

Staff report

GROVE CITY, PA.

Debbie Totin was honored at a recent Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV Board of Directors meeting as the 2015 recipient of the Spirit Award.

Totin has been employed by MIU IV for 11 years as a classroom paraprofessional in MIU IV’s Early Intervention Program.

This award, presented by the Intermediate Unit’s Labor & Management Committee, was created to recognize a support staff individual who exemplifies excellence on the job, caring involvement and involvement in the community.

Totin was nominated by several employees from the organization as well as parents and community members. Recipients are chosen by a selection committee representing all areas of MIU IV.

“Deb goes above and beyond the call of duty each day to make a positive impact on her team, the students and the educational environment,” said Valentina Kiser, an MIU IV special-education teacher. “There was a short period of time, about two weeks actually, that Deb was not in our classroom. I can honestly say that after 30 years of teaching, I felt lost! The room runs so much more smoothly because of the very important things that she does each day. She does her job so well.”

As a paraprofessional in MIU IV’s Early Intervention Program, Totin is responsible to assist the classroom teacher with educational lessons and activities, students’ files and records, maintaining a consistent classroom routine for students and assisting children with special needs with activities such as feeding, personal hygiene and self-care.

She prepares the room for student arrival, snack time, circle time, center activities and departure. With guidance by the classroom teachers and therapists, she works one-one-one with students to help them achieve their individualized educational goals.

In introducing Totin to the MIU IV Board of Directors, her supervisor, BethAnn Glew said: “Deb is beloved by her students, parents and colleagues. She makes a difference in so many lives every day through her hard work, compassion and passion for working with young children. We are so fortunate to have her on our staff.”

Totin lives on her family’s farm in Mercer, Pa., with her husband, Michael; father, Robert Brautigam; and her two sisters. She has two grown daughters, Linsay Totin and Nicole Craker.

Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV is an educational service agency that provides programs and services to 27 school districts in Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties.

As one of 29 Intermediate Units in Pennsylvania, MIU IV implements projects administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the State Board of Education, the General Assembly and the U.S. Department of Education.