Maria Hernandez, an attendance officer at Douglas S. Freeman High School, has been recognized as the latest “Yay of the Day” honoree by Henrico County Public Schools Superintendent Amy Cashwell.
The recognition highlights Hernandez’s approach to her work and her impact on students and staff. Sochitl Rodriguez, who nominated Hernandez, described observing her efforts while interning at the school. Rodriguez said, “As an intern, I observed Ms. Hernandez in her role as an attendance officer for Freeman. She consistently embodies HCPS’ vision, mission and core values. Beyond her primary duty of addressing attendance, Ms. Hernandez purposefully engages with students, families and staff to help support students in reaching their full potential.”
Rodriguez further noted that Hernandez works to change perceptions about meetings with attendance officers: “Ms. Hernandez understands that a meeting with an attendance officer can have a negative connotation. Instead, she strives to transform it into an opportunity to build an encouraging and motivational relationship with each student. This approach empowers students to take ownership of their education and work toward their goals and aspirations. In my time with Ms. Hernandez, I was grateful to have the opportunity to learn from her experience, knowledge and talents. She was willingly visited by students with previous attendance issues, coming by and showing her how hard they were working to graduate, showing her their caps and gowns, or feeling safe enough to share difficult life experiences.”
Henrico County Public Schools serves Henrico County in Virginia as a public school division dedicated to providing educational services and supportive learning environments for its students. The division employs staff across various roles including classroom instruction and support positions such as those held by Hernandez, aiming to foster student success throughout the district’s schools (official website).
Community members are encouraged to nominate other standout staff members for future “Yay of the Day” honors through the school division’s website.