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Manassas Board honors classified staff with RISE awards and proclaims Autism Acceptance Month
Summary
The board recognized dozens of classified employees with RISE awards, named Miss Catala the division RISE winner, and approved an Autism Acceptance Month proclamation stressing inclusion and autistic voices in school decisions.
The Manassas City School Board opened its meeting by honoring classified staff across the division with RISE awards and by adopting an Autism Acceptance Month proclamation.
Superintendent-designated spotlights highlighted bus drivers, custodians, paraprofessionals, library assistants and other classified employees from schools including Williams, Baldwin, Hayden, Jenny Dean, Osborne and Round Elementary. Miss Catala (Jenny Dean Elementary) was announced as the division’s 2026 Rise award winner and the board invited all honorees to the MCPS Evening of Excellence on April 23.
Following the awards, Miss Erica Lo, the division’s special education and related services director, read an excerpt from Julia Cook’s 'Uniquely Wired' and spoke about shifting from awareness to acceptance. The board reviewed and adopted a proclamation recognizing April 2026 as Autism Acceptance Month in Manassas City Public Schools and reaffirming the division’s commitment to inclusion, identity-affirming language and incorporating autistic voices into decision-making.
Board members thanked honorees, reminded the public of a group photo and community recognition events, and noted related upcoming community activities.
