Washington County Public Schools (WCPS), in partnership with the Education Foundation of WCPS, announces Elizabeth Sirbaugh is the 2023 Educational Support Personnel (ESP) of the Year! Sirbaugh is a special education paraprofessional at Boonsboro Elementary School and has been serving WCPS students for 23 years. Sirbaugh was announced as the winner at a ceremony held at Cortland Mansion on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. 

“Washington County Public Schools is extremely proud to have Elizabeth Sirbaugh represent our ESP employees as the ESP of the Year,” says Dr. David Sovine, superintendent of schools. “In her role, Beth goes above and beyond to educate children with diverse needs, and she takes initiative to continually pursue new and innovative strategies to help all students learn at their highest abilities. She is clearly passionate about her work, and she is an inspiration to both students and her colleagues.”

Sirbaugh is a graduate of South Hagerstown High School and Hagerstown Community College. Before joining WCPS, she served as a children’s pastor. She continues to be very active in her church, where she often fills volunteer roles supporting children and families. She became active in the Boonsboro Elementary School community when her first daughter entered school, and she later became a paraprofessional in 1999.

“The students are the reason I show up every day. My reward is their accomplishments,” Sirbaugh says. “I enjoy finding new ways to teach skills to students with varying needs. I love researching different ways to instruct students depending on their educational needs and collaborate with the team of teachers in order to find what works best for the students. The joy on their faces when they realize they are able to complete a task that has been such a challenge for them is affirmation that my job has meaning.”

Sirbaugh was one of five finalists representing the areas of Educational Support Personnel. The finalists include:

• Chris Collins, Principal Secretary at E. Russell Hicks Middle School (represents Clerical Support)
• Daniel Olson, Head Custodian II at Boonsboro Elementary School (represents Maintenance and Operations)
• Elizabeth Sirbaugh, Special Education Paraprofessional at Boonsboro Elementary School (represents Student Support)
• Crystal Tobery, Kitchen Manager at Boonsboro High School (represents Food and Nutrition Services)
• Wayne Trapp, Bus Driver (represents Transportation)

ESP of the Year is conducted in partnership with the Education Foundation of WCPS.