Samantha Malone, lead teacher at the Plambeck Early Childhood Education Center, received the University of Nebraska Board of Regents KUDOS award during Thursday’s meeting.
KUDOS awards recognize university staff for their professional expertise, service and “superior dedication” to UNK and the University of Nebraska. It is the university’s top staff award.
Malone has continuously set new standards in support of the university mission and the work being done at the Plambeck Center. Throughout every transition and challenge, she has remained committed, adaptable and overwhelmingly positive.
She started at the center as an office associate then became a behavior specialist focusing on addressing challenging behaviors through the Pyramid Model using positive support. Utilizing her background in occupational therapy, she worked closely with Plambeck Center Director Chelsea Bartling to develop strategies for behavior support for classroom teachers and students. She then transitioned into the role of lead teacher in the infant classroom.
Malone’s impact is felt by the youngest learners and their families as she provides a nurturing, supportive environment for infants while helping families navigate the experience of leaving their babies in care for the first time. Her dedication is deepened by her personal experiences as the mother of a NICU micro-preemie. The invaluable knowledge and training she gained related to infant development, feeding support and family-centered care are things she now brings to her classroom every day. She also serves as a role model and mentor for the UNK students who work in her room.
Malone is currently working toward a degree in education. She still assists the director with behavior-related concerns as needed, provides behavior intervention materials and social stories to classroom teachers and contributes office support through administrative tasks. Her willingness to step in where needed, combined with her expertise, compassion and dedication, makes her an invaluable member of the Plambeck Center team.