Joseph McKenzie's nominator would like to remain anonymous.
Mr. McKenzie, better known as Mr. Joe, will tell you he never thought he would end up working at an elementary school, but that it has been his absolute favorite job. When you ask him why it has been his favorite job, his response is always "The kids. They just make my day".
Mr. Joe is not only a head custodian. He is the face of Millingport Elementary and will proudly tell you Millingport is his school.
Mr. Joe greets all of the students every morning by meeting them at the car rider line and opening every door. When you come on campus, you can hear Mr. Joe saying "Good Morning, young lady," "Good Morning, boss man," "Good Morning, commander in chief." It goes on with, almost all students getting their own individual greeting.
Mr. Joe doesn't stop there. When it's raining, he will be out there with an umbrella so students don't get wet. He will even be out there in freezing temperatures to assist students out of their rides. He is a staple in the morning to start everyone's day on a positive note, and he is a familiar, trusted face who greets parents and guardians, as well.
Mr. Joe continues to make a positive impact throughout the day for all students and staff. As students move through the building, he gives them a friendly smile, high five, or fist bump, which makes their day. He helps staff by keeping things running, and he even goes out of his way to provide them with comforts such as a cooler of ice every morning in the lounge for them to use. The mail is always brought in and taken out to the mailbox by him, and he does so many other things, as well.
Mr. Joe is known to help with PTO events, from bringing the parts needed to fix a tractor for a hayride, to helping clean up after an event. He will even ride by the school on the weekend to make sure everything is how it should be. This past fall, he even let students decorate him like a human ice cream sundae and was cheered on by a gym full of students chanting his name.
If anyone at school needs something when he has already left for the day, he will tell you he is only a phone call away, and better yet, less than a mile away from the school. He would truly do anything to help anyone who crosses his path and to put a smile on their face.
"I am not sure how Millingport Elementary would ever function without Mr. Joe," said his nominator. "He truly gives his heart and soul to his job, the students and staff of Millingport Elementary, and to the Millingport community. We love Mr. Joe!"
Rain or shine, sleet or snow Mr Joe is always outside in the mornings to help our children begin their day. He has a different "nick"name for every child. From Mr President to Lil Lady they are all special!!! Staff and Parents both feel safe with Mr Joe around. He is on top of things when it comes to the safety of our school and community. He is the first one to arrive in the mornings and checks things out before anyone else arrives. He makes sure no one needs anything from him or his help before he leaves in the afternoon. Of all the work he does around the school, he will still tell you the kids are the reason he does it every day!!!
My children "graduated" from MES years ago and they still talk about Ol Mr Joe. Im sure he is still the same great man they remember. If anyone deserves this award it is surely Mr. Joe
Mr Joe is awesome! I hope I can be the type of man he is
Mr Joe is a wonderful, kind and caring man. He takes great care of the kids and staff at Millingport Elementary. He sure is a Life Changer in my eyes
Mr. Joe is wonderful! My children look forward to being greeted by him every morning and talk about how cool he is. He makes sure my children start the day on a positive notes and has even been a listening ear for me on some mornings lol. We just love him!
Mr. Joe is the man!!! We LOVE him!!!
Mr. Joe is definitely one of a kind. He is always cheerful and the kids love him. He is definitely the face of milingport elementary school. If there is one person who deserves this award he would be that person in my eyes. Just a wonderful human being.
HES THE NICEST MAN HE TREATS EVERY KID THE SAME EVERY MORNING WHEN HE OPENS THE CAR DOOR FOR THEM TO GO TO SCHOOL . AND IS ALWAYS HAPPY . THATS REALLY MAKES HIM A WINNER.
We love Mr Joe! He is the best person to start the morning off seeing and the kids get excited to tell him good morning every day!! He truly makes every child feel like he loves them and cares!!! There is no one better to win this award!!! We love us some Mr Joe!!!!
While my children have moved on to the upper grades, we sure so miss Mr. Joe. He greeted my children every morning and opened the car doors for them. My family has a running joke about my kids not knowing how to get out of a car until by themselves until middle school lol. Mr. Joe treats the children at Millingport as his own and does a parents heart good to see that first thing when leaving your child for the day. Mr. Joe is a wonderful man and deserves this award!
Mr Joe is a wonderful part of Millingport School! The care he has for the school shows in his dedication. I don’t think there isn’t a person at that school who doesn’t love Mr Joe!!!
Mr Joe is a great and kid man. My kids went through Millingport and they still love Mr Joe, When we see him out he still speaks to them, calling them by name, etc.
Mr Joe is truly a Life Changer
Joe is a great person and hard worker.
He makes the staff and students feel safe at school.
He says that Millingport is his school and it shows!
Everyone loves Mr Joe
We couldn’t make it without Mr. Joe!! He is the most helpful person I have ever met! He will do whatever needs to be done and is always volunteering to help me out with anything. He makes my day brighter and all the students. We all love Mr. Joe!
Mr. Joe is the best! The love and care he shows for the students and staff on a daily basis is admirable. He is always there to help with anything we need! We love our Mr. Joe!
Mr Joe is wonderful!!! Millingport is so blessed to have him. Even though my oldest has moved up to middle school anytime we go to the school and Mr Joe sees him he remembers and greets him the same as he did when he opened the car door when I dropped him off 3 years ago. He has a great smile and a heart of gold. Thank you Mr Joe for being the first face the kids see to start their days off right.
Mr. Joe is the absolute best. From a parent to now co-worker, I love getting to witness Mr. Joe welcoming the kids every morning. Any time you need help Mr. Joe is always there. We need more Mr. Joe's in this world.
Mr. Joe has truly made a difference at Millingport Elementary for our family. He is the face of the school when many students are dropped off and always around making us all comfortable. My 2 daughters love him and look forward to seeing him each day. He is professional, responsible, and if he left his post it truly would affect our families weekday life. He is a special man and we talk about him frequently. I cant nominate him more.
Chad
Mr. Joe is the man! You could not ask for a better person, and Millingport is for sure his school.
Mr. Joe is such a smiling, welcoming face in the mornings—-rain or shine!
Mr. Joe rocks!! He brightens my day every morning!! I walk into school smiling everyday!! He helps the students start off their day on the right foot!!!
Mr Joe sounds like a “keeper”!
Mr. Joe is always a happy smiling face to greet the kids every morning! He definitely makes a difference in their day! Thank you Mr. Joe for all you do!
Mr. Joe always brightened my day when I worked with him. He is one of the best!
He is amazing to all the kids.He makes there day.Thank you Mr Joe
My Son looks forward to seeing Mr .Joe in the Mornings when dropping him off at School, smiles when he says Good Morning school can get started now.
Mr. Joe LOVES Millingport Elementary. When he took my sister and I (he’s our brother) on a tour last year he just beamed with pride. He’s always talking about his kids, his staff - you are his family! He especially loves car rider duty and getting to greet the kids and parents...spreading his “Mr. Joe” cheer. To the anonymous person who nominated him, thank you for recognizing what a special person he is and the difference that he makes in the lives of everyone at Millingport Elementary. Love you Joe!
We ?? mr Joe!! He’s always there to start the day with a smile and awesome words of encouragement for our kiddos!!
I can truly say that Joe having this job has been a blessing to him but he doesn’t think of it as being a job but as a rewarding time five days a week.Every time we pass by the school he’ll say that’s my school and if we are out shopping or eating out and he sees any of the students or staff he just beams.He loves being a part of MES and being a part of the students lives.He is truly a loving and humble man I say this not because I’m his wife but because it’s true, and I know he was meant to be at MES because it has been good for him truly a blessing for Mr Joe!!
Mr.Joe is one of the nicest men I have ever met. All of the kids really look forward to seeing him every morning. He is so dedicated to his job, his community and the kids at Millingport Elementary!
I was working at Millingport when Mr. Joe started working there. From the very first day, he would go out of his way to be helpful, in addition to his regular duties!!
Mr. Joe has been a true gift to the school. He is a kind, generous person with a heart of gold!! The staff and students love him!
Mr. Joe is the best!! We love him!!
Mr. Joe is simply a blessing to us all...I have never entered Millingport with out being greeted by him or even walking the halls he always has a smile on his face...the kids absolutely love him mine for certain...Thank you Mr. Joe for all you do to make everyday start on a positive note for all students!!!!
Mr. Joe is the pure meaning of a joyful person. He cares for every child like his own. MES is blessed to have such a sweet soul! We ???????? Mr. Joe!
We all love Mr. Joe. He is a wonderful asset to our Millingport School. He has a heart of gold. He is always wanting to help and is there for staff and children. Mr Joe is the BEST ever! We love you Mr. Joe!
Every morning Mr. Joe, as he is lovingly called by staff and students at Millingport Elementary School, is standing at the front of the school to open the car door for each and every student being dropped off for the new school day. As soon as he opens the door he is greeting the student with a heartfelt smile and enthusiastic welcome. What a great beginning to the school day for those students! If he's not busy greeting the students he always greets the staff members as they walk by with the same smile and enthusiasm. He makes sure we have a safe and clean school, doing all with a smile. If we ever need anything he is there to help. He is the best! Thank you, Mr. Joe!!
Mr. Joe is the kindest, most thoughtful person. He always greets my son with a smile in the morning and even has several special nicknames he calls him. Rain, shine, sleet, or snow Joe is out there greeting all the kids. Millingport is a special school and Joe is a big part of the reason why!!
Mr. Joe is a vital part of Millingport-
the community and the school. It is a privilege to get to work with him every day and be part of the team with him. To be honest, I don’t know how I would do my job without him. He is right there any time you need him and will do anything to make Millingport Elementary a better place for students and staff. He is also there to make you smile and laugh during the tough days that help you make it through. He is loved and adored by many. He is definitely a LifeChanger in my eyes and I would say he also is to all of Millingport. Also, there is no one else I would have rather had by my side getting decorated like an human ice cream sundae with- I can still hear the students chanting Mr. Joe! We LOVE Mr. Joe!!!
I honestly don’t know what our school would do without Mr. Joe! He is such a wonderful, giving, and caring person. Anything the staff needs he is always there for us without any question. Just call on the walker and he’s on his way. First thing in the morning being greeted by him makes all of our days start off with a happy note. The students, parents, and staff love Mr. Joe.
Mr. Joe is such a wonderful asset to our school, so this is no surprise that he was nominated! He holds many roles at our school and never hesitates to help where needed. Whenever I have asked Mr. Joe to help me with something, he always responds with, "I'll get right on it." He helps where needed with a smile on his face, and never complains. We are very blessed to have such a caring individual at our school.
Mr. Joe is so deserving of this nomination and this award! He is such a big part of our school and really has a heart for these children.
Thank you !! Joe for all you do.
here at Millingport School we think the world of you!!!! Joe already has our classroom doors unlocked so we can just walk straight into our classroom and get our day started.
He always puts others before himself. He always has a smile on his face.
Hats off to Joe and Thank you, Mr. Joe! for all you do.
Congratulations well deserved ??
Mr. Joe is the most kind-hearted, loving, generous, caring and inspiring man I have ever met. He is always there for the staff at millingport and more importantly he is always there for the students. His personality is contagious. When arriving at school I am always greeted with a "good morning" and a big smile! We are so thankful and blessed to have mr joe at millingport!!
We absolutely love Mr. Joe & everything he does for the students & staff at Millingport. He greets all of the children every day & is always around at every event that we have. He helps PTO with so many things & his kindness & willingness to always help are so appreciated! The world needs more “Mr. Joe’s”!
We love Mr. Joe!! My kindergarten class looks for Mr. Joe each time we go out in the hall. They love to give him fist bumps when they meet him throughout the day. Not only do the students depend on him so does the staff. He goes far beyond his calling to help everyone whether it is a student, a parent, or a staff member. We are truly blessed to have him everyday at our school!!
Me Joe is always there to do whatever needs to be done. The best part of the day is having him greet each student as they arrive at school. Opens their door and ask how they are. Mr Joe we could not make it without you.
Mr. Joe goes above and beyond for the families, staff, and students at Millingport Elementary.
Mr. Joe is awesome! He has a helpful hand and a smile for everyone. He never complains and he goes above and beyond every day. The staff, students, and parents just love him!
Mr. Joe has a heart of gold. He is such a dedicated and hard working man. I know I can count on him for anything!! When he is greeting students in the morning, he also yells “good morning, young lady!!” to me as well. My students adore him. I don’t know what we would do at Millingport without Mr. Joe!
Mr. Joe goes over and beyond for our students and staff. He does so much more than what his job title entails and truly has his heart in the job. When we arrive at school Joe already has our classroom doors unlocked so we can just walk straight into our classroom and get our day started. He has helped me move countless things in my classroom and is always willing to help you out anyway he can without a single complaint. We don't have to move anything in our classroom at the end of the school year. He always tells us to leave everything the way it is and have a great summer. He really does spoil us! He has even watched my class so I can have a bathroom break! I don't think he realizes how much he does for our school and how much we all love him. The kids absolutely adore him and I couldn't think of a better role model for them to have at our school!
Impresses me every time I sub at millingport, he truly is mr millingport! Dlways the first person I see, come rain, sunshine, hot , cold , every day! Congratulations for being recognized!
Mr. Joe is a treasure. It is obvious that he sees his job as a calling and not a paycheck. We are grateful that he takes what is looked at as a thankless job and used it to make a difference in our children's lives. Thank you, Mr. Joe!
We love Mr.Joe ! He has always been so good to my kids and they love mr.joe he welcomes them every morning and makes our morning start off wonderful!
Mr Joe is the absolute best in every way! He helps my child get inside every morning With so much joy and encouragement. He is such a great example to how life can be positive and fun everyday! Thank you Mr Joe.
I absolutely adore Mr. Joe! He is always the first person to greet not only myself every morning, but the students at our school as well. He will be standing out in the circle driveway, to open car doors in any type of weather you can think of, just to greet each student personally everyday. You will not meet a more humble man than Mr. Joe. He always puts others before himself and will go above and beyond for anyone. I could not imagine our school without him. He is the face of Millingport Elementary!
I don't know how our school would run without Mr. Joe. He is always there for anything we need!
The staff love him! The students love him! The parents love him! If students do not see Mr. Joe in the mornings, they are sure to ask about him and let us know that we are not doing things the way Mr Joe does. (Which of course is the "right" way).
Mr. Joe has a heart of gold and is truly a life changer!
Three cheers for Mr. Joe!!
Mr. Joe is without a doubt the face of Millingport Elementary. He stands outside in the morning...no matter the weather...greeting each parent and child as if we are family! On the days I drive my daughter to school...he is the highlight of my day! Mr. Joe is a Life Changer! We adore you!
We love Mr.Joe and seeing his face every morning. We hope Mr.Joe receives this he has earned this and is the most humble person out there. Always has a smile om his face and if he is out he will tell the kids. "I missed you while I was gone" He is the heart of the school the kids love him
Thank you for ALL you do. My girls think the world of you!!!!
Mr. Joe has been a wonderful asset to Millingport School. We all love him.
