Classified Employees of the Year and nominees a ‘class act’

By Greg Mellen

It was a classy night all the way through, from the pre-ceremony music by the four-piece Tesoro High School Jazz Combo to the standing ovation at the event’s end. In between, 101 nominees, including individual winners in nine categories, were celebrated at the annual Classified Employee of the Year Awards at the Capistrano Valley High School Theater.

The event recognizes the non-teaching staff that make up more than half of the 4,000 employees in the Capistrano Unified School District. In addition to the nominees, families, co-workers and supporters filled the 450-seat theater.

“You are the backbone of the schools and operations,” said Interim Superintendent Clark Hampton. “We hear about it out in public and behind the scenes.”

Krista Castellanos, President of the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, said classified employees are integral in bolstering students and that behind the students, “there are adults who care about them and help them go above and beyond themselves.”

Ronda Walen, California School Employees Association Chapter 24 President, imagined a district without classified employees and saw collapsing infrastructure, closed libraries and offices, inadequate supervision, and benign without proper supplies or working technology.

Before the District honorees were announced, the District recognized Josephine Walberg, a paraeducator at the Adult Transition Program. Walberg, who won at the District level last year, was named the Orange County Classified Employee of the Year in her category. She advanced to the state competition but did not win.

At the Capistrano High event, winners were named in the following categories:

• Clerical and Administrative Services
• Food and Nutrition Services
• Custodial and Maintenance Services
• Paraprofessionals
• Health and Student Services
• Technical Services
• Security Services
• Transportation Services
• Skilled Trades

Winners were chosen by an 11-member selection committee.

Dianne Landeros, a 23-year employee and Office Manager at Marblehead Elementary, was chosen in Clerical and Administrative Services. The category featured 22 nominees, including secretaries, office managers, clerks, and others.

Landeros stood out for “keeping us organized and connected,” according to her nomination, as well as for making Marblehead welcoming as the face of the school with a positive attitude. She also was a volunteer with the school’s social committee and a mentor for the Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership.

Although his formal title is as an HVAC Assistant in Maintenance and Operations, Roberto Gonzalez is a leader in Skilled Trades, which received six nominations for the category open to technicians, carpenters, plumbers, painters, and heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) systems workers.

According to his nomination, Gonzalez had skills that led higher level technicians to seek his advice and help. Gonzalez also received high marks for keeping systems working and cleaning up during this year’s winter storms.

A 16-year employee, Jennifer Lantz is the Lead Food Service Professional at San Juan Hills High, overseeing the lunch programs at four schools. She was the winner in the Food and Nutrition Services category among six nominees. Noted for being “very particular,” Lantz’s nomination said, “She knows meals help students be successful today and every day.”

The Paraprofessionals category was the largest, with 34 nominees, including paraeducators and behavior support personnel. Speech and language pathologists, aides, and certain teachers are also eligible for this category.

Patricia “Trish” Ponce, who received multiple nominations, rose to the top of the class. A 6-year employee, the Paraeducator IV at San Juan Hills High was lauded for her love of arts and bringing that into her art lessons. She also has a bright personality and was recognized for organizing a “Friendsgiving” celebration.

At CUSD, the diligent workers in Technology Information Services are responsible for responding to thousands of tickets for service and repair.

Research/Evaluation Analyst Ann Singleton-Tademy received multiple nominations for her work. A 19-year employee for the district, more than nine in her current department, she was cited for “keeping managers updated” and providing proactive suggestions. She also showed particular skill in researching and analyzing data.

The nod in Health and Student Services, which includes nurses and community liaisons, went to Cesar Reategui, a Bilingual Community Liaison at Dana Hills High. Reategui was praised for his ability to increase the involvement and engagement of parents, particularly those with limited English, with their children’s academic careers. The 15-year employee is also involved in a number of charity projects, including Cinderella’s Closet, which help juniors and seniors obtain gowns for their proms.

Keeping the trains or, in this case, buses running on time is no small feat, especially with 147,000 school trips and 22,000 field trips scheduled each year in the district. Transportation is tasked with that responsibility, and this year’s Employee of the Year in that category is Bonnie McKinnon.

A Bus Driver and Route Specialist for six years, McKinnon has worn many hats in the department, including training dispatchers. She was cited for her collaborative ethic and for creating detailed plans to keep drivers on route and on schedule. In her spare time, McKinnon has volunteered as a grief counselor.

Campus and Student Supervisors are key players in safety in schools and were the nominees in the Security Services category. The winner in the category was Wendy Nguyen, an 8-year employee and Middle School Campus Supervisor at Don Juan Avila Middle School. She supervises and maintains order in the parking lot during student drop-off and pick-up times.

Norberto Mejia, a Custodian III at Chaparral Elementary School, is notable for his infectious smile and can-do attitude, which helped him earn recognition in the Custodial and Maintenance Services category, which included custodians, groundskeepers, and pool maintenance workers.

“You take pride in your work and do it with a smile and positive attitude,” wrote Mejia’s nominator. Mejia is an eight-year employee and was also praised for helping Chaparral feel connected.

The full list of nominees is below.

Clerical and Administrative Services

Kristin Arias, Special Education Series

Karen Bucknam, Capo High

Wendy Buhrmaster, Moulton Elementary

Linda Cooper, Reilly Elementary

Gina Cornish, Wagon Wheel

Ela Deykes, Reilly Elementary

Bianca Gomez, Capo Valley High

Sharon Hall, Technology Services

Felix Hernandez, Union High

Donna Horn, Tesoro High

Tracy Johannes, Lobo Elementary

Verna Kanamori, Canyon Vista Elementary

Dianne Landeros, Marblehead Elementary

Janine Lewis, Malcom Elementary

Terry Marr, Niguel Hills Middle

Kerri Maxwell, Arroyo Vista K-8

Jennifer Presley, Education Services

Rebecca Roach, Arroyo Vista K-8

Sandra Seyedjafari, Ladera Ranch Middle

Amber Smith, San Clemente High

Heidi Tyler, Capistrano Valley High

Marla Weiske, Esencia K-8

Skilled Trades

Frank Anaya, Maintenance and Operations

Norman Bomgaars, Maintenance and Operations

Robert Cunningham, Maintenance and Operations

Alejandro Figueroa Fitz, Maintenance and Operations

Jose Garcia, Maintenance and Operations

Roberto Gonzalez, Maintenance and Operations

Food and Nutrition Services

Kerri Doyle, Wagon Wheel Elementary

Shari Flatley, San Clemente High

Sarah Gallo, Marco Forster Middle

Elizabeth Labbe Howard, Don Juan Avila Middle

Jennifer Lantz, San Juan Hills High

Marcela Perez, Las Palmas Elementary

Paraprofessionals

Joana Albertini, Kinoshita Elementary

Dana Alsamman, Reilly Elementary

Kristina Ayon, Chaparral Elementary

Randi Benner, Dana Hills High

Alissa Boland, Niguel Hills Middle

Mitravinda Burns, Transportation

Isabelle Choquehuanca, Malcom Elementary

Sandra Clark, Chaparral Elementary

Kimberly Doering, Transportation

Ruth Dormaier, Del Obispo Elementary

Michelle Economos, Kinoshita Elementary

Lisa Fryar, Adult Transition Program

Norma Garcia, Chaparral Elementary

Alegra Garduno, Dana Hills High

Jessica Golden, Clarence Lobo Elementary

Miriam Guthary, Dana ENF

Robin Harris, Dana Hills High

Haydeh Hekmat, Dana Hills High

Lyndsey Jentsch, Tijeras Creek Elementary

Eli Jones, Don Juan Avila Middle

Linda Kmett, Ayer Middle

Elena Lange, Concordia Elementary

Mariana Larios, George White Elementary

Nancy Larkin, Union High

Kathy McCoy, Hidden Hills Elementary

Jacqueline Mickle, Canyon Vista Elementary

Maria Oyarzabal, Viejo Elementary

Tina Panning-Lbate, Ambuehl Elementary

Rebecca Peterson, Malcom Elementary

Patricia Ponce, San Juan Hills High

Areli Quijivix, Viejo Elementary

Liz Schmitzer, Ambuehl Elementary

Angela Thompson, Aliso Viejo Middle

Juanita Whyte, Wagon Wheel Elementary

Technical Services

Miguel Castillo, Technology Information Services

Cindy Hamilton, Technology Information Services

Tina Messineo, Technology Information Services

Ann Singleton-Tademy, Technology Information Services

Health and Student Services

Maria L. Bonilla, Viejo Elementary

Rosemary Karanja, Marco Forster Middle

Cesar Reategui, Dana Hills High

Nancy Spector, Lobo Elementary

Transportation

Edwin Fuentes

Dolores Gonzales

Mike Johnson

Louis Maull

Bonnie McKinnon

Molly Thoman

Security Services

Perla Gonzalez, Viejo Elementary

Claudia Mendez, San Juan Elementary

Wendy Nguyen, Don Juan Avila Middle

Debbie Reynolds, Capistrano Valley High

Kristin Stairs, Moulton Elementary

Elizabeth Sullivan, Ayers Middle

Custodial and Maintenance Services

Luis Araujo, Oak Grove Elementary

Ramiro Arce, Maintenance and Operations

Brian Biggs, Lead Groundskeeper

Marcos Caudillo, Groundskeeper

James Galvan, San Clemente High

Rafael Gutierrez, Shorecliffs Elementary

Brett Huizar, Grounds Equipment

Norberto Mejia, Chaparral Elementary

Isaac Morales, San Clemente High

Elmer Sangalang, Viejo Elementary

John Sangalang, San Juan Hills High

Anibal Santos-Maldona, Las Flores Middle

Victor Torres, Wood Canyon Elementary

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