On June 12, 2014, an awards dinner honored San Joaquin County Classified School Employees of the Year for their dedication and service to students. Premier Community Credit Union and San Joaquin County Office of Education sponsored the celebration.
Child Nutrition: Eunice Steves
George McParland Elementary School, Manteca Unified School District
Steves cooks up a safe place, where students receive the love, attention, and nutrition they need to do their best every day. As the main kitchen operator, she is committed to producing quality food and holds her team to the highest standard. Steves’ supervisor, Sandy Hensel, compliments her work style, “Eunice recognizes the need and benefit to concentrate on people rather than tasks.”
Transportation: Lisa Bonham
Linden Unified School District
As an advocate for students, Bonham shows her love for students as a bus driver who goes above and beyond. She cares for students as her own, attends special events outside of her regular day, and uses her infectious smile to brighten their day.
Para-Educator and Instructional Assistant: Dacia Goodwin
Stella Brockman Elementary School, San Joaquin County Office of Education
Goodwin works with students in kindergarten through third-grade, as an instructional assistant for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. One of her strengths is her ability to break down the short-term goals for the students to meet the needs of each individual student. She always maintains a positive attitude and gives the students positive reinforcement to work hard and maintain appropriate behavior. In addition, Goodwin is a wonderful role model for students, as she herself is deaf. As an avid reader, Goodwin shows students that although reading and writing in English can be a challenge for students who use American Sign Language (ASL) as their “speaking” language—it can be done. “As a deaf person, she shows kids that they can be successful Deaf adults with families, careers, and aspirations that are achievable,” said teacher Samantha Coughlin. “In fact, she shows them every day that you can do everything a hearing person can do except hear!”
Maintenance, Operations, & Facilities: Ronnie LeMay
Mossdale Elementary School, Manteca Unified School District
LeMay is described as an effervescent person who puts people first. His Principal, Susan Sanders shared that, “Ronnie was the first person I hired when we opened the school seven years ago and there is never a day, a moment or a second that I regret that decision. His work is the highest caliber I have seen as an educator.”
Office and Technical: Joseph Fiori
Information Services, Stockton Unified School District
Fiori is a successful database applications analyst, simultaneously navigating the human resource data system, as well as the financial and business system. He demonstrates the ability to “think outside the box” and be flexible when faced with challenges. Craig Wells, the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources stated, “Joseph has excellent leadership skills and the ability to motivate and collaborate with those involved in a project.”
Support Services and Security: Patty Atkins
Linden Elementary School, Linden Unified School District
Atkins is a school nurse whose work goes beyond fixing scrapped knees and attending to immunization records. In addition to scoliosis testing, she administers vaccines, establishes health plans for medically fragile children, and communicates with families about their child’s health. Atkins is known for her dedication and commitment to the health of students and staff.
Click here to watch them tell their stories.