Thirty-four BUSD teachers and staff were recognized on Sunday as “Outstanding Educators”, at Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist Church’s annual Education Sunday. Twenty-two of the honorees were able to attend one of two services during which they were recognized as 2014 Outstanding Educators. Many BUSD administrators were on hand to witness the celebration, and were recognized with a record of 30 certificates presented at the two services. See the list of 2014 Outstanding Educators and their nominators below.
Stating that it is important to take the time to recognize the efforts of the outstanding people we work with, and to express that recognition, the Reverend Dr. Marvis Peoples honored all of the nominators with certificates as well.
Superintendent Donald Evans and board members Karen Hemphill and Julie Sinai attended the second service, and Dr. Evans was asked to give the morning message. He joked about the challenge of taking to the pulpit without a lot of notice, then proceeded to reach out to everyone in the room. Check out photos of Education Sunday and the Superintendent’s message.
Superintendent Evans at Liberty Hill Education Sunday Video
Liberty Hill Education Sunday 2014 Photos
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Education Sunday
2014 BUSD Outstanding Educators
1. Skyler Barton, BHS College Counselor
2. David LUU from Berkeley high OCI team
3. Stefani Woolridge, Kindergarten Teacher
4. Joceyln Foreman, Family Engagement Site Coordinator
5. Lisa VonBlanckensee, English Language Development teacher
6. Susanne Reed, first grade teacher
7. Rochelle Arucan, Coordinator – Jefferson After School Zone
8. Barbara Wenger, 4th grade teacher
9. Takisha Gibson, Special Education Instructional Assistant
10. Jai Waggoner, Malcolm X Visual Arts
11. Valerie Gutwirth John Muir Dance
12. Rosemary Hannon Cragmont Dance
13. Anna Rainer Oxford Visual Arts
14. Chris Harrell, Vice Principal
15. Marie Joiner, Academic Counselor
16. Rosina Keren, Counselor
17. James Pawlak, Sixth Grade Teacher
18. Christina Balch, Teacher
19. Louise Harm, Teacher
20. Robert Borton, Teacher
21. Wendy Hoben, Adult School Teacher
22. Tara Jones , Substitute Secretary
23. Toska McQueen, All-Around Substitute
24. Erinn Tibbetts, Speech And Language Professional
25. Alex Hunt, Principal
26. Ly Vo, Special Education Records Clerk
27. Geraldine Morgan, Administrative Coordinator for Business and Operations
28. Jane Kaer, Educational Specialist
29. Sylvia Riddick, Secretary at Thousand Oaks Elementary School
30. Medha Garg, an Innovative Service Provider
31. Mark Coplan, BUSD Public Information Officer
32. Susi Lopez-Platt, Spanish for Native Speakers Program
33. Denise Diggs-Ray – Administrative Secretary, Student Services
34. Sophina Joyes – McKinney-Vento Counselor (Homeless Students)
List of Nominators
1. Pasquale Scuderi, Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
2. Susan Hodge, Emerson Principal
3. Charity DaMarto, Supervisor Family Engagement & Equity
4. Maggie Riddle, Director of Schools
5. Suzanne McCulloch, Supervisor Visual and Performing Arts
6. Pat Saddler, Director of Special Projects
7. Marcos Garcia, Longfellow Principal
8. Debbi Dean, Willard Principal
9. Edith Smiley Independent Studies Principal
10. Burr Gutherie Adult School Principal
11. Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
12. Susan Craig Director of Student Services
Education Sunday 2014 BUSD Outstanding Educators – The Nominations
I want to nominate Skyler Barton, BHS College Counselor who is shepherding students through this critical process, connecting them to the best schools. – Pasquale Scuderi, Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
I want to nominate David LUU from the Berkeley High OCI Team. David works long hours brings a calm and compassionate demeanor to some of the absolutely most turbulent and emotional situations on campus at times. One of the most professional and personable guys I know who does a job that is often overlooked when we talk about education. – Pasquale Scuderi, Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
I want to recognize Stefani Woolridge, Kindergarten Teacher at Emerson School as a Liberty Hill 2014 Outstanding Educator because of her amazing contributions to our school. She began at Emerson as a fourth grade teacher in 1995, transitioned to teaching Kindergarten in 2004, and has thrived at Kindergarten for the last 10 years. Stefani is incredibly well organized, patient, and hardworking. She has been an outstanding grade level collaborator, a solid union representative for the credentialed staff, and a wonderful Mentor and Support Provider to new teachers. The students in her classroom work hard and laugh often. Parents appreciate her support and her open-mindedness. We are all thankful for her courage, her honest, and her heart. – Susan Hodge, Emerson Principal
I nominate Jocelyn Foreman, she worked as an IA at John Muir and has been promoted to Site Coordinator at John Muir and Malcolm X. Jocelyn is always available for families and to support teachers, the principal and site staff. She is an advocate and is very passionate about her job. – Charity DaMarto, Supervisor Family Engagement & Equity
I would like to nominate English Language Development teacher Lisa Von Blanckensee, who is at Jefferson. Lisa joined BUSD last year and immediately began strong work with the parents/guardians of English language learners to form a very strong, culturally responsive English Language Advisory Council. The ELAC met throughout the school year, building community, creating a place for parents/guardians to connect and talk about the learning of their children, and to celebrate the tremendous diversity of our international community. – Maggie Riddle, Director of Schools
I would like to nominate teacher Susanne Reed who is a first grade teacher at Jefferson School. She is the Equity Teacher Leader for Jefferson and organized the College and Career Day and led staff wide work building equitable instructional strategies and opportunities to address the opportunity gap at Jefferson for students of color. Susanne Reed is also an excellent, collaborative team member on the primary grade team. – Maggie Riddle, Director of Schools
I would like to nominate Rochelle Arucan, Coordinator of the Jefferson After School Zone (JAZ) program for her devotion to high quality after school care for Jefferson School’s children. Rochelle has worked endless hours to create an excellent after school program for TK-5th grade students at Jefferson School. Jefferson does not have the district’s LEARNS program so she’s had to rely on her incredible energy, passion for quality programming, and her creativity to forge a program that offers academic support, enrichment, sports, and active play. JAZ is growing by leaps and bounds! – Maggie Riddle, Director of Schools
I would like to nominate 4th grade teacher Barbara Wenger for her stellar teaching, constant quest to meet students diverse needs, engagement with families and her work on the 4th grade district wide literacy team. Barb’s project during the 13-14 school year was to research the impact of post traumatic stress syndrome on elementary students. Barb tried a variety of strategies designed to help students who have experienced trauma be increasingly successful in the classroom. Barb will continue this important work this school year as well.
I would like to nominate Takisha Gibson, a Special Education Instructional Assistant at Jefferson School for her outstanding support of students she served in 1:1 , small group and classroom wide groupings. Takisha works with our most educationally vulnerable children, helping them access higher levels of learning, and helping them to be an important part of the classroom community. Takisha’s patience, skills in supervision and support, make her a most valuable staff member. – Maggie Riddle, Director of Schools
I wish to nominate some of the long-time Arts Anchor teachers in BUSD: Jai Waggoner (Malcolm X visual arts), Valerie Gutwirth (John Muir dance), Rosemary Hannon (Cragmont dance) and Anna Rainer (Oxford visual arts). All have worked tirelessly with students to not only teach students the skills and techniques of dance or visual art but also to guide students in creating and expressing understanding in new and different ways. The have worked with the classroom teachers at their sites, planning and coaching them to integrate their art forms into the other core subjects. – Suzanne McCulloch, Supervisor Visual and Performing Arts
We would like to nominate Chris Harrell, Vice Principal; Marie Joiner, Academic Counselor and Rosina Keren, Counselor as outstanding educators for all that they do, individually and as a phenomenal team, for Longfellow students. – Pat Saddler, Director of Special Projects and Marcos Garcia, Longfellow Principal
I nominate James Pawlak from Willard as an Outstanding Educator. He teaches 6th grade core ELA and History. He also has a leadership class for the 7th and 8th grade students. The leadership skills he teaches will serve them in school and for life! – Debbi Dean, Willard Principal
I would like to nominate Christina Balch, Louise Harm and Robert Borton as Outstanding Educators. – Edith Smiley, Independent Studies Principal
I nominate Wendy Hoben as an Outstanding Educator for 2014. Thank you Liberty Hill for giving me this opportunity to acknowledge a colleague whom I greatly respect for her commitment to everything she does. – Burr Gutherie Adult School Principal
I nominate Tara Jones, a substitute secretary, who goes above and beyond in service to staff and students and always with a smile, as a 2014 Outstanding Educator. She works throughout the district and has rave reviews from all who work with her. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Toska McQueen, an all-around substitute, as an aide who works with students, as a secretary who also goes above and beyond in serving students and families with special needs as an Outstanding Educator. Toska troubleshoots as she sees need and follows through admirably. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Erinn Tibbetts, a speech and language professional who serves students with vigor, rigor and caring as well as being a team player – quite literally as coach of a Lacrosse team as an Outstanding Educator. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Alex Hunt – principal of Malcolm X Elementary School – a tireless advocate for students and families, deeply involved with all their needs as an Outstanding Educator. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Ly Vo – Special Education Records Clerk as an Outstanding Educator. She works beyond hard to maintain records and ensure that information is accurate and confidential. Ly’s record keeping supports staff involvement as well as keeping us accurate! – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Geraldine Morgan as an Outstanding Educator. As the Administrative Coordinator for Business and Operations, Gerri works hard to ensure a pleasant, cohesive workplace with her organization of collaborative pot lucks, timely distribution of information and organization and knowledge of services for the whole district. She has ready answers and responds quickly to inquiries. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Jane Kaer as an Outstanding Educator. She is an Educational Specialist who works to enlighten private schools of their responsibilities with students with special needs and works diligently to let the community – especially parents of students in private schools – know of the great services provided by Berkeley Unified. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Sylvia Riddick, Secretary at Thousand Oaks Elementary School, as an Outstanding Educator. She is a strong supporter of special education needs of students and always greets itinerant personnel, as well as visitors, with warmth and consideration. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Medha Garg as an Outstanding Educator. Medha is an innovative service provider who thinks outside of the traditional boxes to provide authentic experiences for all students to be engaged in learning – at whatever level they can individually access. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I nominate Mark Coplan as an Outstanding Educator. Mark is a cheerleader who uses his camera to support the positive interactions of our district and community. His involvement in community activities never fails to promote Berkeley Unified School District. – Elaine Egar, Supervisor Special Education
I would like to nominate Susi Lopez-Platt as an Outstanding Educator. She is determined to make the Spanish for Native Speakers program the best in the nation. Since she started working with the students in SNS and AP/IB Spanish she has fully implemented the use of Academic Language Structure and Constructing Meaning. She goes above and beyond to make connections to students and their families. – Janelle Bugarini, Teacher
I nominate Denise Diggs-Ray – Administrative Secretary, Student Services as an Outstanding Educator. Denise is the first contact for most families who come to Student Services for assistance, often with serious problems and concerns. She is unwavering in her ability to be caring, compassionate, and supportive to all parents/guardians, and students who come to the office. She is skilled at listening, de-escalating individuals who are highly emotional, and problem solving. – Susan Craig Director of Student Services
I nominate Sophina Joyes – McKinney-Vento Counselor – Sophina` provides resources and support for the many families in BUSD who are in temporary housing. Her effervescent personality is a breath of fresh air to families who are going through extremely difficult times. She exudes empathy and consistently goes the extra mile to ensure that BUSD’s students and families in temporary housing get as much help as possible to ensure that they are welcomed and successful in BUSD schools. – Susan Craig Director of Student Services
