Moreland School District Honors Employees and Volunteers of Year on Tuesday

Students, parents and teachers spilled out the doors of Moreland School District’s board room for its annual volunteer and staff recognition ceremony on Tuesday evening.

The district’s five schools, as well as the district office, granted awards for Volunteer of the Year, Classified Employee of the Year and Teacher of the Year. The principals of the schools presented the individual awards, often through poems they created, and handed the recipients flowers.

“Teaching 600 students is not an easy task, but when they all love you, it’s not so much to ask,” rhymed Baker Elementary School principal Ann Doumanian to Teacher of the Year Ruth Mathewson, a performing arts teacher at Baker. Mathewson was later honored among the district’s six retirees.

Some of the grantees used other creative devices in their presentations, such as Moreland Middle School Assistant Principal Jamal Splane, who handed out the awards by imitating the TV show The Bachelor.

“I’ve been agonizing about this all night,” said Splane, tilting his head down for a dramatic effect and eliciting laughter from the audience. He then handed roses to “his choices”: Volunteer of the Year Amy Bencomo, Classified Employee of the Year Janet Solano and Teacher of the Year Hilary Gill.

Other presentations, such as those of Anderson Elementary School, were personalized to the awardees. Principal Tasha Quinonez presented Volunteer of the Year Hermenia Linares an award twice—once in English and once in Spanish.

The district's new superintendent, Mark Barmore, was also introduced to the audience. "I can't wait to get started," he said, stepping up to the podium following clapping from the audience. Former Superintendent Glen Ishiwata, also honored as District Management/Confidential Employee of the Year, is retiring.

There was a reception for the awardees and their audience members, who mingled in the lobby of the district office over slices of cake.

Below is a list of award winners:

Anderson Elementary School

Volunteer of the Year: Hermenia Linares

Classified Employee of the Year: Christine Windberg

Teacher of the Year: Dana Schreiber-Berman

Baker Elementary School

Volunteer of the Year: Kelly Phillips

Classified Employee of the Year: Sharon Myers

Teacher of the Year: Marcia Landis

Country Lane Elementary School

Teacher of the Year: Marcia Landis

Classifed Employee of the Year: Sharon Myers

Volunteer of the Year: Shelly Phillips

Easterbrook Discovery

Volunteer of the Year: Pete Barenbrugge

Classifed Employee of the Year: Beckie Marini

Teacher of the Year: Rebecca Nichols

Payne Elementary School

Volunteer of the Year: Jayne Cunanan

Classified Employee of the Year: Tony Quetives

Teacher of the Year: Wendy Johnson

Moreland Middle School

Volunteer of the Year: Amy Bencomo

Classified Employee of the Year: Janet Solano

Teacher of the Year: Hilary Gill

District Office

Volunteer of the Year: Dick Hilding

Classifed Employee of the Year: Sue Winklebleck

District-Wide Awards

District Volunteer of the Year: Dick Hilding

District Classified Employee of the Year: Christine Windberg

District Teacher of the Year: Rebecca Nichols

District Management/Confidential Employee of the Year: Glen Ishiwata

Retirees

Susan Beeson, Purchasing, District Office

Linda Cristol, Preschool Teacher, Anderson

Sue Howard, Teacher, Anderson

Mina Lunt, Teacher, Moreland Middle

Ruth Mathewson, Teacher, Baker

Glen Ishiwata, Superintendent, District Office