News

On September 26, the Yolo County School Boards Association (YCSBA) honored county recipients during its annual ‘Excellence in Education Awards’. This year’s event was held in person at the Yolo County Office of Education, located at 1280 Santa Anita Court in Woodland.

The annual award ceremony recognizes programs and leadership excellence from the five school districts across Yolo County, plus individuals and programs from the Yolo County Office of Education and the Los Rios and Yuba Community College districts.

Erica Chung, a teacher at Woodland High School, was announced as the 2022-2023 Yolo County Teacher of the Year. She will represent the county in the statewide Teacher of the Year program through the California Department of Education.

Chung has worked for the Woodland Joint Unified School District since 2001 and this school year marks her 22nd year of teaching. After earning her teaching credential from Sacramento State in 2001, Chung started as an English teacher at Douglass Junior High School before transferring to Woodland High School in 2003.

The individuals to be recognized during the ceremony include:

Yolo County Office of Education 

• Individual Award: Debra Hinely, Director, Internal Fiscal Services, YCOE
• Program Award: “First Steps Infant Program” (Program Leader: Lisa Young, Principal)
• Classified School Employee of the Year Awards:
  • Clerical and Administrative Services: Sonia Pizano, Program Data Analyst, YCOE
  • Custodial and Maintenance Services: Miguel Medina, Custodian, YCOE
  • Health and Student Services: Amelia Abonce-Rodriguez, Family Support Specialist, Head Start Program
  • Skilled Trade Services: Darin Tidball, Senior Maintenance Technician, YCOE
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees:
  • Elementary Grades K-6 Teacher: Lois DeRosier, Teacher, Head Start Program, Greengate Center
  • Alternative Education School Teacher: Tomás Montoya, Career and Technical Education Teacher, Cesar Chavez Community School

Davis Joint Unified School District 

• Individual Awards:
  • Gay Bourguignon, Principal, Patwin Elementary School
  • Monica Roque, Executive Assistant, Davis Joint Unified
• Program Award: “Dual Enrollment Program ” (Program Leader: Mayra Chavez, Davis Joint Unified)
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees (Elementary Grades K-6):
  • Alma Drabkin, Paraeducator, Pioneer Elementary School
  • Karen Fingerman, Teacher, North Davis Elementary School
  • Amy George, Teacher, Birch Lane Elementary School
  • Ellie Miller, Teacher, Birch Lane Elementary School
  • Stephanie Moore-Tealdi, Teacher, Patwin Elementary School
  • Nancy Sanchez, Elementary Music Coordinator, Davis Joint Unified
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees (Secondary Grades 7-12):
  • Gretchen Conners, Social Studies Teacher, Da Vinci Charter Academy
  • Katie Herrick-Jasper, English Language Development Teacher, Harper Junior High
  • Ken McKim, Science Teacher, Teacher, Harper Junior High
  • Jeanne Reeve, English Teacher, Holmes Junior High
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees (Alternative Education):
  • Jolanda Blackwell, Science Teacher, Martin Luther King, Jr. High School
  • Flor Diaz, Paraeducator, Martin Luther King, Jr. High School
  • Wesley Ruff, Teacher, Martin Luther King, Jr. High School
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees (Student Services Credentialed):
  • Susie Carrell, Counselor, Birch Lane Elementary School
  • Grace Keller, Librarian, Pioneer Elementary School
  • Karla Mahoney, Nurse, Davis Joint Unified
  • Jackie Orozco, Counselor, Harper Junior High
  • August Page, Campus Safety Supervisor, Davis Joint Unified
• Classified School Employee of the Year Award:
  • Clerical and Administrative Services: Diane Rubin, Site Administrative Assistant, Davis Joint Unified

Esparto Unified School District 

• Individual Award: Lupe Trejo, School Secretary, Esparto High School
• Program Award: “RISE, Inc.” (Program Leader: Dr. Tico Zendejas, Executive Director, and Laura Guevara, After School Program Coordinator)
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardee:
  • Elementary Grades K-6 Teacher: Tracy Anderson, Teacher, Esparto Elementary School

Los Rios Community College District 

• Individual Award: Natalya Lodzhanskiy, Student Personnel Assistant, West Sacramento Center
• Program Award: “Aviation Program” (Program Leaders: Tom Burg, Davis Center)

Washington Unified School District

• Individual Award: Kristin Rodriguez, Principal, Riverbank Elementary School
• Classified School Employee of the Year Awards:
  • Clerical and Administrative Services: Julia Moseychuk, Payroll and Benefits Technician, Washington Unified
  • Custodial and Maintenance Services: Leslie Martin, Site Utility Worker, Washington Middle College High School and Bryte Career and College Training
  • Health and Student Services: Eli Leon, Youth Outreach Specialist, Washington Unified
  • Paraprofessional Services: Rosa Pacheco, Paraeducator, Special Education, Westmore Oaks Elementary School
  • Security Services: Deanna Galvan, Campus Aide Monitor, Stonegate Elementary School
  • Skilled Trade Services: Edward Skachkov, Operations Supervisor, Washington Unified
  • Technical Services: Christy Jourdan, Educational Technology Support Technician, Washington Unified
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees: 
  • Elementary Grades K-6 Teacher: Angela Williams, Teacher, Washington Unified
  • Secondary Grades 7-12 Teacher: Juliet Patrick, Teacher, Riverbank Elementary School 
  • Student Services Credentialed Teacher: Neli Mihov, School Psychologist, Westfield Village Elementary School and Stonegate Elementary School

Winters Joint Unified School District 

• Individual Award: Monica Moreno, Principal, Shirley Rominger Intermediate School
• Program Award: “Winters High School Culinary Arts” (Program Leader: Chris Novello, Teacher)
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees:
  • Elementary Grades K-6 Teacher: Elizabeth Carabez, Teacher, Shirley Rominger Intermediate School
  • Secondary Grades 7-12 Teacher: Rachael Calvert, Education Specialist, Teacher, Winters High School
  • Student Services Credentialed Teacher: Roxanne Delfino, District Nurse, Winters Joint Unified

Woodland Joint Unified School District 

• Individual Award: Rogelio Villagrana, Trustee, Board of Education
• Program Award: “Woodland Adult Education” (Program Leaders: Karen Liu, Principal)
• Salute to Educators Excellence Certificate Awardees: 
  • Elementary Grades K-6 Teacher: Patricia Welty, Teacher, Spring Lake Elementary School
  • Secondary Grades 7-12 Teacher: Whitney Leonardo, Agriculture Teacher, Pioneer High School
  • Alternative Education School Teacher: Cecilia Drissia, Teacher, Woodland Adult Education
  • Student Services Credentialed Teacher: Ashley Crawford, Special Education Teacher, Lee Middle School 

Yuba Community College District 

• Individual Award: Dr. Caren Fernandez, TRIO Director, Woodland Community College
• Program Award: “CommuniCare Health Centers” (Program Leaders: Aurora Cazares, Behavioral Health Clinician)

The Yolo County School Boards Association works to increase public awareness and appreciation of educational efforts in Yolo County. For more information on the Excellence in Education Awards, visit the YCSBA  website on the Yolo County Office of Education webpage at: www.ycoe.org/ycsba.