Dr. Deneen Guss, County Superintendent of Schools
Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year Awards
The Monterey County Office of Education honors our highly esteemed countywide Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year in each of our thirteen categories. All honorees were awarded in spring of 2023. In addition, all awardees will receive a $500 cash award made possible by the generous sponsorship of Chevron.
Teacher of the Year
The Teacher of the Year Program highlights educational innovation, student learning, and the rewards of teaching. The purpose of the Program is to honor the teaching profession and to heighten interest in teaching as a career. The program affords the opportunity to bring attention to teachers who successfully employ strategies to increase academic success and narrow the achievement gap among a range of students.
Teachers are selected based on, background experience and professional development activities, professional biography, student achievement, school-community involvement, and philosophy of teaching.
Classified School Employee of the Year
The Classified School Employee Program highlights nine significant categories that make serve Monterey County's education system. The purpose of this honorable recognition is to bring attention to employees who go above and beyond to make a positive impact in their categories of service.
Classified school employees are selected based on work performance, school and community involvement, leadership and commitment, local support, school image enhancement, and willingness to go above and beyond.
Elementary school Teacher of the Year and 2024 Monterey County Teacher of the Year Awardee!
Monterey County Teacher of the Year Award Winners
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Monterey County Classified School Employee of the Year Award Winners
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Monterey County Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year Nominees
Elementary School Teacher
Angel B. Villagomez, Greenfield Union School District, Mary Chapa Academy
Bernadette Rojas-Ramirez, Elementary School Teacher, Santa Rita Union School District
Janelle Read-Cap, Soledad Unified School District, San Vicente Elementary School
Jeff Goularte, Alisal Union School District, Dr. Oscar F. Loya Elementary School
Jill DeGrange, North Monterey County Unified School District, Castroville Elementary School
Juan Chavez, Salinas City Elementary School District, Roosevelt Elementary School
Tiffany Lewis, King City Union School District
Special Education Teacher
Chloe Zarza, Salinas Union High School District, Everett Alvarez High School
Vianna Espinoza, North Monterey County Unified School District
Clerical and Administrative Services
Alma Gonzales, Alisal Union School District
Angelica Amador, Soledad Unified School District
Ebelinda Jimenez, Santa Rita Union School District
Evette Jimenez, Gonzales Unified School District
Faviola Nieto, Monterey County Office of Education
Jesualda "Juju" Sousa Pennoni, North Monterey County Unified School District
Kenya Hobson, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Maria Arroyo, Greenfield Union School District
Ruby Gonzales, King City Union School District
Lorena Garcia, Salinas Union High School District
Custodial and Maintenance Services
Angel Torres, King City Union School District
Antolina Zuniga, Soledad Unified School District
Christian Murillo, Alisal Union School District
Gabriel German Jaque, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Mauricio Olmos, Gonzales Unified School District
Ricardo Cervantes, Salinas Union High School District
Rodolfo Moreno, Santa Rita Union School District
Rupinder Kaur, Salinas City ElementarySchool District
Santiago Castillo, North Monterey County UnifiedSchool District
Silvia Luna-Gutierrez, North Monterey County Unified School District
Food and Nutrition Services
Adela Garcia, Gonzales Unified School District
Ana Lilia Flores, North Monterey County Unified School District
Bambi Barker, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Brenda Morales, Alisal Union School District
Christina Contreras, Monterey County Office of Education
Jose Valdez, Santa Rita Union School District
Elvia Heredia, Gonzales Unified School District
Maria De La Luz Rosales, Salinas Union High School District
Isabel Maturino, Soledad Union School District
Health and Student Services
Araceli Contreras, Greenfield Union School District
Courtney Baldwin, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Laura Amezcua, Monterey County Office of Education
Valerie Ovalle, Soledad Union School District
Middle School Teacher
Julie Johnson, Middle School Teacher, Santa Rita Union School District
Martha Lamberson, North Monterey County Unified School District, North Monterey County Middle School
Milton Hambly, King City Union School District
High School Teacher
Greg Ludwa, Monterey County Office of Education, Alternative Education Program
Jason Nicholson, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Jennifer Foreman, North Monterey County Unified School District, North Monterey County High School
Paraprofessional Services
Araceli Godinez, San Lucas Union School District
Efrain Gabriel, Salinas Union High School District
Hortencia Castillo, Greenfield Union School District
Johnna Roche, King City Union School District
Juanita Aguas-Martinez, Santa Rita Union School District
Maria Echevarria, Gonzales Unified School District
Mariana Valdez Mata, Gonzales Unified School District
Nancy Gonzalez, North Monterey County Unified School District
Renee Sitko, Mission Union Elementary School District
Ruby Rosales, San Antonio Union School District
Sylvia Cabrera, Soledad Union School District
Security Services
Devonne Cardona, Santa Rita Union School District
Heriberto Garcia, Salinas Union High School District
Juan Ovalle, Soledad Union School District
Virginia Diaz, Gonzales Unified School District
Skilled Trade Services
Felipe Oviedo, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Thomas David Flannery, Alisal Union School District
Technical Services
Ana Medina, North Monterey County Unified School District
Jim Wallace, Gonzales Unified School District
Molly Amaro, Salinas Union High School District
Martha Zaldivar, Santa Rita Union School District
Transportation Services
Albert Villa, Gonzales Unified School District
Alfonso Bravo, Soledad Unified School District
Margarita Uribe, Greenfield Union School District
Noeila Tamayo, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Patricia Perea, Alisal Union School District
Rodolfo "Danny" Montanez, Salinas Union High School District
Susana Rodriguez, Monterey County Office of Education
Monterey County Office of Education Internal Award Winners and Classified School Employee of the Year Nominees
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Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting this event and helping recognize our outstanding teachers and classified employees!
