117 staff and volunteers nominated for educator excellence awards
Eugene School District 4J staff and volunteers make a difference in the lives of students every day. In a show of appreciation, 117 of our outstanding 4J staff and volunteers have been honored with a nomination by parents, students and colleagues for the 2018 ACE (A Champion in Education) Awards.
ACE Award “Champions” will be selected in four categories: Teachers and Licensed Specialists; Classified Staff; Administrators, Professionals and Supervisors; and Volunteers. Each champion’s school will receive a $1,000 award from Oregon Community Credit Union for a project or program at the school. A special Lifetime Achievement Award also will be announced.
All nominees will be honored and champions will be announced at the awards celebration at Churchill High School on Wednesday, May 23, 5:30–7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Please join us!
Congratulations to all of the nominees.
Teachers & Licensed Specialists
Margaret Albright, Counselor, Spencer Butte Middle School
Katharine Ankeny, Speech-Language Pathologist, Holt Elementary School
Ashley Baker, Fourth Grade Teacher, Yujin Gakuen Japanese Immersion Elementary School
Kimberly Brown, First Grade Teacher, Willagillespie Elementary School
Adrienne Carlson, Fifth Grade Teacher, Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary School
Meg Carnagey, First Grade Teacher, Adams Elementary School
Sebastian Catlin, Student Support Teacher, South Eugene High School
Patrick Chesterman, Fourth Grade Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Lisa Chinn, Physical Education Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Kwasi Diehl, Special Education Teacher, Monroe Middle School
Tom Di Liberto, Spanish Immersion Teacher, Monroe Middle School
Dene Eller, Physical Education Teacher, Buena Vista Spanish Immersion and Edgewood Elementary Schools
Jack Fertal, Math Teacher, Roosevelt Middle School
Daniel Gallo, Social Studies and Health Teacher, Eugene International High School at Sheldon
Katie Gates, Special Education Teacher, Howard Elementary School
Laura Harris, First/Second Grade Teacher, Edison Elementary School
Carisa Henniger, Kindergarten Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Rae Heselbach, Special Education Teacher, Howard Elementary School
Jeff Hess, Physical Education & English Teacher, South Eugene High School
Brian Holte, Language Arts Teacher, Monroe Middle School
Christie Hoogendoorn, First Grade Teacher, Camas Ridge Elementary School
Eric Johannsen, Health Education Teacher, Roosevelt Middle School
Maggie Jones, Second Grade Teacher, Holt Elementary School
Sara Justice, First Grade Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Kyle Kordon, Science Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Joel Kuiper, Special Education Teacher, South Eugene High School
Debra Lydum, Special Education Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Kelly McGhehey, Counselor, Eugene Education Options
Jason Miller, Language Arts Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Tommy Morrow, Math & Science Teacher, Kennedy Middle School
Chris Mudd, Music Teacher, Churchill High School
Pat Nickerson, Special Education Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Aurelie Noble, Second Grade Teacher, Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary School
Ian Ogden, Language Arts Teacher, Churchill High School
Ashley Pond, Second Grade Teacher, Howard Elementary School
Jennifer Potter, Title 1 Coordinator, Holt Elementary School
Justin Potts, School Psychologist, Student Services Department
Dan Powell, Music Teacher, Arts & Technology Academy
Ashley Reich, Fourth Grade Teacher, Holt Elementary School
Taylor Reineke, Math Teacher, Arts & Technology Academy
Pam Reynolds, First Grade Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Alyssa Ricken, Kindergarten Teacher, Adams Elementary School
Jason Robbins, Special Education Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Ashley Robinson, Math Teacher, Spencer Butte Middle School
Rebecca Robinson, Third Grade Teacher, Howard Elementary School
David Roderick, Special Education Teacher, Roosevelt Middle School
Leah Roderick, Fourth Grade Teacher, Gilham Elementary School
Korrinne Ross, Special Education Consultant, Student Services Department
Hollie Schultze, Counselor, Roosevelt Middle School
Adam Shepard, Fourth/Fifth Grade Teacher, Edgewood Elementary School
Beth Shershun, First Grade Teacher, Camas Ridge Elementary School
James Squires, Third Grade Teacher, Gilham Elementary School
Chris Stober, Special Education Teacher, Roosevelt Middle School
Katherine Tierney, Language Arts Teacher, Sheldon High School
Catherine Wiebe, French Teacher, Roosevelt Middle School
Bobbie Willis, Journalism Teacher, South Eugene High School
Brandeis Zaklan, Counselor, Gilham Elementary School
Classified Staff
Peggy Blair, Campus Supervisor & Read Right Specialist, Monroe Middle School
Kathy Bruegman, Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Racheal Bryant, Educational Assistant, Monroe Middle School
Micah Champion, Bus Driver, Transportation Department
Vincent Colmenares, Bus Driver, Transportation Department
Steve Dent, Bus Driver, Transportation Department
Keith Fjordbeck, Lead Custodian, Churchill High School
Tiny Galago, Student Supervision Assistant, Churchill High School
Lynne Given, School Secretary, Eugene International High School at Churchill
Lisa Goff, Educational Assistant, Holt Elementary School
Vicki Gotchall, Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Perla Grado, School Secretary, Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Brian Gregory, Bus Driver, Transportation Department
Gary Henager, Bus Driver, Transportation Department
Rich InLove, Bus Driver, Transportation Department
Mike Jackson, Fleet Mechanic II, Transportation Department
Julia Johnson, Outreach & Recovery Coordinator, Eugene Education Options
Jane Kinports, Records & Scheduling Assistant, Roosevelt Middle School
Teresa Koepp, Bus Driver, Transportation Department
Debora Kovensky, Educational Assistant, Roosevelt Middle School
Katie Mackey, School Secretary, Holt Elementary School
Nick Moore, Vocational Training Assistant, Student Services Department
Jeremy Niccum, Custodial Maintenance Coordinator II, Kelly Middle School
Heather Penfold, Educational Assistant, Twin Oaks Elementary School
Mary Peterson, Educational Assistant, Roosevelt Middle School
Jeanette Prior, Educational Assistant, Chávez Elementary School
Samantha Russell, Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Melanie Schwarte, School Secretary, Holt Elementary School
Abe Smith, Program Coordinator Assistant, Fox Hollow Campus
Ethan Tibbs, Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Alexander Zuniga, Office Support Bicultural/Bilingual, Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Administrators & Supervisors
Eric Anderson, Principal, Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary School
Kevin Gordon, Principal, Adams Elementary School
Tyler Hebard, Payroll & Accounts Payable Supervisor, Finance Department
Teresa Martindale, Assistant Principal, Madison Middle School
Mike Riplinger, Principal, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Joyce Smith-Johnson, Principal, Holt Elementary School
Rhonda Stewart, Executive Assistant to Director of Technology, Technology Department
Denisa Taylor, Principal, Chávez Elementary School
John Wayland, Assistant Principal, Kelly Middle School
Volunteers
Danielle Bowerman, Gilham Elementary School
Heidi Dixon, River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary School and Spencer Butte Middle School
Sharon Docherty, Arts & Technology Academy
Steve Evans, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Laura Fuhriman, Roosevelt Middle School
Barbara George, Chávez Elementary School
Amy Green, River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary School
Jenelle Hunt, Edgewood Elementary School and Spencer Butte Middle School
Bob Jones, Edison Elementary School
Mia Kubu, Gilham Elementary School
Alice Lin, McCornack Elementary School
Brian Petersen, Spring Creek Elementary School
Jessica Rasmussen, Family School and Arts & Technology Academy
Kalleen Stoddard, Gilham Elementary School
Tiffany Wright, Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Lifetime Achievement
BJ Blake, Secondary Education Director, Instructional Services Department
Diane Brock, School Secretary, Yujin Gakuen Japanese Immersion School
Harlan Coats, Director of Facilities, Facilities Department
Tom Di Liberto, Social Studies Teacher, Monroe Middle School
Jason Miller, Language Arts Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Ila Shapiro-Southworth, Special Education Teacher, Student Services Department / Coburg Community Charter School
Craig Young, Custodial Maintenance Coordinator I, River Road/El Camino de Río Elementary School
