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 nominated by parents, students and colleagues for the 2019 ACE (A Champion in Education) Awards.
ACE Award “Champions” will be selected in four categories: Teachers & Licensed Specialists, Classified Staff, Administrators & Supervisors, and Volunteers. Each champion will receive a $250 grant from Eugene Education Foundation for a school or program of their choosing. A special Lifetime Achievement Award also will be announced.
All nominees will be honored and champions will be announced at the awards celebration at North Eugene High School on Thursday, May 2, 5:30–7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Please join us!
Congratulations to all of our 2019 ACE Awards nominees.
Teachers & Licensed Specialists
David Adee, Music Teacher, River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary School
Lee Baker, Counselor, Roosevelt Middle School
Richard Bell, Home Instruction Teacher, Student Services Department
Stephanie Birmingham, Language Arts Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Kathleen Brandt, Third Grade Teacher, Spring Creek Elementary School
Sheryl Carroll, Special Education Teacher, Edison Elementary School
Sebastian Catlin, Student Support Teacher, South Eugene High School
Tammy Coleman, Essential Skills Coordinator, Willagillespie Elementary School
Patrice Cowman, First Grade Teacher, Willagillespie Elementary School
Christie Creed, Alternative Education Teacher, Eugene Education Options
Desere Doan, Special Education Teacher, North Eugene High School
Chris Dobson, Music Teacher, South Eugene High School
Erica Dunn, Third Grade Teacher, Chávez Elementary School
Dene Eller, PE Teacher, River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary School
Kristen Gianforti, Counselor, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Carrie Grabowski, Fifth Grade Teacher, Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary School
Jon Hellner, Fourth Grade Teacher, Willagillespie Elementary School
Lynn Hellwege, Math Teacher, Sheldon High School
Jeff Hess, Physical Education & English Teacher, South Eugene High School
Krista Hocker, Teacher on Special Assignment, Instruction Department
Christie Hoogendoorn, First Grade Teacher, Camas Ridge Elementary School
Miho Hosaka, Home Economics Teacher, North Eugene High School
Anne Hubbard, Kindergarten Teacher, Willagillespie Elementary School
Kathryn Hulse, First Grade Teacher, Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Kristina Hulse, Fourth Grade Teacher, Spring Creek Elementary School
Sara Justice, First Grade Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Nathan Klarr, PE Teacher, Monroe Middle School
Scott Klein, Counselor, Yujin Gakuen Japanese Immersion & Corridor Elementary Schools
Kyle Kordon, Science Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Linda Lamb, Special Education Teacher, Howard Elementary School
Richard Leebrick, Language Arts & Drama Teacher, Roosevelt Middle School
Susan Lerch, Special Education Teacher, Transition Education Network
Marlee Litten, Staff Development Specialist, Student Services Department
Debra Lydum, Special Education Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Melissa Mares, Kindergarten Teacher, Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Dayna Mitchell, Title I Teacher, Spring Creek Elementary School
Yareli Montaño Ramirez, Second Grade Teacher, Buena Vista Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Sarah Jane Moore, Second Grade Teacher, Holt Elementary School
Alex Patton, Advanced Math Teacher, Churchill High School
Patricia Polter, French & Language Arts Teacher, Monroe Middle School
Jennifer Potter, Title I Coordinator, Holt Elementary
Sarah Prater, Teacher on Special Assignment, Instruction Department
Tracy Reed, Kindergarten Teacher, Chávez Elementary School
Angela Ruzicka, Science & Math Teacher, Cal Young Middle School
Elise Salmond, Kindergarten Teacher, Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary School
Deon Saraceno, Social Studies Teacher, Eugene International High School
Jennifer Scurlock, Language Arts Teacher, Churchill High School
Marcy Siegrist, Science Teacher, Roosevelt Middle School
Roxanne Simpson, First Grade Teacher, Gilham Elementary School
Linda Smart, Social Studies Teacher, Kelly Middle School
Lodi Soderholm, Advanced Math Teacher, Churchill High School
Michelle Squires, Fourth/Fifth Grade Teacher, Twin Oaks Elementary School
Michael Stead, Industrial Education Teacher, Madison Middle School
Zachary Stone, Fifth Grade Teacher, Howard Elementary School
Randall Streets, Kindergarten Teacher, Twin Oaks Elementary School
Katrina Sugar, Kindergarten Teacher, Howard Elementary School
Cathy Sullivan, Second Grade Teacher, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Lynette Williams, Teacher on Special Assignment, Instruction Department
Bobbie Willis, Journalism Teacher, South Eugene High School
Lisa Winter, Special Education Teacher, McCornack Elementary School
Erika Wolf, First Grade Teacher, Charlemagne French Immersion Elementary School
Kyle Yamada, Social Studies Teacher, Eugene International High School
Classified Staff
Heather Acharya, Attendance Clerk, Spencer Butte Middle School
Yasmin Aguilar, Bilingual/Bicultural Office Support, River Road/El Camino del Río Elementary School
Hayward Alexander, Special Ed Educational Assistant, Fox Hollow Program
Ana Boyd, Special Ed Educational Assistant, Cal Young Middle School
Ryan Brown, Custodial Maintenance Coordinator I, Holt Elementary School
Joan Chu, Food Service Assistant I, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Deborah Dailey, Homeless Student Liaison, Instruction Department
Joni de Saint Phalle, Finance Clerk, South Eugene High School
Melody Fry, Educational Assistant, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Angie Gee, School Secretary, Chávez Elementary School
Linda Grape, Federal Programs & Operations Coordinator, Instruction Department
Kelly Greatwood, Special Ed Educational Assistant, Spring Creek Elementary School
Megan Hazelton, Food Service Coordinator I, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Maricela Hernandez, Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Julie Hopkins, Library/IMC Assistant, Howard Elementary School
Karen Kingzett, School Secretary, Roosevelt Middle School
Cheryle Konold, School Secretary, McCornack Elementary School
Regina Ligon, Technology Integration Assistant, McCornack Elementary School
Melanie Namkoong, Department Secretary, Eugene International High School
Trista Neuman, School Secretary, South Eugene High School
Jana Ouimet, Cognitive Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Mary Peterson, Special Ed Educational Assistant, Roosevelt Middle School
Mary Pat Piazza, Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Jeanette Prior, Educational Assistant, Chávez Elementary School
Julie Quelch, Federal Programs & Operations Coordinator, Instruction Department
Rick Raish, Student Supervision Assistant, North Eugene High School
Kym Ramsing, Attendance Clerk, ECCO/Eugene Education Options
Jason Rau, Warehouse Operations Assistant, Warehouse
David Robinson, Plumber Specialist, Facilities Department
Corey Rusco, Custodial Maintenance Coordinator II, Arts & Technology Academy
Jeremy Rutledge, Custodial Maintenance Coordinator I, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Doug Simonsen, Custodial Maintenance Coordinator II, Spencer Butte Middle School
Claire Smith, Elementary School Assistant, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Meladie Sorensen, Transition Specialist, Transition Education Network
Elton Steyding, Autism 1:1 Educational Assistant, South Eugene High School
Sandy Stinnett, Cognitive Educational Assistant, Transition Education Network
Deborah Stowell, Food Service Coordinator II, Holt Elementary School
Connie Summers, AV/Textbook Specialist, South Eugene High School
Ethan Tibbs, Educational Assistant, Gilham Elementary School
Heather Wilson, Educational Assistant, Edison Elementary School
Rose Winand, Technology Support Specialist III, Technology Department
Administrators & Supervisors
Molly Gillett, Principal, ECCO/Eugene Education Options
Cheryl Linder, Director, Student Services Department
Chris Mitchell, Principal, Cal Young Middle School
Mike Riplinger, Principal, Awbrey Park Elementary School
Volunteers
Amy Barrutia, Gilham Elementary School
Alexis Borrevik, Roosevelt Middle School
Ed Chastain, Gilham Elementary School
Ashlee Dixon, Gilham Elementary School
Nancy Fischer, Spring Creek Elementary School
Angela Nickerson, Gilham Elementary School
Kimberle Overton, Chávez Elementary School
Moira Querns, Holt Elementary School
Jessica Rasmussen, Family School
Doreen Vaughan, Cal Young Middle School
