NEWS Walnut Valley Unified School District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 880 S. Lemon Avenue
February 10, 2014 Walnut, CA 91789
Walnut Valley Honors “A Class Act” Classified Employees
Gale Taylor Named 2013 Employee of the Year
WALNUT, CA- The Walnut Valley Unified School District continued its longstanding tradition of recognizing outstanding employees on February 7.
The twelve 2013 Cornerstone Award winners were lauded with personalized tributes and gifts during the 15th Annual “A Class Act” awards held at the Pomona Valley Mining Company.
The Walnut Valley Educational Foundation and WVUSD Personnel Commission co-sponsor the recognition event. Dr. Michelle Harold, assistant superintendent of human resources and Robert Chang, director of human resources, hosted this year’s ceremony.
The Cornerstone Award recognizes exemplary (non-teaching) employees who have gone “above and beyond the call of duty” in providing outstanding customer service to the District and community. Recipients are announced during monthly Personnel Commission meetings
Congratulation to the following 2013 Cornerstone Award honorees:
Margaret Wong, School Office Manager - Evergreen Elementary; Sharon Liu, Instructional Aide I-Bilingual/Bicultural – Maple Hill Elementary; Laura Morris, Instructional Aide II-Special Education – C.J. Morris Elementary; Shelley Patton, Instructional Aide II Special Education – Maple Hill Elementary; Lorraine Gomez, Health Clerk – Suzanne Middle School; Yenny Ong, Food Service Worker II- Quail Summit Elementary; Monica Cazares, Accounting Assistant II – Child Care Program; Patricia Acevez, Office Assistant/Health Clerk – Vejar Elementary; Patti Malatacca, School Office Manager – Quail Summit Elementary; Maria Cabrera, Instructional Aide II – Vejar Elementary; Marilyn Higa, Instructional Aide II-Special Education – Evergreen Elementary; Gale Taylor, Library Media Technician II-South Pointe Middle School.
“This event truly has been one of the highlights of the District for the past 15 years,” said Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor.
The Walnut Valley Superintendent then congratulated the honorees.
“Thank you for what you do every single day for our kids. You represent the very best of an outstanding group of classified employees across the District,” Dr. Taylor said.
Gale Taylor was named the 2013 Classified Employee of the Year at the culmination of the program. She received hugs from her family members and a standing ovation from the audience.
"It is truly an honor to be recognized as the WVUSD 2013 Classified Employee of the Year. Thank you to my principal, Susan Arzola, for nominating me for the Cornerstone Award. It is both a challenge and pleasure to be able to play a role in preparing our students for the 21st Century," she said.
For the past 11 years, Gale has been dedicated to instilling the love of reading at South Pointe. One of the ways she inspires students is with The Read Along Challenge, a lunchtime group that meets to read and discuss select novels and prepare for a competition. Gale has also taken the lead in introducing eBooks to the Walnut Valley Library. A partnership with the two high schools and lots of fundraising enabled the rollout WVUSD’s first eBook program.
The Personnel Commission conducts school visits throughout the year.
“We find that each site convinces us that they are the ‘best of the best’ in classified employees,” Commissioner Ron Everett said.
“And we unanimously agree that it’s true and they each make a unique mark,” he added.
“It is our pleasure to present the award for Classified Employee of the Year to Gale Taylor for her work above and beyond what is normally expected, preparing students for the 21st Century with eBooks and other resources. What’s coming in the next generation of our libraries and literacy is phenomenal. We’re planting the seeds for the future in the District,” said Everett.
Taylor also received special awards from the WVUSD Board of Trustees and Walnut Valley Educational Foundation.
The City of Walnut honored each recipient with a Certificate of Recognition.
Thanks to the following sponsors: Schools First Federal Credit Union, Sandy Best – BB & T Insurance Services, Massage Envy and LifeTouch Photography.
Shown:
The twelve 2012 classified Cornerstone Award winners were honored during “A Class Act” Cornerstone Awards Gala on February 7. Front Row: Laura Morris, Monica Cazares, Gale Taylor, Lorraine Gomez and Maria Cabrera. Back Row: Yenny Ong, Patti Malatacca, Margaret Wong, Marilyn Higa, Shelley Patton, Patricia Acevez, Not shown: Sharon Liu.
Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor congratulated each of the honorees during the event. Shown with hosts Dr. Michelle Harold and Robert Chang.
The 2013 Cornerstone Award winners shown with the Board Members Cindy Ruiz, Larry Redinger, Helen Hall, Tony Torng; Personnel Commissioners Ron Everett and Gayle Pacheco; and Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor.
Personnel Commissioners Ron Everett and Gayle Pacheco announced Gale Taylor as the 2013 Classified Employee of the Year.
WVUSD Board President Cindy Ruiz congratulated all of the honorees as she presented a special award to Classified Employee of the Year Gale Taylor. Shown with fellow Trustees Larry Redinger, Helen Hall and Tony Torng.
South Pointe Middle School Library Media Technician II Gale Taylor was named the 2013 Classified Employee of the Year at the culmination of the event.