By Jacob Wilson/Garden Grove Jourmal
They’re not exactly Golden Globes or Oscars that are being given out, but the Westminster School District kicked off its award season.
Classified Employee of theYear awards were handed out at the Jan. 12 Board of Trustees meeting by Christine Fullerton, assistant superintendent of human resources. Winners are nominated by their peers in their specific work categories.
The Westminster chapter of the California School Employees Association represents classified employees.
“Tonight I feel like a very proud mother,” said Jackie Jenkins, CSEA Westminster president.
Dave McGovern, senior custodian at Schroeder Elementary, was named the WSD classified employee of the year for maintenance and operations for the second time. McGovern has worked for the WSD for 30 years and trains new employees.
Karen Holbert won the award for child nutrition. Holbert pulls double duty for the WSD, working as the lead food service worker at DeMille Elementary and at Finley Elementary as a food service worker.
Debbie Valero, an intermediate clerk and typist for the district’s nutritional services office, is the employee of the year for office and technical support.
The WSD Foundation awarded three Bright Idea Grants. Schroeder Elementary teacher Stephanie Carlson received a grant for her reading garden and outdoor classroom. Dan Sage, a Pathways teacher at Stacey Middle School, also received a grant for a garden.
Fellow Stacey teacher Jennifer Cox won a grant for her artifacts station. The foundation has given out over $3500 in Bright Idea Grants so far in 2011-12.
In district business, a divided board voted 3-2 to send the district’s three personnel commissioners to the annual California School Personnel Commissioners Association conference in San Diego. Members Mary Mangold and Andrew Nguyen both voted no. Superintendent Richard Tauer said that all of the personnel commisioners in California attend the conference.
Mangold asked if the board could send just one commissioner and offered a substitute motion to modify the proposal but did not get approval.
“It’s a way to save money in these tough budget times,” she said. “I don’t want to vote no, but I can’t vote yes to send all three.”
The Board of Trustees meets monthly, usually on the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting is February 9 at 7 p.m. Meetings are at the district office at 14121 Cedarwood Street.
