BY KELLIE GILE
Walnut- 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-sponsored 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 at Evergreen Elementary; Sharon Liu, Instructional Aide I-Bilingual/Bicultural at Maple Hill Elementary; Laura Morris, Instructional Aide II Special Education at C.J. Morris Elementary; Shelley Patton, Instructional Aide II Special Education at Maple Hill Elementary; Lorraine Gomez, Health Clerk at Suzanne Middle School; Yenny Ong, Food Service Worker II at Quail Summit Elementary; Monica Cazares, Accounting Assistant II at the Child Care Program; Patricia Acevez, Office Assistant/Health Clerk at Vejar Elementary; Patti Malatacca, School Office Manager at Quail Summit Elementary; Maria Cabrera, Instructional Aide II at Vejar Elementary; Marilyn Higa, Instructional Aide II-Special Education at Evergreen Elementary; Gale Taylor, Library Media Technician II at South Pointe Middle School.
“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,” Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor said.
Gale Taylor was named the 2013 Classified Employee of the Year at the culmination of the program.
“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.
“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 Commissioner Ron 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.
