2024 Gold Star Award Nominees

2024 Gold Star Award Nominees

Outstanding Administrator

Christina Fritch, Assistant Principal – White Center Heights Elementary 
Corbin Busby, Principal –  Hilltop Elementary 
Jacqueline Downey, Instructional Leadership Executive Director – Teaching, Learning and Leadership
Joe Boyer, Assistant Principal – Evergreen High School 
Juan Lozano, Principal – Puget Sound Skills Center
Kevin Takisaki, Principal -Innovation Heights Academy Principal
Kimberly Jones, Principal –  North Hill Elementary
Kimberly Nelson, Principal – Valley View Early Learning 
Maggie Heater, Principal – Marvista Elementary 
Phil Willenbrock, Director of Athletics – Highline Public Schools Athletics 
Victoria Terry, Principal – Tyee High School 

Outstanding Classified Staff 

Amanda Gean, Paraeducator – Bow Lake Elementary
Amleset Legesse, Early Learning Liaison – P-5 Early Learning and Elementary Success 
Audris Pettit, ILC Paraeducator – Bow Lake Elementary 
Birdie Rocha, Family Engagement Liaison/Bilingual Paraeducator – McMicken Heights Elementary
Brandi Schnell, EBC Paraeducator – Evergreen High School
Brandy Nelli, Special Education Paraeducator – Gregory Heights Elementary 
Charleisha Cox, Office Manager – McMicken Heights Elementary  
Christy Birch, Paraeducator – Bow Lake Elementary
Denise Avitia, Bilingual Paraeducator – Cedarhurst Elementary 
Denise Dagley, Office Manager – Bow Lake Elementary 
Eduwiges Prieto, Office Manager – Madrona Elementary 
Elizabeth Mijal, ILC Paraeducator – North Hill Elementary 
Fawn Rinker, Office Manager – Midway Elementary 
Isabel Leveron, Custodian – Chinook Middle School 
Jaimee Shaug, Attendance Specialist – Tyee High School 
Jeri Rickard, Librarian Assistant – North Hill Elementary
Jocee Whisner, Finance Tech – Puget Sound Skills Center 
Kimiko Lozan, Paraeducator – North Hill Elementary 
Lisa Lay, Office Manager – Hilltop Elementary 
Nicole Arguello, Attendance Specialist – Pacific Middle School 
Rebecca Schreiner, Office Assistant – McMicken Heights Elementary 
Renee Stanton, Registrar – Bow Lake Elementary 
Scott Villa, Bilingual Paraeducator – McMicken Heights Elementary 
Sherrie McIntyre, Paraeducator – Parkside Elementary 
Susan Hope, Office Manager – Evergreen High School 
Taresa Herrmann, Office Assistant – Puget Sound Skills Center 
Teresa Christensen, Paraeducator – Parkside Elementary 

Outstanding Professional Staff

Alison Hogue, Academic Success Dean – Evergreen High School
Christofer Rothrock, Student Success Coach – Midway Elementary
Deanne Conrad, Counselor –  Chinook Middle School
Emily Mruk, Re-engagement Specialist – Pacific Middle School
Jenn Truong, Counselor – Tyee High School School
Jill Wilson Zahn, School Social Worker – Social Work
Jonas Buck, 7th Grade Counselor – Pacific Middle School
Lori McEwen, Dean of Students and Admin Intern – Innovation Heights Academy
L’Shray Jones, Counselor – Pacific Middle School
Rachel Kerr, Counselor – Evergreen High School School
Rosie Allen-Garibaldi, School Social Worker – Social Work
Shauna Pierson, Counselor – Innovation Heights Academy 
Shawna Moore, Dean – Puget Sound Skills Center

Outstanding Volunteer

Dan Harrington, Highline Public Schools 
Nimat Aljabori , White Center Heights Elementary 
Susan Stefanini, McMicken Heights Elementary 

Outstanding Rookie Teacher

Ashley La, Music Director – Mount Rainier High School
Chris Darling, Auto Body Teacher – Puget Sound Skills Center 
Jessenia Hernandez, DL Culinary Teacher – Evergreen High School 
Kaitlin Beidas, Social Studies Teacher – Evergreen High School
Kelly Shilhanek, 3rd Grade Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary 
Kristen O’Conner, Special Education Teacher – Gregory Heights Elementary
Liana Garvett, ILC Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary
Olivia Pierce-Bluhm, 3rd Grade Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary 
Riley Lindheimer, Long Term Substitute – McMicken Heights Elementary
Stacy Williamson, ILC Teacher – Shorewood Elementary
Sydney Farrer, IAC Special Education Teacher – Madrona Elementary 

Outstanding Teacher

Alicia Elms, Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary 
Amy Razo, English Teacher – Evergreen High School 
Angela Madrid-Lara, Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher – Spanish – White Center Heights Elementary
Bethany Tate, Teacher – Evergreen High School 
Catherine Cassidy, ELA Teacher – Pacific Middle School 
Cathy Reinsel Torres, ILC Teacher – North Hill Elementary 
Corey Mikkelson, Music Teacher – White Center Heights Elementary 
Cristina Velez-Gracia, 5th Grade Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary
Darrell Chase Jr., CTE Teacher- STEM, Construction and Wood Technology – Highline High School 
Dawn Gardner, Developmental Pre-Kindergarten Teacher – Hilltop Elementary 
Diana Arenas Castillo, 1st Grade Teacher – Hazel Valley Elementary 
Elba Martin, Developmental Pre-Kindergarten Teacher – Hilltop Elementary 
Erik Kory, Special Education Teacher – Evergreen High School
Erika Castellon, 1st Grade Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary
Erin Enquist, 4th Grade Dual Language Teacher – Mount View Elementary 
Erin Hocevar-Ortiz, Dance & PE Teacher – Evergreen High School 
Jaymie Torres-Ibarra, Special Education Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary 
Jeni Estrada, 1st Grade Teacher – Hilltop Elementary 
Julie Rice, 3rd Grade Teacher – Marvista Elementary 
Justin Deary, Construction Teacher – Puget Sound Skills Center 
Katherine Huh, Kindergarten Teacher – Midway Elementary
Katie Asare, Academic Coach/Teacher – Puget Sound Skills Center 
Katie Reka, 5th Grade Teacher – Gregory Heights Elementary 
Katie Yore, 2nd Grade Teacher – Marvista Elementary 
Kimberly Burton, Kindergarten Teacher – Cedarhurst Elementary 
Lisa Penor, Teacher – Chinook Middle School 
Lisa Snyder, Teacher – Marvista Elementary 
Lorena Engle, Teacher/ML & DL Coordinator – Pacific Middle School 
Lynne Terpenning, ELL Interventionist – Bow Lake Elementary 
Mason Costantino, Teacher – Hilltop Elementary
Meghan Stewart, Teacher – Cedarhurst Elementary 
Mia Mlekarov, Teacher – Maritime High School 
Michael Hecklinger, Teacher Librarian – Madrona Elementary 
Mikayla Smith, Teacher – CHOICE Academy 
Mirabella Escobar, DL Marketing Teacher – Evergreen High School 
Mireya Roldan Guzman, Teacher – Midway Elementary 
Naomi True, Teacher – Evergreen High School 
Nicole Leisy, 2nd Grade Teacher/Admin designee – Bow Lake Elementary 
Nora Duarte, 2nd Grade Dual Language Teacher – Hilltop Elementary 
Renee Agatsuma, Teacher – Evergreen High School
Richard Coker, Teacher – Evergreen High School
Sydney Wagner, Kindergarten – Bow Lake Elementary
Timothy Wind, Art Teacher – Pacific Middle School 
Traci Washington, Teacher – Big Picture High School 
Tristyn Ward, Special Education/DHH Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary 
Tyler Defrees, Social Studies Teacher – Sylvester Middle School
Vaughn Rohrdanz, Teacher – Seahurt Elementary – Virtual 
Wennie Hong Evergreen, Language Arts Teacher – High School 
Yipsi Barallobre, Teacher -Mount View Elementary 
Zachary Hermsen, PE Teacher – Evergreen High School

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