A school safety assistant, a painter, a nutrition operations supervisor and a data systems technician are among this year’s Orange County Classified School Employees of the Year.
Classified employees are vital to the daily operations of schools, districts and county offices of education. Their roles — ranging from food services staff and instructional aides to custodians, bus drivers and skilled trade professionals — support student learning in countless ways, often behind the scenes.
On Friday, the Orange County Department of Education announced that nine local staff members have been selected as the 2025 Orange County Classified School Employees of the Year, emerging from a competitive pool of nominees across the county. Each honoree was chosen based on work performance, leadership, dedication and contributions to their school communities.
“Classified employees play an essential role in the success of our schools, often working behind the scenes to ensure students have safe, supportive and enriching learning environments,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean. “From maintaining campuses and preparing meals to assisting in classrooms and keeping our technology running smoothly, their contributions are invaluable. We are honored to recognize their outstanding service and celebrate their impact on students, staff, and communities.”
This year’s honorees, by category, are:
Clerical and Administrative Services
Heather Sherrill
Administrative assistant I, district office
Los Alamitos Unified School District
Custodial and Maintenance Services
Kurtland Lucas
Head custodian, Crosby Elementary School
Garden Grove Unified School District
Food and Nutrition Services
Melissa J. Erman
Nutrition operations supervisor, district office
Huntington Beach Union High School District
Health and Student Services
Candice Hall
District licensed vocational nurse, district office
Anaheim Union High School District
Paraprofessional Services
Yesenia Rosales
Lead instructional assistant, College Park Elementary School
Newport-Mesa Unified School District
Security Services
Jose Lopez Ruvalcaba
School safety assistant, Westmont Elementary School
Anaheim Elementary School District
Skilled Trade Services
Gina Matz
Painter, District office
Fullerton School District
Technical Services
Jill Brand
Data systems technician, La Vista/La Sierra High Schools
Fullerton Joint Union High School District
Transportation Services
Michael Kimball
Mechanic II, District office
Fullerton School District
Further recognition
The Classified School Employees of the Year program, established in 2008 by the California Department of Education, honors the essential contributions of staff who help support the education of more than six million students across the state.
Each year, OCDE invites school districts across Orange County to nominate standout employees for countywide recognition, with the potential to advance for state — and even national — honors.
The nine awardees will be formally celebrated during Classified School Employee Week, which takes place May 18 through May 24, and the OCDE Newsroom will share more about their contributions during that time.
Meanwhile, these distinguished employees will also be eligible for additional recognition through the state Department of Education and they could go on to represent the state in the federal Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) awards program.