Quick look: Nine outstanding classified school employees from across Orange County are being recognized during Classified School Employee Week for their dedication to students, schools and communities.
This week marks Classified School Employee Week, an annual statewide celebration honoring the essential contributions of classified employees who support students and schools in countless ways.
Observed this year from May 17 through May 23, the week recognizes the staff members who help campuses operate safely, efficiently and compassionately every day.
To celebrate, the Orange County Department of Education is once again shining a spotlight on nine outstanding staff members named the 2026 Orange County Classified School Employees of the Year. Representing diverse service areas across local school districts and OCDE programs, the honorees were selected from a competitive pool of district-level nominees for their leadership, dedication and impact on school communities.
A new video produced by OCDE’s Media Services unit features each honoree sharing what their work means to them and how their responsibilities — often carried out behind the scenes — help students focus on learning and feel supported throughout the school day.
Established in 2008 by the California Department of Education, the Classified School Employees of the Year program honors outstanding classified staff who support California’s more than six million public school students.
This year, Raelene Velasquez of Sunburst Youth Academy in OCDE ACCESS earned additional statewide recognition after being named California’s 2026 Classified School Employee of the Year in Paraprofessional Services. Velasquez was also selected as the state’s nominee for the national Recognizing Inspiring School Employees, or RISE, Award presented by the U.S. Department of Education.
This year’s honorees, by category, are:
Clerical and Administrative Services
Ngoc Minh Nguyen
Accounting technician I
North Orange County Regional Occupational Program
Custodial and Maintenance Services
Guillermo “Memo” Gutierrez
Custodian, McPherson Magnet School
Orange Unified School District
Food and Nutrition Services
Fidel Jacobo Ayala
Lead food service worker, Hope View Elementary School
Ocean View School District
Health and Student Services
Donna Irumundomon
Licensed vocational nurse, Connections at Mann Elementary School
Orange County Department of Education
Paraprofessional Services
Raelene Velasquez
Paraeducator, Sunburst Youth Academy
Orange County Department of Education
Security Services
Deborah Guevara
Student supervision assistant, Parkview Elementary School
Garden Grove Unified School District
Skilled Trade Services
Paul Dalmas
Electrician
Garden Grove Unified School District
Technical Services
Jagath Jayaratne
Computer technician II
Fullerton School District
Transportation Services
Jose Bueno
Bus driver
Fountain Valley School District
The OCDE Newsroom previously highlighted each of this year’s honorees following the county announcement in March, sharing stories of their leadership, service and dedication to students and school communities.