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GOLDEN APPLES AWARDED TO 12 EDUCATIONAL EMPLOYEES |
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It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes educators with heart and dedication to enlighten students of all ages—the type of educational employees honored March 25 with a Golden Apple Award.
The Golden Apple Awards are presented by the Education RoundTable to four employees from each of San Bernardino’s three largest educational institutions—San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD), San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC), and California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). The Education RoundTable is a consortium that supports quality education in San Bernardino’s public schools and institutions of higher learning. The members include San Bernardino Mayor Patrick J. Morris; Dr. Arturo Delgado, superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District; Dr. Albert Karnig, president of Cal State University, San Bernardino; Dr. Debra Daniels, president of San Bernardino Valley College; Dr. Noelia Vela, chancellor of the San Bernardino Community College District; and Dr. Gary Thomas, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.
The four San Bernardino City Unified School District winners honored at the 15th Annual Golden Apple Awards dinner held March 25 were Mohammad Z. Islam, Dr. Joann Tortarolo, Aimee Lombardo, and William Beshears.
Mohammad Z. Islam is the District’s chief business & financial officer. He joined the District 10 years ago as the director of Fiscal Services and has been helping to keep the District fiscally sound ever since. Islam’s sound fiscal management is credited with preventing the District from suffering deeper cuts, such as those of surrounding school districts, due to the economic crisis.
As the director of Alternative Programs, Dr. Joann Tortarolo manages a variety of programs to serve District students. She supervises Middle College High School, which provides students the chance to graduate with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree from SBVC. Tortarolo also oversees the District’s 1,000-student California Cadet Corps program and the successful Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program.
Special Education Secretary III Aimee Lombardo is known for making every person feel special. From answering the phone with a smile to never being too busy to listen, Lombardo is an example of the excellence in customer service the District aims for. Her extensive knowledge of the District and special education law makes her an invaluable resource to parents.
William Beshears is a fifth-grade teacher at Salinas Elementary School. Beshears believes it is never too early for students to think about college, and so he created College Opportunities For All. The program features college field trips, monthly visits from CSUSB students, and a college lecture series for parents and students.
The honorees from San Bernardino Valley College were Carol Cook, associate professor of physiology, Science Division; Leticia Hector, associate professor and department chair, Humanities Division; Rose Garcia, administrative secretary, Science Division; and Joy Hadnot, administrative secretary, Counseling & Matriculation.
The California State University, San Bernardino winners were Kimberley Cousins, professor of chemistry and biochemistry for the College of Natural Sciences; Janet Kottke, professor of psychology for the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences; Amy Braceros, PAWS coordinator for the Department of Records, Registration and Evaluation; and Virginia Stewart, event analyst for the Coussoulis Arena.
The Golden Apple Awards dinner was graciously sponsored by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Arrowhead Credit Union, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, and Tom Dodson and Associates environmental consultants.
The awards presentation will be broadcast on Channel 3, KCSB-TV. Check the station’s schedule for show times.
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