Each year, Orange Unified recognizes classified, certificated, and leadership employees who go above and beyond by helping to create an engaging and successful learning environment for our students and staff. Congratulations to this year’s OUSD Employees of the Year!
OUSD Employees of the Year
Each year, Orange Unified recognizes classified, certificated, and leadership employees who go above and beyond by helping to create an engaging and successful learning environment for our students and staff.
OUSD Teachers of the Year
Niccole Connally – Richland High School
Niccole currently serves as a high school teacher teaching History and Leadership at Richland. She began working in the district in 2008 and has worked solely at Richland for 15 years. Prior to working in OUSD, Niccole worked for a year as an elementary school teacher. Niccole holds a Clear Single Subject Teaching Credential – Social Science, Clear Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential – General Subjects, and an English Learner Authorization.
Tashla McCabe – Lampson Elementary School
Tashla currently serves as an elementary teacher teaching second grade at Lampson. She began working in the district in 2006 and has taught various grade levels, including grades 1, 2, and 3, at various locations during her 14-year tenure. Prior to working in OUSD, Tashla worked for eight years at Desert Sands Unified as an elementary teacher and teacher on special assignments. Tashla holds a Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential - General Subjects, and an English Learner Authorization.
Rebeca Nelson – Jordan Academy
Rebeca currently serves as an elementary teacher teaching 2nd-grade Dual Immersion at Jordan. She began working in the district in 2006 and has served in a multitude of positions over the last 17 years at various sites, including GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) teacher, resource teacher, teacher on special assignment, assistant principal, principal, and elementary teacher. Prior to working in OUSD, Rebeca served six years as an elementary teacher at Santa Ana Unified. Rebeca holds a Clear Multiple Subjects Credential – General Subjects, Bilingual (BLAD) Certificate - Spanish, and an Administrative Services Credential.
OUSD Classified Employees of the Year
Maria Espitia – Taft Elementary School
Maria is being honored for her service as a School/Community Assistant in the category of Support Services and Security. Maria has served in the district since 1999. She has served in her current role at Taft exclusively for the over 30 years she has been with the district.
Son Tan – Linda Vista Elementary
Sonny is being honored for his service as head custodian in the category of Maintenance and Operations. Son has served in the district since 2013. He has worked in positions of increasing responsibility, including sub-custodian, custodian, and was promoted into his current position of head custodian in 2021.
Taia Thompson – Cambridge Elementary School
Taia is being honored for her service as a Behavior Support Assistant in the category of Para-Educator. Taia has served the district since 2015. She started as an instructional assistant, special education, and was promoted to her current position of behavior support assistant in 2021.
OUSD Administrators of the Year
Christina Celeste-Russo - Transportation
Christina Celeste-Russo has been in the transportation industry since 2013 and currently serves as the Director of Transportation for OUSD. Additionally, Christina serves as the California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO) State Treasurer and has been for the last five years. Before being promoted to Director of Transportation, Christina was the Transportation Supervisor.
Raeanne Little – Educational Services
Raeanne Lopez Little is currently serving as an administrator in our curriculum department, where she supports induction programs for our new teachers and principals, gifted education programs, and professional development initiatives. She started her career as a bilingual elementary teacher in Los Angeles and moved to OUSD in 1997. Since then, she has served as an elementary teacher, instructional specialist, and site and district administrator.
Sheryl Anderson-Glass – Orange High School
Sheryl is currently the principal of Orange High School. She served two years as principal at La Veta Elementary, and prior to this position, Sheryl served as assistant principal, at both Orange and Villa Park High Schools. During her 20 years with Orange Unified, she has held positions such as athletic director, activities director, and has also taught a variety of subjects at the secondary level.
All OUSD Employees of the Year will be recognized at the annual celebration held at Fred Kelly Stadium in May.
Cada año, Orange Unified reconoce a los empleados clasificados, certificados y de liderazgo que van más allá al ayudar a crear un entorno de aprendizaje atractivo y exitoso para nuestros estudiantes y personal. ¡Felicitaciones a los Empleados del Año de OUSD de este año!
Maestros del Año de OUSD
Niccole Connally - Escuela secundaria de Richland
Niccole actualmente se desempeña como maestra de escuela secundaria enseñando Historia y Liderazgo en Richland. Comenzó a trabajar en el Distrito en 2008 y ha trabajado únicamente en Richland durante 15 años.
Tashla McCabe – Escuela Primaria Lampson
Tashla actualmente se desempeña como maestra de primaria enseñando segundo grado en Lampson. Comenzó a trabajar en el Distrito en 2006 y ha enseñado en varios grados, incluidos los grados 1, 2 y 3, en varios lugares durante su mandato de 14 años.
Rebeca Nelson – Academia Jordan
Rebeca actualmente se desempeña como maestra de primaria enseñando inmersión dual de segundo grado en Jordan. Comenzó a trabajar en el Distrito en 2006 y ha servido en una multitud de posiciones durante los últimos 17 años en varios sitios, incluyendo maestra de GATE, maestra de recursos, maestra en asignación especial, subdirectora, directora y maestra de primaria.
Empleados Clasificados del Año de OUSD
María Espitia – Escuela Primaria Taft
María está siendo honrada por su servicio como Asistente Escolar/Comunitario en la categoría de Servicios de Apoyo y Seguridad. María ha trabajado exclusivamente en Taft durante más de 30 años y comenzó su puesto actual en el Distrito en 1999.
Son Tan – Primaria Linda Vista
Sonny está siendo homenajeado por su servicio como jefe de limpieza en la categoría de Mantenimiento y Operaciones. Son ha servido en el Distrito desde 2013. Ha trabajado en puestos de responsabilidad creciente, incluidos subcustodio, custodio, y fue ascendido a su puesto actual de custodio principal en 2021.
Taia Thompson - Escuela primaria de Cambridge
Taia está siendo honrada por su servicio como asistente de apoyo conductual en la categoría de paraeducador. Taia ha servido al Distrito desde 2015. Comenzó como asistente de instrucción, educación especial y fue ascendida a su puesto actual de asistente de apoyo conductual en 2021.
Administradores del Año de OUSD
Christina Celeste-Russo - Transporte
Christina Celeste-Russo ha estado en la industria del transporte desde 2013 y actualmente se desempeña como Directora de Transporte de OUSD. Además, Christina se desempeña como Tesorera Estatal de la Asociación de Funcionarios de Transporte Escolar de California (CASTO) y lo ha sido durante los últimos cinco años. PAG
Raeanne Little – Servicios Educativos
Raeanne Lopez Little actualmente se desempeña como administradora en nuestro departamento de currículo, donde apoya programas de inducción para nuestros nuevos maestros y directores, programas de educación para superdotados e iniciativas de desarrollo profesional. Comenzó su carrera como maestra de primaria bilingüe en Los Ángeles y se mudó a OUSD en 1997. S
Sheryl Anderson-Glass - Escuela Secundaria Orange
Sheryl es actualmente la directora de Orange High School. Se desempeñó dos años como directora en la escuela primaria La Veta, y antes de este puesto, Sheryl se desempeñó como subdirectora en las escuelas secundarias Orange y Villa Park. Durante sus 20 años con el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Orange, ha ocupado puestos como directora de atletismo, directora de actividades y también ha enseñado una variedad de materias en el nivel secundario.
Todos los Empleados del Año de OUSD serán reconocidos en la celebración anual que se llevará a cabo en el estadio Fred Kelly en mayo.