Carson City School District selects educators, employees of the year

The Carson City School District has named educators and employees of the year at each site.

Traditionally, the district selects one educator and one education support professional employee from all of the sites to represent the district.

Due to school closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the district will not hold an awards ceremony. As such, no single overall winner will be selected as educator of the year and ESP employee of the year.

"Each of these individuals regularly inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn and have earned the respect and admiration of students, parents and colleagues,” Richard Stokes, district superintendent, said in a news release. “Great teachers and employees are the core of a great educational system. They change the lives of individual students, daily. These winners are not only wonderful representatives for our school district, but they also make profound differences in our community each day.”

The educators and ESP employees of the Year (by their site alphabetically) include:

• Shanell Cavener, algebra and geometry teacher at Carson High School

• Robin Bleuss, account clerk II at Carson High School

• Whitney Tynes, counselor at Carson Middle School

• Jenny Ayala, paraprofessional ESL at Carson Middle School

• Lois Linehan, teacher on special assignment at Eagle Valley Middle School

• Denise DiMarzo, administrative secretary at Eagle Valley Middle School

• Tara Hornemann, physical education teacher at Al Seeliger Elementary School

• Karen Shaffer, office specialist at Al Seeliger Elementary School

• Jessica Dunbar, second grade teacher at Bordewich Bray Elementary School

• Cathleen Childs, paraprofessional II at Bordewich Bray Elementary School

• Theresa Marler, first grade teacher at Empire Elementary School

• Carolina Higuera, office specialist at Empire Elementary School

• Carol “Susie” Owens, second grade teacher at Fremont Elementary School

• Mayelen Garijo, paraprofessional ESL at Fremont Elementary School

• Christine Donaldson, kindergarten teacher at Fritsch Elementary School

• Dawn Bateman, paraprofessional IV (1:1) at Fritsch Elementary School

• Tearra Bobula, computer teacher at Mark Twain Elementary School

• Casandra Blankenship, office specialist at Mark Twain Elementary School

• John Corbit, math teacher at Pioneer High School

• Karen Wayne, cook/baker at Pioneer High School

• Kari Pryor, TOSA implementation specialist cognitive coach for Student Support Services

• Sandra Guzzetta, paraprofessional IV for Student Support Services

• Michael Luke, bus driver trainer for Transportation

• Gary Jones, skilled building maintenance for Operations

• Gina Heinz, administrative secretary II for the District Office

The Carson City School District also recognizes Deanne Foley, RN, school nurse at Carson Middle, as Health Professional of the Year, and Paula Zona, principal at Seeliger, as Administrator of the Year.