RAVE Nominees 2014

 Jessica Leung, Teacher - Sanchez Elementary School

“Ms. Leung shows a consistent commitment to academic excellence among her students, holding them to high standards of behavior, homework completion, and most of all deep thinking while in her classroom. She brings this same commitment to her work as an Instructional Leadership Team member, always being solution-oriented and thoughtful when making planning decisions for her grade level team and the entire school” - Nominated 12/2014

Catherine Salvin & Rachelle Urzua, WALC Team - Downtown High School

“Ms. Salvin and Ms. Urzua are phenomenal teachers who have high expectations of all of their students and go above and beyond to ensure the students feel successful. They understand that "outside situations" may have gotten in the way of previous learning. Together they work with students to come up with the best path to success and will help the student along the way.” - Nominated 12/2014

Emmanuel Steuart, Assistant Principal - Vis Valley Middle School

“There are some tough students at the school and he treats every student and their families with respect and compassion. He works with discipline- which can be a thankless job- and yet he smiles and wants all of the students to be good people for themselves and others.” - Nominated 12/2014

Rosa Aleman, Teacher - Marshall Elementary School

“My son came to her scared of school and unable to read. He really did not like school. She brought him out of his shell and taught him to read and write. I am forever grateful for her persistence and compassion in helping my son be a curious learner.” - Nominated 12/2014

Monica Galvan, Teacher - Buena Vista Horace Mann

“We have had the pleasure of many wonderful, gifted educators at BVHM, but Monica is top of her class. She is patient, skilled, prepared, and nonplussed at every turn - not just with my son's often-trying education and development, but also with giving his parents the tools and resources to reflect the life skills he is receiving in the classroom.” - Nominated 11/2014

Barbara Villanova, Spanish-Bilingual RTI Coordinator - Bryant Elementary School

“Barbara's every action builds on systems of an intervention designed to bridge the achievement gap and support underserved students. She is a tireless worker with a highly refined repertoire of effective pedagogical practices.” - Nominated 11/2014

Dennis Molina, Teacher - Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School

“Mr. Molina has been an incredible asset to the RLS community. Not only has he been a member of the school community for over 25 years, but he goes above and beyond his daily responsibilities as a teacher. He has started a student safety and traffic program, is a leader in the EXCEL after school program, mentors new and veteran teachers, and is an overall role model for all. The school is his passion, and he takes great pride in working with all students, not just those in his class.” - Nominated 11/2014

Sara Liebert, 5th Grade Teacher - John Muir Elementary School

“Sara works tirelessly to improve the educational experiences of the students in her classroom and at her school. She runs an innovative 5th-grade classroom allowing students to select the strategy that works best for their learning in order to meet the learning outcome. She uses technology seamlessly to allow all students access to the lessons she teaches.” - Nominated 10/2014

Cara Cuper, Teacher - F. S. Key Elementary School

“Ms. Cuper has the ability to realize that all students learn differently and can provide the support and strategies each child requires.” - Nominated 10/2014

Michael Lee, Teacher - Ulloa Elementary School

“This teacher not only taught me subjects that I should know but also taught me about life and the mistakes he made. He wants us to learn from his mistakes and to not repeat them.” - Nominated 10/2014

Regina Piper, Director - Mission Zone

“Ms. Piper provides tremendous support to the sites in the Mission Zone. She is excellent at helping think through complex situations and problems, and always follows through in meaningful ways. She understands the needs of the sites, but at the same time maintains a focus on broad systemic goals.” - Nominated 10/2014

Ivy Chan, Secretary - San Francisco Community School

“Ivy is always cheerful and knows everything that goes on at our school. She can help you with almost any request; if she can't do it herself, she can tell you where you need to go and whom to talk to in order to get things done.” - Nominated 10/2014

Halima Marshall, Instructional Reform Facilitator - Dr. Charles Drew College Prep.

“She is very skillful and knowledgeable about teaching and learning. She works wonderfully with both adults and students. She has a very calming presence and pays attention to everyone's heart and meaning.” - Nominated 10/2014

Sue Moock, Contract Compliance Officer - Business Services

“Sue Moock is an outstanding professional. She is always willing to help, train, and provide guidance to SFUSD employees and consultants. She handles a huge workflow successfully and keeps SFUSD organized, running smoothly, and in compliance with laws, regulations, and policies.” - Nominated 09/2014, Distinguished RAVE Award Winner for April 2010

Kim Towsley, Teacher - Argonne Elementary School

“As an educator myself and a parent I have been impressed with her since day one. She is dedicated to her students inside and outside the classroom, day and night.” - Nominated 08/2014

Kanikah LeMon-Jones, Teacher - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School

“She is extremely a friendly person to children and adults; Kanikah goes out of her way to talk to the small children as if she understands that no one else may understand what it's like to not have a voice as a small person in today's society; 'she looks out for the underdog'. She has stayed late many, many hours as a teacher preparing for the next day when most teachers had long gone home.” - Nominated 08/2014

Johanna Woo, Teacher - George Peabody Elementary School

“She is nice and fun. She makes us work hard but that's ok. Our work is hung up all over the classroom which makes me feel good to look at it. She is loving, kind, fun. Ms. Woo teaches us to read, write, and to do both well. She is an amazing social studies teacher, too!” - Nominated 07/2014 and 06/2014

Mika Moore, Resource Support Professional - Everett Middle School

“As a Lead Teacher she has been instrumental in fundamentally changing the educational outcomes for some of our neediest students, whether it’s rallying her team to ensure the best services are given, advocating for additional resources and support from the district and moving the school forward with inclusive practices school-wide.” - Nominated 05/2014

Eduardo Benard, Custodian - Leonard R. Flynn Elementary School

“Mr Benard: He has been a school custodian for 28 years, and School Security for 12 years. Mr Benard has never being recognized by anybody in any way. He deserves to be finally Recognized by somebody.” - Nominated 05/2014

Walter Patrick - Facilities

“Walter Patrick stands out as an exceptional employee working at a very high standard. Walter is quick to respond and is reliable in completing tasks in a high effective and efficient manner. He is personable with a great sense of humor and can always be counted on to support your team.” - Nominated 05/2014 and 04/2014

Christina Reilly, Paraprofessional - ER Taylor

“Christina is caring, kind, thoughtful, hardworking, diligent, fun and knowledgeable  about many areas, including child development, education, psychology and pop music.” - Nominated 05/2014

Neila Romero, Benefits Analyst - Human Resources

“Neila immediately responded to my needs. She asked enough, appropriate questions to fully understand the situation. Then she followed up immediately with other departments/agencies to resolve the issue.” - Nominated 04/2014

Josephine Washington, Ron Ross, Kevin Brown, Paraprofessionals, William L Cobb Elementary School

“These paraprofessionals are incredibly helpful and supportive! They assist students and teachers with kindness and respect. They are truly part of the community at Cobb School.” - Nominated 04/2014

Jeannie Pon, Assistant Superintendent for Middle Schools

“Jeannie Pon is one of the most outstanding district-level employees anyone could ever hope for. She has an institutional memory that supports decisions that must be made. All the other departments are supported by her willingness to share information and support them in their mission.” - Nominated 04/2014

Christopher Rosenberg, Principal - John Muir Elementary School

“Mr. Rosenberg is one of the best principals I know. He's incredibly professional, responsive, caring, and kind, and gives those under his charge the autonomy to hone their art / craft while at the same time providing invaluable support and keeping the bar high. ” - Nominated 01/2014 and in 2010, Distinguished RAVE Award Winner for January 2011