Some of the people who drive the buses, feed students, keep the computer systems and just about everything else running in the school district were recognized for their jobs as outstanding classified employees at Minden Park on Thursday.
Lindy Guajardo and Anita Ovard were chosen as the 2007 Classified Employees of the Year out of the 18 nominated by their schools and departments in the Douglas County School District.
Guajardo is registrar at Whittell High School and has been with the school district for 14 years, beginning as a playground aide at Kingsbury Middle School.
Whittell Principal Sue Shannon said Guajardo is a tremendous team player and a fountain of information.
"She has earned the respect of students, teachers and parents," said Shannon. "No matter how busy, she stops and helps them. One of the quotes from the students was, 'You are the most awesome, awesome person.'"
Guajardo volunteers her time in the classroom, Kingsbury Middle School Parents Club, the academic team, Grad Night committees and at Our Lady of Tahoe Catholic Church.
"Douglas County has a way of hiring the best people," said Guajardo. "I'm humbled to work with these people. I'm proud to be among you."
As registrars, it is Guajardo's job at Whittell and Ovard's job at Douglas to get seniors' transcripts prepared so they may graduate and to get schedules ready for the upcoming school year.
"If things are running smoothly, I wonder if everything's OK," said Ovard, the second recipient of the classified employee of the year award. "I say I have great backup singers. We stand together - I can't do it all myself."
Douglas Principal Marty Swisher said Ovard knows the school's 1,440 students and their transcripts.
"She makes sure of their successes," said Swisher. "Anita is a mother of seven children - one is a junior at Douglas and one just finished student teaching here. She's a great mother to her kids and to all of our kids."
Ovard's activities include being part of the All Sports Boosters Club, taking tickets at Douglas sporting events, baking for Service Learning (at-risk students) and at the Christmas fair.
Ovard said after 13 years with the school district, there are always graduates who come back to school to say hello.
"They show up looking for a familiar face and they find me," she said. "Five of my kids graduated from DHS and have awesome opportunities. I love all the kids - they're all part of my family in one way or other."
2007 Douglas County School District Classified Employees of the Year:
Adrienne Bell, Special Education aide, Gardnerville Elementary School
Ariel Borgman, English as a Second Language aide, Jacks Valley Elementary School
Susie Brumbach, School nurse, all Lake schools
Agnete Carter, Special Education bus aide and Gail Rasmussen, bus driver, Student Transportation
Nicole Davies, Nutrition manager, Scarselli Elementary School
Heidi Downs, Computer technician, Meneley Elementary School
Donna Dunbar, Clerk-typist, Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School
Lindy Guajardo, Registrar, Whittell High School
Nancy Hamlett, Department secretary, Special Services Department
Helen Kennedy, Attendance secretary, Carson Valley Middle School
Debbie Kepler, Nutrition manager, Douglas High School
Karen Myers, Senior library media technician, Minden Elementary School
Anita Ovard, Registrar, Douglas High School
Diane Rea, Department secretary, Buildings and Grounds Department
Tisha Rice, Special Education aide, Piñon Hills Elementary School
Toni Samuel, Librarian, Kingsbury Middle School
Rebecca Winter, Computer technician, Computer Services Department
Quotes from the classified employees of the year luncheon:
-- "You will never find Tisha running amok." Attributed to Piñon Hills special education teacher Angie Coleman about her aide, Tisha Rice.
-- "I love my job. I'm glad to be there." Kingsbury Middle School librarian Toni Samuel.
-- "You don't want to get on the bad side of the secretary, custodian or cook." What Kingsbury Principal Dan Wold said was the best advice given to him as an education major.
-- "I think I have the best job. The kids don't care about their math class - they just want to know what's for lunch." Scarselli nutrition manager Nicole Davies.
-- "Without students, we wouldn't have a job. The library would look neater, but without the kids we wouldn't have jobs." Minden Elementary librarian Karen Myers.
