Staff Kudos
Did one of your colleagues recently wow you? Help us virtually recognize them by sharing more about what they did. We will feature them and their program on NWRESD social media accounts.
January 2021
Ana De Lara - Ana took the time to help a family with instruction on connecting to their iPad. Not only was it not her day to be on site but she also was helping them in the pouring rain.
Noah Weitzel - Noah continues to show excellent consistency toward daily routines and utilizing empathetic strategies with all students.
John Saltveit - John maintains a level of added support that is rarely matched by other colleagues. He is the very essence of a team (player).
Laurel Strieff - I appreciate the her support as a team member. Always listening and being supportive.
Karen Shepherd - She is always quickly available to answer my questions, and if she doesn't know she always works diligently to find out quickly. Thank you Karen for all you do.
Valery Flanegin Briezen - Valery is always willing to translate during my speech sessions. She brings positive energy to my sessions and works countless hours beyond her scheduled day. I admire her talents that she selflessly shares. She graciously added more to her busy schedule to help out a colleague that was out ill. She never complains and is always positive. We are lucky to have her as a part of our organization.
Iris Douglas - Iris has wonderful intuitive skills to follow with students in child directed play yet able to honor those needs while also working on goals.
December 2020
Sonia Hinojosa - Thank you for your help with the Wellness Challenge prizes this month! We appreciate you!
Lisa Bates - Lisa delivered a sign for me (and other team members) to stick in my yard that states "an awesome educator lives here". In these times, it's hard to feel appreciated and when Lisa did that; it warmed my heart.
Julie White - Julie consistently helps me with anything I bring her way. It's relieving to know I can depend on her.
Ethan Akre - Ethan helped me change my name on my computer so it reads my married name! I was so happy with the change despite the stubborn obstacles we faced.
JoLea Ulschmid - Thank you for bringing your positivity to fuel our weekly EI meetings, helping us to collaborate and grow as a team.
Stacy Rager - Thank you for your consistent positive support by being available to us consistently, tirelessly answering questions and moving us forward as a team.
Jerry Maling - Jerry is continually postive and I know he is smiling under that mask! He takes time for a little chat whenever he visits.
Sheri Johnson - Sheri is always there to help in our Sails program, She make amazing scheduels that help us keep on task, (so helpful when jumping from zoom to zoom). She is always grateful and has a never ending smile for her kiddos.
Johnna Timmes - Leads to passion, understanding, and love in her heart.
Lauren Slyh O'Driscoll - A behind the scenes queen, this gal does it all. She absolutely NEVER.GIVES.UP. Lauren is courage under fire and the epitome of professionalism. Such a courageous ally.
Payroll Team - The Payroll Team has gone above and beyond supporting all of our staff through some challenging times and each one is very much appreciated for everything they have done!
Tami Montague - The support provided by Tami in the Fiscal Department is truly amazing, keeping on top of so many thing with a smile and always with positivity!
Tammee Mennighan - Tammee is always willing to jump in on anything that needs attention, no matter how busy the day becomes, and serves so many in such a positive way.
Maureen Crawford-Markasky - Maureens dedication to students and families shines through daily, and all the work is so appreciated by many!
Margaret Bertucci - Margaret is always concerned about others, and ensuring the support given is the best possible. What a gem!
Kimberlee Henderson - Kimberlee is always so willing to help and is quick to find supplies and deliver them to families. Her ability to identify and meet needs with such a positive attitude is a gift to her coworkers and the children we serve!
Valerie White - Valerie warmly extends a helping hand when needed. Thank you for providing time and knowledge, and contributing to the day's successes! You are truly appreciated!
Grace Fasching - Grace support process and communication in a timely manner. Thank you so much for this, as well as your helping hand and positive engagement.
Vicky Schroeder - Even in this very busy time for Vicky, she stopped what she was doing to help me solve a problem. She continually shows grace and patience. I so appreciate her.
Mary France - She continually shows patience with me even if I ask about the same thing over and over again. She shows much grace and has a calmness and reassurance to her that lets me know it is okay and I will get whatever task she is teaching me.
Maggie Shumaker - Special thanks for Maggie's willingness to step in in a pinch, at the last minute! Your can-do attitude and teamwork are appreciated on our team and your district, too!
Cathy Jensen - I appreciate Cathy's responsiveness and support. I know she is super busy and has multiple responsibilities, however, she will make time for individual help when we need it. While times are uncertain right now, I am so happy to have Cathy as our Department's anchor!
Joseph Hernandez - Joseph is always so positive it is absolutely catching. He approaches problems with optimistic confidence and is quick to lay out comprehensive plans for solutions. He is very appreciative of his staff and really creates a great sense of teamwork. He is a wonderful asset to Northwest Regional and we are so happy to have him leading the HR team!
Ethan Akre - Incredible technology and Customer Service!
Aaron Sackett - Customer service and team support!
Meredith McGrath - Arranging an opportunity for a few coworkers to hike in nature to visit and spend a lovely morning together over Thanksgiving Break. It really meant a lot to be included. Thank you!
Pam Pumphrey - You are a beam of SUNSHINE! Pam continually has a big smile for everyone she is supporting. Her bubbly can do attitude is contagious to us all. Her willingness to jump right in and make videos for all to share. She makes virtual school FUN!
Mary Robertson - Mary is always willing to assist me by printing, scanning and ordering the supplies I need to enhance my efficiency in time management, organization and limit my time spent in the building. I truly appreciate her team player mentality!
Aly Bradford - Aly is always willing to help any of us on her team and problem solve! She brings a thoughtful, joyful and dedicated approach to her work.
Don Dorman - Don's responsiveness is always so appreciated. He is a great asset, providing training that is clear and comprehensive, and always allows time for trainees to ask questions! Thank you Don!
Andrea Keifer - Andrea's personalized training is of great value. She takes steps to establish a clear agenda, and provides meaningful training to align with program needs! Thank you Andrea!
Keri Esser - The BECC EI and ECSE teams are so lucky to have Keri on both teams! Keri is often the 'unofficial' communication liaison between the EI and ECSE teams at BECC. She is always ensuring that everyone has the most up-to-date, and critical, information. Keri has also shown great enthusiasm and courage to be involved in equity work at BECC. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Keri!
Michawn McCutchen - Michawn has really done a great job of connecting with families/parents, this year, and has started a Wednesday evening online training/story-reading session with ECSE students. I appreciate you being willing to alter your schedule to accommodate the needs and preferences of our families!!
Bret Wonderlick and Marivel Santos - A big thank you to Bret and Marivel for working so hard to ensure that our families have a safe place to come for their hearing evaluations. I appreciate that you are following all of the established protocols and are seeing the kids who have been waiting for evaluations for many months, now. Thanks for being willing to provide this much-needed and valued service to our families and districts!
Cathy Jensen - Cathy has a HUGE and diverse department to direct, and yet is quick to respond to email needs and seems to stay on top of all of the newest information of which our team needs to be aware. Cathy has really stepped into this role and has tackled it head on. I appreciate having a supervisor who knows of what she speaks, does the hard work, and who puts our students first!
Carissa Martos - Carissa inherited a new student this year, and invested MASSIVE amounts of time (including much of her own time) to guide this student, family, and district into how to best meet the needs of this kiddo. He is now settling into a new and fabulous placement that will meet his needs. I couldn't be happier with Carissa's investment into this student! Thank you!
Allison Rodriguez - Allison has been a constant source of support and positive energy for me. She is up for anything and puts 100% into everything she does. I would be lost without her!
Kyle Fasching - Kyle has continued to provide excellent customer service to our MAC districts during the fall survey period. Thank you for your continued work!
Kathy Fernandez - Kathy's willingness to help me resolve an issue is greatly appreciated. She is always so kind, caring, and compassionate, and she had all the answers needed. Thank you Kathy, I appreciate you!
Rosalyn Kekahuna Ouderkirk - Ros was such a great help to me in getting an issue resolved. I appreciate your patience and willingness to help. Thank you, Ros!
Troy Kujala - Thanks to Troy for his help in getting the needed items and software out to the school psych team to assist them in implementing remote evaluations. You are so essential to our ability to serve kids. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Reyna Sigurdson - Shout out to Reyna for doing an excellent job presenting over a two day period on the topic of ASD and Girls. It was your first time presenting on Zoom to a very large crowd and you did a great job. Thanks for going out of your comfort zone. The feedback was great!
November 2020
Emma Stotler - Emma is a truly thoughtful colleague who is always willing to share her knowledge and assist with program needs even when an activity may be a few steps away from her specific "home base." Thank you for your partnership Emma!
Darliene Farrar - Darliene jumped in to support a time-sensitive job without a second thought. We are so thankful and value her collaborative and caring lens.
Kim Knutson - Wow is an understatement! Kim was able to present and provide shared access to her interactive, virtual, OT/PT room, activities and exercises. Hours and hours of work was put into her interactive 'room'. Great job Kim! You're awesome.
Tammie Carlson - Thanks for Always supporting Team , making awesome Seesaw activities and helping me create Videos , and small group activities and being a wonderful co -worker ! I always look forward to doing small group and circle time and putting together projects with you ! I couldn't do it without you ! you make it so much FUN ! Thanks for being you !
Motor Team/Interoception Team - Jan Cuciti, Johanna Delange, Jo Flomer, Tiffany Sixour, Kate Pritchard, Carli Tedford, Laura Minthorne-Brown - The Interoception Team was able to present information to all Motor Team members. Interoception is a sense that provides information about the internal condition of our body—how our body is feeling on the inside and how to take action based on body signals. This information will be beneficial while serving students in all four counties.
Jennilyn Wilson - Jennilyn has been extremely helpful in helping me track down and gather information about a program. I really appreciate her assistance!
Julie Tarabochia - Julie is constantly thinking of fun activities and creative ideas to support students. She insists that I let her know if I need any help, even though I know she is already loaded with tasks. She is always sunny, positive, caring, and kind. Thank you Julie!
Rikkie Schley - Rikkie is always willing to jump in and help out, from providing consultation to families and team members, to assisting with many IFSP and tech questions. She has been our liaison with the union and most recently assisted my team with ensuring that everyone received unemployment benefits. She is a great team member and takes on leadership roles with ease.
Polly Grant - Thank you Polly for your patience with my various Frontline timesheet adjustments. I appreciate your guidance and help!
Grace Fasching - I have had a number of job postings this fall and every one has had some unique complication. Grace has consistently been very helpful and quick to respond. Any time I had a question she couldn't answer, she tracked down the answer and helped me find a solution. She is an asset to our HR team!
Isabell Gomez-Rios - Isabell has been helping us with Medicaid tasks and has done so thoroughly and with a great attitude! It is not easy work and she has remained positive and open to learning. Thank you, Isabell!
Jerry Maling - Went above and beyond to pick up a very large amount of equipment from TECC.
Jennie Jones - Jennie is all around AWESOME. She is reliable, flexible, and great at her job.
Paul Thompson - All of the patience, time, effort, and training "know how" that he has put into supporting all of us on CANVAS - Thank you Paul
Julie Lavers - THANK YOU Julie for helping me reach the right people to help get maintenance into your building - it can be a challenge for facilities working remotely, so I am VERY grateful for those who pinch hit in emergencies!
Emily Bellew - Emily ran with a call for help and left her likely cozy home to come and let facilities into her site for an important maintenance call - thank you Emily, you rock!
Amy Miles, OT - Great ideas to support students, connects well with parents and families, very compassionate and genuine, wonderful to collaborate and work with. I appreciate you!
Paulette Rubio - Learning remote assessment while writing IEPs, attending meetings, serving kids and writing reports. Juggling it all and still available for case consultation and supporting staff. I appreciate you and your expertise.
Karah Smith - Karah truly goes above and beyond to provide services to her families and to help her colleagues maintain connections with families. She is quiet about it but works extremely hard!
Leah Totten - Leah is so organized and conscientious but also extremely flexible and really great at working with children and families in even the most challenging of situations!
Katherine Resch - Kate is always willing to jump in and help with tech support at any time. I really appreciate the way she can listen to exactly what I'm trying to do and help me be more efficient. She's always got a smile to share, and I always learn so much! Thank you, Kate!
Rosa Huerta - Rosa is a stellar interpreter! She recently stepped in at the last minute to help me provide tech support with a student's communication device to the family in Spanish. She has also been helping make my Friday virtual AAC group accessible to Spanish speakers. She joins with lots of enthusiasm, and it's fun to see all the kids engaging with her and each other in English and Spanish. Thank you Rosa
Misty Burris - Misty always addresses any issues sent to her in a timely manner. It is so much appreciated! Thank you!
Becca McClure - She jumped right into EI and has been such a fast learner! Even though she's only been on our team a short while, she as quickly become an invaluable addition! We are so lucky to have you, Becca!
Joy Lamb, Christine Melcher, Shannon Hammerman - These wonderful ladies jumped right in when I asked for their assistance, with not a lot of notice! They all had wonderful ideas and insights into how to support one of our students and I GREATLY appreciate their amazing attitudes! Thank you!
Sarah Davis - Sarah has been an advocate for evaluation team, and she keeps us informed. She is always willing to help, and she has a calm demeanor that makes it easy for families to feel comfortable.
Carlos Tenorio Hughes - Carlos truly goes above and beyond when it comes to showing compassion towards families. He explains information in a family friendly manner. He has exceptional knowledge of child language development of bilingual children, and his contribution to evaluations is invaluable in getting accurate results for students. Thank you Carlos for always putting in 120% into your work.
Mariana Zaragoza - Mariana is doing crucial work through the NREN, to improve conditions for current and future educators of color in Oregon.
Virgil Hretcanu - I'm grateful to Virgil for helping with the NW Toolbox migration to Cascade Technology Alliance.
Sadako Hoffman - I'm thankful for Sadako's expertise and guidance with the with the NW Toolbox migration to Cascade Technology Alliance.
Kimberlee Henderson - I had many copies to print out, but none of the printers would accept any of my print jobs from any of the computers on site. When I got home. I called Kimberlee, & forwarded to her laptop what I need printed for next months activity packets. She later dropped them off at my house. This made it possible for me to start assembling them, and later I'll be dropping them off before the Break.
Heather Leader - Heather is so willing to go above and beyond for her students & families by making wonderful home items for their use ( i.e. RL).
Jackie Bergerson - Jackie is so helpful & patient with staff questions and confusion when teaching about processes.
Ana De Lara - She took time to teach me things about google drive- such as the ‘priority’ setting. So helpful. She is always ready and willing to answer questions and help sort things out.
Nora Illades - Nora translated handouts for me - helping with formatting and making suggestions for improvement.
Mary Dorry - She came to my rescue big time. Helped me find a file for an evaluation. It helped me out so much!!
Lisa Wallace - Lisa is so helpful with sharing her knowledge of her experience, process understanding and technology and has an outlook that is so very helpful.
October 2020
Kathy Fernandez - Kathy went above and beyond to help me with leave request! Thank you very much Kathy, you helped me through a very stressful situation! I appreciate you!
Karah Griffin - Stellar parent coaching/ 1:1 instruction
Tamra Frame - Tami has been so supportive and most importantly helpful in navigating a situation. I appreciate you and all the time you are spending you this Tami!
Victoria Neale - Stellar parent coaching / 1:1 lessons
Laura Germond - Patience, guidance, and support (All hail paperwork goddess) I need to send you a giant bag of chocolate!
Alisha Golec - I am so appreciative of Alisha's willingness to jump on a spontaneous meeting (on multiple occasions) and offer professional input to a collective need that impacts so many others.
Valerie White - Valerie jumped onto the Columbia County without missing a beat and went way beyond the call of duty trying to obtain medical records for us at the very last minute. She's a rock star!
Troy Kujala - Troy is always very accessible and patiente with TECC staff. This week, he helped last minute to a coworker dealing with IT issues for more than a week. TECC team is very grateful to have him working with us!
Sonia Hinojosa - Thanks to Sonia who has been working extra hard to support purchases in our department. There have been lots of errors on the ends of the companies we work with and she has stuck with it to make sure things get right - often resulting in hours and hours of extra time. Your work is appreciated.
Kate Resch - Thanks to Kate for going through the hundreds of boxes from our Pearson order, taking inventory, and working with our other SSS team members to work on this large project.
Darliene Farrar - Thanks to Darliene for going through the hundreds of boxes from our Pearson order, taking inventory, and working with our other SSS team members to work on this large project. I know there is still a lot of work to go to help get things out to the people who need them. Thank you!
Troy Kujala - Troy not only helps to resolve or support a momentary tech issue / need, but he is also willing to go the extra mile to look at project work on a deeper and more meaningful level in order to assess if greater efficiencies and goals can be met to reduce workload. Thank you!
Kathy Fernandez - Kathy has been extremely helpful and informative regarding the COVID & FMLA leave process. Without her help, this would have been a much more daunting, and less human experience. Thank you Kathy!
Misty Averette - She has the capacity to keep so many balls in the air and execute flawlessly! She helps ensure I can provide for families each and every day!
Renae Iversen - Renae and her team have done a great job showing new ways to engage students during the Reimagining Schools Series. I excitedly tried one of the ideas and asked for her feedback. Renae was AMAZING!!!! She took what I had created and transformed it into this incredible, user/student friendly version that I am excited to try with my students. Thanks, Renae, for going above and beyond to help me out!
Vanessa Perini - I am proud that Vanessa has volunteered to be a facilitator/point person in the district she is serving in for their newly-founded Equity Team. Thank you for being an Equity Leader!
Heather Davis - Heather has been in the midst of a particularly challenging situation regarding one of her students, and she has invested a great deal in helping to support him and his family while also navigating the need to be diplomatic with a district we serve. Thank you for caring for kids so much that sometimes it hurts!
Carissa Martos - Carissa has developed a series of really innovative training videos for her students, colleagues, and parents to benefit from. Thank you for always sharing your resources and for thinking outside the box during comprehensive distance learning!
Alex Hutchings - One of Alex’s first responsibilities in this new role was to navigate an Oregon eligibility and an out-of-district placement. No easy task for an experienced itinerant, but Alex went above and beyond to prepare forms for the district, reached out to administrators from the potential placement and also her mentor, and as a result the placement happened without a hitch. Well done!
Michelle McPherron - Michelle has gone above and beyond this year helping to get classes set up, materials to families, making visuals, and helping me in all sorts of ways! Thank you so much Michelle!
September 2020
Micaela Quintana - I appreciate the open collaboration with me to support DHH students and families.
Karah Griffin - Persistence, Adaptability and communication
Jessica Duffett - Jessica has truly emerged as a fantastic leader these past six months. She frequently goes above and beyond to answer questions, troubleshoot technology problems, provide professional advice, and research creative solutions. She makes time to help, all while balancing her own work. Jessica is an organized, level-headed, caring, and reliable coworker, and I am very grateful to work with her.
Victoria Neale - Adaptability, courage, dedication
Kate Resch - Kate is always ready to assist with any project!! She's been great setting up a calendar for us to take turns going into Washington Service Center to do mail, packages and let staff know of their packages and mail. She goes the extra mile for any project given to her. It's a pleasure working with Kate.
Peggy Boisvert and Sandi Luth - You two are so great to work with! This virtual stuff has been challenging at times, but I know with our team we will get it done. :)
Valery Flanegin Briezen - being graciously flexible and hitting the ground running
Cassidy Bibo - I want to give a shout out to Cassidy for volunteering to be a Co-Building Equity Coordinator at the site she is working at in TTSD! Thanks for contributing to our agency's vision in this way.
Emma Stotler - Shout out to Emma for her helpful attitude and willingness to help shepherd me a long in the iPad purchasing process! You are essential to our work!
Jackie Bergerson - She stepped in and helped me with evaluations in Tillamook when my caseload in Clatsop swamped me. She took on the stress of scheduling and evaluations in Tillamook, so I was able to focus on switching to a virtual platform and completing a large group transition to ECSE evaluations for Clatsop County. I did not have to worry, because I knew Jackie was on the task.
Freya Lewis - Freya was instrumental in helping Vernonia School District accept and set up donated Chrome Books to be distributed to our students in time for the start of distance learning. Additionally, Freya has been very responsive and helpful providing technical support for myself and all Vernonia staff both remotely and at VSD.
Alla Matveyenko, Jennie Jones, Carla Starr - Alla, Jennie and Carla exemplify team work! They are all so quick to help me out as a fellow SLP on the eval team by offering their time, answering questions and generally being supportive and wonderful!
Emily Tu - Emily started at BECC a couple of months before the pandemic. She had to quickly learn new procedures and paperwork, but had to learn a lot of it virtually! She is always quick to help her team and is a valuable member of our speech group. We are really happy she is with us!
Dave Whitman - It is always greatly appreciated when the previous school psych has done a thorough file reveiw and report. When trying to do reevals through electronic file review in the current Covid environment, I came across a report by Dave. The history of the student was perplexing and didn't make sense until I read Dave's uploaded report. It covered everything perfectly!! Thanks Dave!
Sam Munyandamusta - Sam helped me figure out why my computer had the "hic-ups". He sent me the right cord and it worked. He also helped me get on to the Run The World sessions when I was having lots of trouble and ready to have a melt-down. Sam saved the day!!!!!! Thank you so much.
Katherine Resch - Kate consistently goes above and beyond to support me. If I have a question or need help, she makes sure she is available. Example: Yesterday she met with me from 4:30 pm till after 5:00 to go over specific instructions to help me get my work done. She is always happy and ready to give assistance and guidance. Thank you so much Kate.
Rikkie Schley - Rikkie took time to answer some procedural questions I had and was extremely helpful. Her concise directions made my task so much easier. She is one of our paperwork process go-to people and I am so grateful she is always willing to help!
BECC team - Just Thank you for allowing me to be apart of the team. Just keep swimming y'all
Kristin Scott - She's a selfless colleague whom I often call on for support, she is always willing to help and kindly responds to my requests!
Jana Swedo - I am very impressed with Jana's enthusiasm in throwing herself in there to learn more about Adobe, the Google Suite and Zoom last spring, over the summer, and this fall. She's done lots of self-study, trial and error, and has taken me up on my office hours to learn more and hone her skills. Way to go!
Bethany Bowers - I would like to recognize Bethany's efforts from the spring of 2020 and this fall in leading a subcommittee to develop and update the Guidance for Evaluation During COVID-19 document. It has been shared statewide and has been appreciated by many.
Jackie Bergerson - I asked Jackie if she would score an assessment for me; I barely blinked before she had it done with reports ready. Amazing! She is always quick in to jump in and help!
Sue Kirlin - Sue recently re-joined the EI/ECSE evaluation team and did so absolutely seamlessly! Sue has jumped in with a "can-do" energy and is such a pleasure work with! Her kind and caring presence are helpful for not only the families she sees, but also the colleagues who work with her.
Peggy Freund - Peggy has been incredibly supportive over the past 6 months while our team struggled with the uncertainty of the Covid closure and transitioned to distance learning. She calmly listened to our personal anxieties, emphasized new opportunities presented by working from home and was always honest with us when she did not have the answers to our barrage of questions. Thank you for being our rock!
Ethan Akre - Thank you for your hard work
Troy Kujala - Thank you for your patience and knowledge
Paul Thompson - Learning Canvas and teaching the teams with patience and humor
Anne Shoepe - Over the past several months as the evaluation team shifted to remote evaluations, Anne went above and beyond to support the team, including spending her own time looking into online evaluation resources and uploading resources to our shared team drive to help make information easily available to the team. She dived right into making changes and her energy and support helped the whole team.
Ana De Lara - Ana took the time to help a family with instruction on connecting to their iPad. Not only was it not her day to be on site but she also was helping them in the pouring rain.
Noah Weitzel - Noah continues to show excellent consistency toward daily routines and utilizing empathetic strategies with all students.
John Saltveit - John maintains a level of added support that is rarely matched by other colleagues. He is the very essence of a team (player).
Laurel Strieff - I appreciate the her support as a team member. Always listening and being supportive.
Karen Shepherd - She is always quickly available to answer my questions, and if she doesn't know she always works diligently to find out quickly. Thank you Karen for all you do.
Valery Flanegin Briezen - Valery is always willing to translate during my speech sessions. She brings positive energy to my sessions and works countless hours beyond her scheduled day. I admire her talents that she selflessly shares. She graciously added more to her busy schedule to help out a colleague that was out ill. She never complains and is always positive. We are lucky to have her as a part of our organization.
Iris Douglas - Iris has wonderful intuitive skills to follow with students in child directed play yet able to honor those needs while also working on goals.
December 2020
Sonia Hinojosa - Thank you for your help with the Wellness Challenge prizes this month! We appreciate you!
Lisa Bates - Lisa delivered a sign for me (and other team members) to stick in my yard that states "an awesome educator lives here". In these times, it's hard to feel appreciated and when Lisa did that; it warmed my heart.
Julie White - Julie consistently helps me with anything I bring her way. It's relieving to know I can depend on her.
Ethan Akre - Ethan helped me change my name on my computer so it reads my married name! I was so happy with the change despite the stubborn obstacles we faced.
JoLea Ulschmid - Thank you for bringing your positivity to fuel our weekly EI meetings, helping us to collaborate and grow as a team.
Stacy Rager - Thank you for your consistent positive support by being available to us consistently, tirelessly answering questions and moving us forward as a team.
Jerry Maling - Jerry is continually postive and I know he is smiling under that mask! He takes time for a little chat whenever he visits.
Sheri Johnson - Sheri is always there to help in our Sails program, She make amazing scheduels that help us keep on task, (so helpful when jumping from zoom to zoom). She is always grateful and has a never ending smile for her kiddos.
Johnna Timmes - Leads to passion, understanding, and love in her heart.
Lauren Slyh O'Driscoll - A behind the scenes queen, this gal does it all. She absolutely NEVER.GIVES.UP. Lauren is courage under fire and the epitome of professionalism. Such a courageous ally.
Payroll Team - The Payroll Team has gone above and beyond supporting all of our staff through some challenging times and each one is very much appreciated for everything they have done!
Tami Montague - The support provided by Tami in the Fiscal Department is truly amazing, keeping on top of so many thing with a smile and always with positivity!
Tammee Mennighan - Tammee is always willing to jump in on anything that needs attention, no matter how busy the day becomes, and serves so many in such a positive way.
Maureen Crawford-Markasky - Maureens dedication to students and families shines through daily, and all the work is so appreciated by many!
Margaret Bertucci - Margaret is always concerned about others, and ensuring the support given is the best possible. What a gem!
Kimberlee Henderson - Kimberlee is always so willing to help and is quick to find supplies and deliver them to families. Her ability to identify and meet needs with such a positive attitude is a gift to her coworkers and the children we serve!
Valerie White - Valerie warmly extends a helping hand when needed. Thank you for providing time and knowledge, and contributing to the day's successes! You are truly appreciated!
Grace Fasching - Grace support process and communication in a timely manner. Thank you so much for this, as well as your helping hand and positive engagement.
Vicky Schroeder - Even in this very busy time for Vicky, she stopped what she was doing to help me solve a problem. She continually shows grace and patience. I so appreciate her.
Mary France - She continually shows patience with me even if I ask about the same thing over and over again. She shows much grace and has a calmness and reassurance to her that lets me know it is okay and I will get whatever task she is teaching me.
Maggie Shumaker - Special thanks for Maggie's willingness to step in in a pinch, at the last minute! Your can-do attitude and teamwork are appreciated on our team and your district, too!
Cathy Jensen - I appreciate Cathy's responsiveness and support. I know she is super busy and has multiple responsibilities, however, she will make time for individual help when we need it. While times are uncertain right now, I am so happy to have Cathy as our Department's anchor!
Joseph Hernandez - Joseph is always so positive it is absolutely catching. He approaches problems with optimistic confidence and is quick to lay out comprehensive plans for solutions. He is very appreciative of his staff and really creates a great sense of teamwork. He is a wonderful asset to Northwest Regional and we are so happy to have him leading the HR team!
Ethan Akre - Incredible technology and Customer Service!
Aaron Sackett - Customer service and team support!
Meredith McGrath - Arranging an opportunity for a few coworkers to hike in nature to visit and spend a lovely morning together over Thanksgiving Break. It really meant a lot to be included. Thank you!
Pam Pumphrey - You are a beam of SUNSHINE! Pam continually has a big smile for everyone she is supporting. Her bubbly can do attitude is contagious to us all. Her willingness to jump right in and make videos for all to share. She makes virtual school FUN!
Mary Robertson - Mary is always willing to assist me by printing, scanning and ordering the supplies I need to enhance my efficiency in time management, organization and limit my time spent in the building. I truly appreciate her team player mentality!
Aly Bradford - Aly is always willing to help any of us on her team and problem solve! She brings a thoughtful, joyful and dedicated approach to her work.
Don Dorman - Don's responsiveness is always so appreciated. He is a great asset, providing training that is clear and comprehensive, and always allows time for trainees to ask questions! Thank you Don!
Andrea Keifer - Andrea's personalized training is of great value. She takes steps to establish a clear agenda, and provides meaningful training to align with program needs! Thank you Andrea!
Keri Esser - The BECC EI and ECSE teams are so lucky to have Keri on both teams! Keri is often the 'unofficial' communication liaison between the EI and ECSE teams at BECC. She is always ensuring that everyone has the most up-to-date, and critical, information. Keri has also shown great enthusiasm and courage to be involved in equity work at BECC. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Keri!
Michawn McCutchen - Michawn has really done a great job of connecting with families/parents, this year, and has started a Wednesday evening online training/story-reading session with ECSE students. I appreciate you being willing to alter your schedule to accommodate the needs and preferences of our families!!
Bret Wonderlick and Marivel Santos - A big thank you to Bret and Marivel for working so hard to ensure that our families have a safe place to come for their hearing evaluations. I appreciate that you are following all of the established protocols and are seeing the kids who have been waiting for evaluations for many months, now. Thanks for being willing to provide this much-needed and valued service to our families and districts!
Cathy Jensen - Cathy has a HUGE and diverse department to direct, and yet is quick to respond to email needs and seems to stay on top of all of the newest information of which our team needs to be aware. Cathy has really stepped into this role and has tackled it head on. I appreciate having a supervisor who knows of what she speaks, does the hard work, and who puts our students first!
Carissa Martos - Carissa inherited a new student this year, and invested MASSIVE amounts of time (including much of her own time) to guide this student, family, and district into how to best meet the needs of this kiddo. He is now settling into a new and fabulous placement that will meet his needs. I couldn't be happier with Carissa's investment into this student! Thank you!
Allison Rodriguez - Allison has been a constant source of support and positive energy for me. She is up for anything and puts 100% into everything she does. I would be lost without her!
Kyle Fasching - Kyle has continued to provide excellent customer service to our MAC districts during the fall survey period. Thank you for your continued work!
Kathy Fernandez - Kathy's willingness to help me resolve an issue is greatly appreciated. She is always so kind, caring, and compassionate, and she had all the answers needed. Thank you Kathy, I appreciate you!
Rosalyn Kekahuna Ouderkirk - Ros was such a great help to me in getting an issue resolved. I appreciate your patience and willingness to help. Thank you, Ros!
Troy Kujala - Thanks to Troy for his help in getting the needed items and software out to the school psych team to assist them in implementing remote evaluations. You are so essential to our ability to serve kids. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Reyna Sigurdson - Shout out to Reyna for doing an excellent job presenting over a two day period on the topic of ASD and Girls. It was your first time presenting on Zoom to a very large crowd and you did a great job. Thanks for going out of your comfort zone. The feedback was great!
November 2020
Emma Stotler - Emma is a truly thoughtful colleague who is always willing to share her knowledge and assist with program needs even when an activity may be a few steps away from her specific "home base." Thank you for your partnership Emma!
Darliene Farrar - Darliene jumped in to support a time-sensitive job without a second thought. We are so thankful and value her collaborative and caring lens.
Kim Knutson - Wow is an understatement! Kim was able to present and provide shared access to her interactive, virtual, OT/PT room, activities and exercises. Hours and hours of work was put into her interactive 'room'. Great job Kim! You're awesome.
Tammie Carlson - Thanks for Always supporting Team , making awesome Seesaw activities and helping me create Videos , and small group activities and being a wonderful co -worker ! I always look forward to doing small group and circle time and putting together projects with you ! I couldn't do it without you ! you make it so much FUN ! Thanks for being you !
Motor Team/Interoception Team - Jan Cuciti, Johanna Delange, Jo Flomer, Tiffany Sixour, Kate Pritchard, Carli Tedford, Laura Minthorne-Brown - The Interoception Team was able to present information to all Motor Team members. Interoception is a sense that provides information about the internal condition of our body—how our body is feeling on the inside and how to take action based on body signals. This information will be beneficial while serving students in all four counties.
Jennilyn Wilson - Jennilyn has been extremely helpful in helping me track down and gather information about a program. I really appreciate her assistance!
Julie Tarabochia - Julie is constantly thinking of fun activities and creative ideas to support students. She insists that I let her know if I need any help, even though I know she is already loaded with tasks. She is always sunny, positive, caring, and kind. Thank you Julie!
Rikkie Schley - Rikkie is always willing to jump in and help out, from providing consultation to families and team members, to assisting with many IFSP and tech questions. She has been our liaison with the union and most recently assisted my team with ensuring that everyone received unemployment benefits. She is a great team member and takes on leadership roles with ease.
Polly Grant - Thank you Polly for your patience with my various Frontline timesheet adjustments. I appreciate your guidance and help!
Grace Fasching - I have had a number of job postings this fall and every one has had some unique complication. Grace has consistently been very helpful and quick to respond. Any time I had a question she couldn't answer, she tracked down the answer and helped me find a solution. She is an asset to our HR team!
Isabell Gomez-Rios - Isabell has been helping us with Medicaid tasks and has done so thoroughly and with a great attitude! It is not easy work and she has remained positive and open to learning. Thank you, Isabell!
Jerry Maling - Went above and beyond to pick up a very large amount of equipment from TECC.
Jennie Jones - Jennie is all around AWESOME. She is reliable, flexible, and great at her job.
Paul Thompson - All of the patience, time, effort, and training "know how" that he has put into supporting all of us on CANVAS - Thank you Paul
Julie Lavers - THANK YOU Julie for helping me reach the right people to help get maintenance into your building - it can be a challenge for facilities working remotely, so I am VERY grateful for those who pinch hit in emergencies!
Emily Bellew - Emily ran with a call for help and left her likely cozy home to come and let facilities into her site for an important maintenance call - thank you Emily, you rock!
Amy Miles, OT - Great ideas to support students, connects well with parents and families, very compassionate and genuine, wonderful to collaborate and work with. I appreciate you!
Paulette Rubio - Learning remote assessment while writing IEPs, attending meetings, serving kids and writing reports. Juggling it all and still available for case consultation and supporting staff. I appreciate you and your expertise.
Karah Smith - Karah truly goes above and beyond to provide services to her families and to help her colleagues maintain connections with families. She is quiet about it but works extremely hard!
Leah Totten - Leah is so organized and conscientious but also extremely flexible and really great at working with children and families in even the most challenging of situations!
Katherine Resch - Kate is always willing to jump in and help with tech support at any time. I really appreciate the way she can listen to exactly what I'm trying to do and help me be more efficient. She's always got a smile to share, and I always learn so much! Thank you, Kate!
Rosa Huerta - Rosa is a stellar interpreter! She recently stepped in at the last minute to help me provide tech support with a student's communication device to the family in Spanish. She has also been helping make my Friday virtual AAC group accessible to Spanish speakers. She joins with lots of enthusiasm, and it's fun to see all the kids engaging with her and each other in English and Spanish. Thank you Rosa
Misty Burris - Misty always addresses any issues sent to her in a timely manner. It is so much appreciated! Thank you!
Becca McClure - She jumped right into EI and has been such a fast learner! Even though she's only been on our team a short while, she as quickly become an invaluable addition! We are so lucky to have you, Becca!
Joy Lamb, Christine Melcher, Shannon Hammerman - These wonderful ladies jumped right in when I asked for their assistance, with not a lot of notice! They all had wonderful ideas and insights into how to support one of our students and I GREATLY appreciate their amazing attitudes! Thank you!
Sarah Davis - Sarah has been an advocate for evaluation team, and she keeps us informed. She is always willing to help, and she has a calm demeanor that makes it easy for families to feel comfortable.
Carlos Tenorio Hughes - Carlos truly goes above and beyond when it comes to showing compassion towards families. He explains information in a family friendly manner. He has exceptional knowledge of child language development of bilingual children, and his contribution to evaluations is invaluable in getting accurate results for students. Thank you Carlos for always putting in 120% into your work.
Mariana Zaragoza - Mariana is doing crucial work through the NREN, to improve conditions for current and future educators of color in Oregon.
Virgil Hretcanu - I'm grateful to Virgil for helping with the NW Toolbox migration to Cascade Technology Alliance.
Sadako Hoffman - I'm thankful for Sadako's expertise and guidance with the with the NW Toolbox migration to Cascade Technology Alliance.
Kimberlee Henderson - I had many copies to print out, but none of the printers would accept any of my print jobs from any of the computers on site. When I got home. I called Kimberlee, & forwarded to her laptop what I need printed for next months activity packets. She later dropped them off at my house. This made it possible for me to start assembling them, and later I'll be dropping them off before the Break.
Heather Leader - Heather is so willing to go above and beyond for her students & families by making wonderful home items for their use ( i.e. RL).
Jackie Bergerson - Jackie is so helpful & patient with staff questions and confusion when teaching about processes.
Ana De Lara - She took time to teach me things about google drive- such as the ‘priority’ setting. So helpful. She is always ready and willing to answer questions and help sort things out.
Nora Illades - Nora translated handouts for me - helping with formatting and making suggestions for improvement.
Mary Dorry - She came to my rescue big time. Helped me find a file for an evaluation. It helped me out so much!!
Lisa Wallace - Lisa is so helpful with sharing her knowledge of her experience, process understanding and technology and has an outlook that is so very helpful.
October 2020
Kathy Fernandez - Kathy went above and beyond to help me with leave request! Thank you very much Kathy, you helped me through a very stressful situation! I appreciate you!
Karah Griffin - Stellar parent coaching/ 1:1 instruction
Tamra Frame - Tami has been so supportive and most importantly helpful in navigating a situation. I appreciate you and all the time you are spending you this Tami!
Victoria Neale - Stellar parent coaching / 1:1 lessons
Laura Germond - Patience, guidance, and support (All hail paperwork goddess) I need to send you a giant bag of chocolate!
Alisha Golec - I am so appreciative of Alisha's willingness to jump on a spontaneous meeting (on multiple occasions) and offer professional input to a collective need that impacts so many others.
Valerie White - Valerie jumped onto the Columbia County without missing a beat and went way beyond the call of duty trying to obtain medical records for us at the very last minute. She's a rock star!
Troy Kujala - Troy is always very accessible and patiente with TECC staff. This week, he helped last minute to a coworker dealing with IT issues for more than a week. TECC team is very grateful to have him working with us!
Sonia Hinojosa - Thanks to Sonia who has been working extra hard to support purchases in our department. There have been lots of errors on the ends of the companies we work with and she has stuck with it to make sure things get right - often resulting in hours and hours of extra time. Your work is appreciated.
Kate Resch - Thanks to Kate for going through the hundreds of boxes from our Pearson order, taking inventory, and working with our other SSS team members to work on this large project.
Darliene Farrar - Thanks to Darliene for going through the hundreds of boxes from our Pearson order, taking inventory, and working with our other SSS team members to work on this large project. I know there is still a lot of work to go to help get things out to the people who need them. Thank you!
Troy Kujala - Troy not only helps to resolve or support a momentary tech issue / need, but he is also willing to go the extra mile to look at project work on a deeper and more meaningful level in order to assess if greater efficiencies and goals can be met to reduce workload. Thank you!
Kathy Fernandez - Kathy has been extremely helpful and informative regarding the COVID & FMLA leave process. Without her help, this would have been a much more daunting, and less human experience. Thank you Kathy!
Misty Averette - She has the capacity to keep so many balls in the air and execute flawlessly! She helps ensure I can provide for families each and every day!
Renae Iversen - Renae and her team have done a great job showing new ways to engage students during the Reimagining Schools Series. I excitedly tried one of the ideas and asked for her feedback. Renae was AMAZING!!!! She took what I had created and transformed it into this incredible, user/student friendly version that I am excited to try with my students. Thanks, Renae, for going above and beyond to help me out!
Vanessa Perini - I am proud that Vanessa has volunteered to be a facilitator/point person in the district she is serving in for their newly-founded Equity Team. Thank you for being an Equity Leader!
Heather Davis - Heather has been in the midst of a particularly challenging situation regarding one of her students, and she has invested a great deal in helping to support him and his family while also navigating the need to be diplomatic with a district we serve. Thank you for caring for kids so much that sometimes it hurts!
Carissa Martos - Carissa has developed a series of really innovative training videos for her students, colleagues, and parents to benefit from. Thank you for always sharing your resources and for thinking outside the box during comprehensive distance learning!
Alex Hutchings - One of Alex’s first responsibilities in this new role was to navigate an Oregon eligibility and an out-of-district placement. No easy task for an experienced itinerant, but Alex went above and beyond to prepare forms for the district, reached out to administrators from the potential placement and also her mentor, and as a result the placement happened without a hitch. Well done!
Michelle McPherron - Michelle has gone above and beyond this year helping to get classes set up, materials to families, making visuals, and helping me in all sorts of ways! Thank you so much Michelle!
September 2020
Micaela Quintana - I appreciate the open collaboration with me to support DHH students and families.
Karah Griffin - Persistence, Adaptability and communication
Jessica Duffett - Jessica has truly emerged as a fantastic leader these past six months. She frequently goes above and beyond to answer questions, troubleshoot technology problems, provide professional advice, and research creative solutions. She makes time to help, all while balancing her own work. Jessica is an organized, level-headed, caring, and reliable coworker, and I am very grateful to work with her.
Victoria Neale - Adaptability, courage, dedication
Kate Resch - Kate is always ready to assist with any project!! She's been great setting up a calendar for us to take turns going into Washington Service Center to do mail, packages and let staff know of their packages and mail. She goes the extra mile for any project given to her. It's a pleasure working with Kate.
Peggy Boisvert and Sandi Luth - You two are so great to work with! This virtual stuff has been challenging at times, but I know with our team we will get it done. :)
Valery Flanegin Briezen - being graciously flexible and hitting the ground running
Cassidy Bibo - I want to give a shout out to Cassidy for volunteering to be a Co-Building Equity Coordinator at the site she is working at in TTSD! Thanks for contributing to our agency's vision in this way.
Emma Stotler - Shout out to Emma for her helpful attitude and willingness to help shepherd me a long in the iPad purchasing process! You are essential to our work!
Jackie Bergerson - She stepped in and helped me with evaluations in Tillamook when my caseload in Clatsop swamped me. She took on the stress of scheduling and evaluations in Tillamook, so I was able to focus on switching to a virtual platform and completing a large group transition to ECSE evaluations for Clatsop County. I did not have to worry, because I knew Jackie was on the task.
Freya Lewis - Freya was instrumental in helping Vernonia School District accept and set up donated Chrome Books to be distributed to our students in time for the start of distance learning. Additionally, Freya has been very responsive and helpful providing technical support for myself and all Vernonia staff both remotely and at VSD.
Alla Matveyenko, Jennie Jones, Carla Starr - Alla, Jennie and Carla exemplify team work! They are all so quick to help me out as a fellow SLP on the eval team by offering their time, answering questions and generally being supportive and wonderful!
Emily Tu - Emily started at BECC a couple of months before the pandemic. She had to quickly learn new procedures and paperwork, but had to learn a lot of it virtually! She is always quick to help her team and is a valuable member of our speech group. We are really happy she is with us!
Dave Whitman - It is always greatly appreciated when the previous school psych has done a thorough file reveiw and report. When trying to do reevals through electronic file review in the current Covid environment, I came across a report by Dave. The history of the student was perplexing and didn't make sense until I read Dave's uploaded report. It covered everything perfectly!! Thanks Dave!
Sam Munyandamusta - Sam helped me figure out why my computer had the "hic-ups". He sent me the right cord and it worked. He also helped me get on to the Run The World sessions when I was having lots of trouble and ready to have a melt-down. Sam saved the day!!!!!! Thank you so much.
Katherine Resch - Kate consistently goes above and beyond to support me. If I have a question or need help, she makes sure she is available. Example: Yesterday she met with me from 4:30 pm till after 5:00 to go over specific instructions to help me get my work done. She is always happy and ready to give assistance and guidance. Thank you so much Kate.
Rikkie Schley - Rikkie took time to answer some procedural questions I had and was extremely helpful. Her concise directions made my task so much easier. She is one of our paperwork process go-to people and I am so grateful she is always willing to help!
BECC team - Just Thank you for allowing me to be apart of the team. Just keep swimming y'all
Kristin Scott - She's a selfless colleague whom I often call on for support, she is always willing to help and kindly responds to my requests!
Jana Swedo - I am very impressed with Jana's enthusiasm in throwing herself in there to learn more about Adobe, the Google Suite and Zoom last spring, over the summer, and this fall. She's done lots of self-study, trial and error, and has taken me up on my office hours to learn more and hone her skills. Way to go!
Bethany Bowers - I would like to recognize Bethany's efforts from the spring of 2020 and this fall in leading a subcommittee to develop and update the Guidance for Evaluation During COVID-19 document. It has been shared statewide and has been appreciated by many.
Jackie Bergerson - I asked Jackie if she would score an assessment for me; I barely blinked before she had it done with reports ready. Amazing! She is always quick in to jump in and help!
Sue Kirlin - Sue recently re-joined the EI/ECSE evaluation team and did so absolutely seamlessly! Sue has jumped in with a "can-do" energy and is such a pleasure work with! Her kind and caring presence are helpful for not only the families she sees, but also the colleagues who work with her.
Peggy Freund - Peggy has been incredibly supportive over the past 6 months while our team struggled with the uncertainty of the Covid closure and transitioned to distance learning. She calmly listened to our personal anxieties, emphasized new opportunities presented by working from home and was always honest with us when she did not have the answers to our barrage of questions. Thank you for being our rock!
Ethan Akre - Thank you for your hard work
Troy Kujala - Thank you for your patience and knowledge
Paul Thompson - Learning Canvas and teaching the teams with patience and humor
Anne Shoepe - Over the past several months as the evaluation team shifted to remote evaluations, Anne went above and beyond to support the team, including spending her own time looking into online evaluation resources and uploading resources to our shared team drive to help make information easily available to the team. She dived right into making changes and her energy and support helped the whole team.
