After being named the 2019 employees of the year at each of their respective campuses, teachers and educational support personnel from every school building in the district were recognized at the First Annual LCPS Employees of the Year Recognition ceremony, Wednesday, April 11 in the LCPS Administration Building Boardroom. In addition, district officials announced the semifinalists for the districtwide Teacher of the Year award and the Educational Support Personnel of the Year award.

“This year we wanted to ensure that each of our school buildings recognized the outstanding work of a teacher and educational support personnel from their campus,” said LCPS Superintendent Dr. Greg Ewing. “The work that these dedicated individuals do on a daily basis plays a critical role in helping our students to cultivate character, foster academic excellence and embrace diversity. It is truly an honor to work alongside a group of such distinguished educators.”

This is the first year district officials have awarded campus-level teacher of the year awards at every school in the district, in addition to the districtwide award. The is also the first year that the district added a campus-level and districtwide awards program for educational support personnel such as custodians, educational assistants, food service workers, secretaries and other classified staff.
As part of the new selection process, the campus employees of the year, who are selected by their respective schools, are then entered into the running for the district awards. Two selection committees—one for Teacher of the Year and another for Educational Support Personnel of the Year—then select ten semifinalists, two finalists and one winner in each of the awards categories.
The 2019 LCPS Teacher of the Year and the 2019 Educational Support Personnel of the Year will be announced at the LCPS Foundation’s annual Celebration of Excellence in Education Awards dinner Monday, May 14 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.
The campus employees of the year and the semifinalists for the district employee of the year awards are as follows:
(semifinalist for the district award)
Alameda Elementary School
Marita Renteria – Teacher of the Year Susan Hain – Edu. Support Personnel of the Year
Booker T. Washington Elementary School
Rebecca Velarde – TOTY Gloria Chacon – ESPOTY
Central Elementary School
Saul Arzapalo – TOTY Elizabeth Molina – ESPOTY
César Chávez Elementary School
Amy Moreman – TOTY Cecilia Sidwell – ESPOTY
Columbia Elementary School
Aubrey Robey – TOTY Sally Bernal – ESPOTY
Conlee Elementary School
Danielle Simmons – TOTY Patsy Miller – ESPOTY
Desert Hills Elementary School
Denise Murphy-Chambers – TOTY Melanie Camacho – ESPOTY
Doña Ana Elementary School
Jeannette Cordova – TOTY Sylvia Ramirez – ESPOTY
East Picacho Elementary School
Silvia Mariscal – TOTY Mary Porras – ESPOTY
Fairacres Elementary School
Noemi Moreno – TOTY Egla Hernandez-Lamb – ESPOTY
Hermosa Heights Elementary School
Valerie Allred – TOTY Esther Peña – ESPOTY
Highland Elementary School
Evelyn Nevarez-Grassel – TOTY Cathy Garcia – ESPOTY
Hillrise Elementary School
Eileen Klement – TOTY Margaret Byrd– ESPOTY
Jornada Elementary School
Andrea Baker – TOTY Liz Briseño – ESPOTY
Loma Heights Elementary School
Selena Martinez – TOTY Mary Misquez – ESPOTY
MacArthur Elementary School
Angela Silguero – TOTY Delia Hauserman – ESPOTY
Mesilla Elementary School
Pat Lopez – TOTY Eva Orona– ESPOTY
Mesilla Park Elementary School
Loretta Barraza – TOTY Jane McCann – ESPOTY
Monte Vista Elementary School
Vina Lujan – TOTY George Vega – ESPOTY
Sonoma Elementary School
Matt Reiter – TOTY Carmen Aguirre – ESPOTY
Sunrise Elementary School
Yvette Bustos – TOTY Ronnie Wingenroth – ESPOTY
Tombaugh Elementary School
Kathy Brezina – TOTY Lyn Boberg – ESPOTY
University Hills Elementary School
Jacklyn Scarborough – TOTY Vanessa Loya – ESPOTY
Valley View Elementary School
Emilia Linley – TOTY Lydia Kelley – ESPOTY
White Sands K-8 School
Teresa Godman – TOTY Nicole Kroger – ESPOTY
Camino Real Middle School
Aletha Arellano – TOTY Conrad Estrada – ESPOTY
Lynn Middle School
Audra Poppy – TOTY Diana Billings – ESPOTY
Mesa Middle School
Ben Serrano – TOTY Patricia Prieto – ESPOTY
Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy
Terry Moore – TOTY Joe Holguin – ESPOTY
Picacho Middle School
Dawson Yarbrough – TOTY Sandra Diaz Lopez – ESPOTY
Sierra Middle School
Melisha Espinosa – TOTY Charlie Oliver – ESPOTY
Vista Middle School
Kari Reyes – TOTY Karen Goff – ESPOTY
Zia Middle School
Amy Krohn – TOTY Sylvia Esparza – ESPOTY
Arrowhead Park Early College High School/ Medical Academy
Courtney McVay – TOTY Maria Mendez – ESPOTY
Centennial High School
Lorraine Bridges – TOTY Kevin Kirker – ESPOTY
Las Cruces High School
JoAnna Singer – TOTY Elizabeth Trevizo – ESPOTY
Mayfield High School
Erin Taylor – TOTY Eric Galaz – ESPOTY
Oñate High School
David Nuñez – TOTY Lorena Ramirez – ESPOTY
Rio Grande Preparatory Institute
Nikolina Keyes – TOTY Emma Hidalgo – ESPOTY
Crossroads
Megan Jimenez – TOTY Alice Manning – ESPOTY
Central Office
N/A Lupita Barrio – ESPOTY
Physical Plant
N/A Noel Martinez – ESPOTY
-LCPS Communications Coordinator Paul Dahlgren, pdahlgren@lcps.net, (575) 527-5808