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J.O. Combs Unified School District Staff Excellence Awards

J.O. Combs Unified School District, along with the Combs Education Foundation, were thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievements of its staff at the Staff Excellence Awards on April 10th. We recognized individuals who excelled for our students and community. From innovative teaching to unwavering support, their contributions are invaluable. We’re so proud of each and every one of you! Thank you for your commitment to excellence.

A group of people, both men and women, standing on a stage with a backdrop displaying the text %22Candle & Quill%22.

Excellence in Teaching
Leah Paterson, Mary Wyman, Craig Palm, Selika Gebhart, Rachael, Schweikert, Bettina Nuenke, Christine Krupa, Cyntha Soto

A group of five individuals, three women and two men, standing on a stage in front of a backdrop, dressed in a variety of colorful and stylish outfits.

Excellence in Leadership
Dr. Pat Goolsby, Laura Ridge, Santa Dunker, Dr. Tim Fountain, April Kutchinski

A group of seven women in various colorful and stylish dresses standing on a stage with a backdrop displaying the event's logo.

Excellence in Educational Support
Tracy Weaver, Elfida Telles, Elizabeth Niemela, Ashley Sarno, Dr. Brenda Septer, Dr. Selvi Peoples, Lhea Carbajal

A group of five individuals, both men and women, standing on a stage in casual attire, with a backdrop that appears to be a presentation or event setting.

Excellence in Substitute Teaching
Michael Ivancich, Wendy McDavid, Lisa Williams, Kimberly Ralph, Katie Bodell, Jack Strubel, Catrina Bowers, Kathleen Stevens

A group of six individuals, both men and women, standing on a stage in front of a backdrop with the text %22Camp%22.

Rising Stars
Sonia Bhagchandani, Jaimee Nieman, Mike Osayi, Adrian Araquel, Kelly Brimhall, Hannah Panopio, Lexie Martinez

A group of six women in various colorful and stylish outfits standing on a stage, with a backdrop displaying the %22Combs%22 logo.

Excellence in Professional Support
Stefanie McDowell, Bianca Laguna, Angelique Flores, Karen Corona, Sandra Gagnon, Debbie Mertens, Teresa Whitt, Nancy Shelley, Elizet Sanchez

Event Photo Gallery

The image shows a group of four people, two men and two women, posing together outdoors in what appears to be a parking lot or street setting, with power lines and buildings visible in the background.
The image shows a group of five people, three women and two men, standing together outdoors in a scenic desert landscape with mountains in the background.
A group of people, both young and old, posing together in an outdoor setting with a desert landscape in the background.
The image shows an older man with a long beard, a young woman, and a teenage girl posing together in front of a scenic sunset landscape.
A group of people, some in formal attire, are gathered in what appears to be a reception or event space, engaged in conversation and mingling.
A group of six people, including a man and several women, are standing together in front of a table with a glass bong and other smoking paraphernalia in an outdoor setting with mountains visible in the background.
Two elderly men standing in a dimly lit room, with a display of small blue figurines in the foreground.
A group of women gathered around a table, enjoying a meal and each other's company in a cozy, well-lit setting.
The image shows two women, one with long, curly hair wearing sunglasses and the other with long, wavy hair, both smiling and posing in what appears to be an indoor setting with artwork or photographs on the walls behind them.
A group of five individuals, dressed in formal attire, are standing together in what appears to be a professional or office setting.
Two individuals, a woman and an older man, are shaking hands on a stage with a dark background.
An elderly man with a long white beard, wearing a blue suit and a patterned tie, stands at a podium on a dimly lit stage.
A group of five adults, three women and two men, are gathered around a table, smiling and posing for a photograph. They appear to be in a professional or formal setting, with a backdrop of what looks like a stage or theater.
Two elderly men in suits are shaking hands on a stage with a dark background.
A man in a suit is standing on a stage, holding the hands of a woman in a yellow dress.
Two individuals, a woman with long curly hair and a man with glasses, are shaking hands on a stage with a dark background.
The image shows two people, a woman and an older man, shaking hands in what appears to be a formal or professional setting, with a dark background behind them.
A group of people, both men and women, are standing on a stage in formal attire, with a large screen displaying text in the background.
The image shows two men on a stage, one wearing a white shirt and the other wearing a blue suit with a colorful tie, and a projection screen in the background displaying the text %22SELIKA GETS TRADITIONAL%22.
The image shows a woman in a floral dress shaking hands with a man in a blue suit and colorful tie on a stage with a projection screen behind them.
The image shows two individuals, a woman in a vibrant red and pink dress and a man in a dark suit, standing on a stage and shaking hands.
The image shows two people embracing on a stage, with a screen displaying the name %22Elika Gebhart%22 and %22Combs Middle School%22 in the background.
Two individuals, a younger woman and an older man, are shaking hands on a stage with a dark background.
A group of people, including a man and several women, are standing on a stage in front of a podium.
The image shows a man and a woman on a stage, with the woman wearing a vibrant, ruffled pink and purple dress and the man wearing a casual gray outfit. They appear to be engaged in some kind of interaction or performance.
The image shows two men, one in a suit and the other in casual attire, shaking hands on a stage with a projection screen displaying %22Santa Dunk Ellsworth Elementary School%22 in the background.
Two men in suits shaking hands on a dark stage.
The image shows two older adults, a man and a woman, on a stage. The woman is wearing a striped dress and appears to be gesturing expressively, while the man is wearing a blue shirt and standing next to her.
A group of people, including a man and several women, are standing on a stage with a backdrop displaying the text %22CORONA CRISIS UNITY%22 and the names of various individuals.
The image shows two individuals, a woman in a floral patterned dress and a man in a gray suit, engaged in conversation on a stage with a dark background.
The image shows a man and a woman on a stage, with the man wearing a suit and the woman wearing an orange dress. Behind them is a screen displaying the text %22Adrian Araquel Conditional Academy & Montessori Elementary%22.
The image shows a man in a suit shaking hands with a woman wearing a floral dress on a stage, with a presentation screen visible in the background.
The image shows a man and a woman shaking hands on a stage, with a projection screen visible in the background.
Two individuals, a man and a woman, are shaking hands on a stage with a dark background.
A woman in a red top is shaking hands with a man in a casual outfit, while another man in a suit stands behind them on a stage with a projection screen.
The image shows a group of people on a stage, with a large screen displaying names and titles behind them. The individuals in the foreground appear to be engaged in conversation or interaction.
A blue glass bottle with the Combs logo and a sparkling crown-like cap sits on a vibrant blue background.
Two men, one younger and one older, are shaking hands on a stage with a projection screen in the background.
A stage with a podium and seating area filled with people, suggesting a conference or event setting.
Two men standing behind a podium with the name %22Combs%22 displayed on it, against a dark background.
The image shows a man and a woman shaking hands on a stage, with a screen displaying information in the background.
The image shows several dark blue glass bottles with the Combs logo prominently displayed, set against a vibrant blue background.