Ceres Unified School District maintenance worker Vernon Wheeland is among 22 school classified staff members honored with the “Employees Making a Difference” recognition program.

The annual event is hosted by the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) and Region 7 of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). The groups single out outstanding classified (non-supervisory) education employees in Stanislaus County.

Each school district is invited to select its own honorees and forward nominations to SCOE. Also honored were nominees Kim Erb of Ceres Unified; Diana Wood of Mae Hensley Junior High School; and Tony Villegas of Ross Middle School in Hughson.

Wheeland and 21 other classified workers were honored at a special Jan. 14 reception held, at the Martin G. Petersen Event Center in Modesto.

Wheeland and five others were tapped to represent Stanislaus County in the California Department of Education’s statewide recognition program.

Besides Wheeland, the five other honorees from each work-category were:

• Brigid Olson, Somerset Middle School of Sylvan Union District, Child Nutrition category;

• Anita Theiler, Cloverland Elementary of Oakdale Unified, Para-Educator & Instructional Aide category;

• Jeanine Sique, Waterford Unified School District, Support/Security Services category;

• Lorena Rodriguez-Daniel, Empire Union School of Empire Union School District, Office & Technical category;

• Cheryl Galvan, Riverbank Unified School District, Transportation category. 

Vernon Wheeland was honored in the category of “maintenance/operations.” He moved through the ranks of the Maintenance Department in the Ceres Unified School District for the past 16 years. The district acknowledged that Wheeland’s vast knowledge of maintenance is invaluable at each school site. Wheeland was cited as always willing to go “above and beyond” and is currently pursuing his Water Treatment Certification to ensure water quality standards at Ceres schools. Vernon pays attention to the details and is dedicated to maintaining campuses that are safe and optimal for learning. 

Kathy King of Chatom Preschool received the third annual Jane Johnston Civility Award for exemplifying the principles of civility both at work and in her personal life.