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Janitors diligence noticed
CUSD employee among 26 honorees in county schools
Janitor.tif
Sam Vaughn janitor Jasiel Anaya is one of five county school classified employees to be honored at the state level. - photo by JEFF BENZIGER/Courier photo

Jasiel Anaya, the lead custodian at Sam Vaughn Elementary School in Ceres has helped make the campus so noticeably cleaner that he was tapped last week to receive honors as "Employee of the Year" by the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Stanislaus Charter.

In fact, Anaya is among a select group of five classified staff members will be representing Stanislaus County in the 2014 State Classified School Employees of the Year Program.

Anaya was one of 26 school classified staff members who were honored at a reception on Jan. 21 at Modesto's Petersen Event Center. School districts throughout the county selected their own honorees and forwarded nominations to SCOE's "Employees Making a Difference" program.

Also honored were Esther Merwin, an English Learner Testing Assistant with CUSD; Daisy Salinas, a La Rosa Elementary School administrative assistant; Stephanie Rodriguez, a Spratling Middle School paraprofessional in Keyes; and Rene Soares, a Fox Road Elementary School special education paraprofessional in Hughson.

Anaya, 27, won in the category of maintenance/operations. Anaya is credited with transforming the previously divided custodial staff at Sam Vaughn Elementary into a collaborative team. He brings many skills to the job and works well with other district maintenance staff. Sam Vaughn is now so clean and well maintained that earlier this month the school earned a top score (for the first time in many years) from the district's competitive annual Facilities Site Visit.

"He's fantastic," said Principal Sharon Carter. "Anytime we ask for help it's always ‘no problem.' He's on it right away. He has a great work ethic, great personality."
Jasiel has worked for CUSD for eight years, with the past year and a half at Sam Vaughn. Previously he worked a year at Mae Hensley Junior High School and six years at the district office.

Anaya has been described as customer-service oriented and always willing to help students, teachers, office staff, parents and community members.

Other winners from throughout the county were: Janet Hay, Oakdale Joint Unified School District, Child Nutrition category; Kathy Cook, Chatom Union School District, Para-Educator category; Michelle "Shelley Suchman, Sylvan Union School District, Support/Security Services category; Mary Venema, Turlock Unified School District, Office and Technical category will represent Stanislaus County in the 2014 State Classified School Employees of the Year Program.

It was also announced at the reception that Shelley Suchman of the Sylvan Union School District, was selected as recipient of the second annual Jane Johnston Civility Award for exemplifying the principles of civility at her school site.