Teacher of the Year Finalists and Winners of Classified Employee and School Counselor of the Year Awards Announced

The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) is pleased to announce this year’s San Joaquin County Teacher of the Year finalists, Classified Employee of the Year winners, and the School Counselor of the Year winner.
 
All Teacher of the Year finalists and winners of the Classified Employee of the Year and School Counselor of the Year awards will be honored on April 9, 2026, at the San Joaquin County Excellence in Education Awards Celebration Dinner. 
 
Honorees are recognized for their outstanding commitment and dedication to education and San Joaquin County students. The 2026 Teacher of the Year will be announced at the dinner, sponsored by Self-Help Federal Credit Union. 
 
Winners of San Joaquin County Teacher of the Year and Classified Employees of the Year are county nominees for California Department of Education recognition programs. For more information about California Teacher of the Year, go to www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/ct/. For more information about California Classified School Employee of the Year, go to www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cl/.
 
The School Counselor of the Year, each Classified Employee of the Year, and each Teacher of the Year finalist will receive $500. The 2026 Teacher of the Year will receive $1,000. The award money is courtesy of Self-Help Federal Credit Union.
 
MEDIA: For more information or to coordinate coverage for April 9 awards dinner, contact the SJCOE Public Information Office at sjcoepioe@sjcoe.net. 
 

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY SCHOOL COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR

Frank Martinez
Grade-level: TK-8
Years of experience: 10
School: Weston Elementary School
District: Ripon Unified School District

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
 

David Bo
Grade-level: 4
Years of experience: 29
School: El Dorado Elementary School
Organization: Stockton Unified School District

Chris Brown
Grade-level: 9-12
Years of experience: 13
School: Ripon High School
District: Ripon Unified School District

Sarah Cook
Grade-level: 2
Years of experience: 34
School: George Kelly Elementary School
District: Tracy Unified School District

Gene Hart
Grade-level: 9-12
Years of experience: 28
School: Lincoln High School
District: Lincoln Unified School District

Lan Phan
Grade-level: 9-12
Years of experience: 11
School: Ronald E. McNair High School
District: Lodi Unified School District

                        
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR
 

CLERICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Mayra Bravo
Job title: Administrative Secretary
Years of experience: 9
School: Dent Elementary School
District: Escalon Unified School District

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES

Stephanie Williams
Job title: Food Service Worker
Years of experience: 31
School: Colony Oak Elementary School
District: Ripon Unified School District

CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES

Maria Sousa
Job title: Custodian-Gardener
Years of experience: 8
School: New Hope Elementary School
District: New Hope Elementary School District 

PARAPROFESSIONAL

Lisa Gori
Job title: Paraprofessional
Years of experience: 9
School: Banta Elementary School
District: Banta Unified School District 

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Oralia Montanez
Job title: Lead Bus Driver
Years of experience: 25
District: Linden Unified School District

 SECURITY SERVICES

Russell Speed
Job title:  Campus Connection Technician
Years of experience: 9
School: one.Lodi
Organization: San Joaquin County Office of Education
 
 
 
 

About the San Joaquin County Office of Education:

The San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) provides educational leadership, resources, and services to support schools throughout the county. With its highly regarded programs, innovative staff, and community partnerships, the SJCOE ensures that every student in San Joaquin County has the opportunity of a quality education. For more information, visit www.sjcoe.org.
 

About Self-Help Federal Credit Union:

Self-Help Federal Credit Union was chartered in 2008 to build a network of branches that partner with working families and communities that have historically faced systemic barriers to financial inclusion. With over $2.1 billion in assets and serving more than 103,000 members in 38 branches - 22 in California, nine in Illinois, five in Washington, and two in Wisconsin, Self-Help Federal is one of the fastest-growing community development-designated financial institutions in the country. It is part of the Self-Help family of nonprofit organizations whose collective mission is to create and protect ownership and economic opportunity for all. For more than 42 years, the national Center for Community Self-Help and its affiliates have provided over $10.5 billion in financing to help thousands of borrowers buy homes, start businesses, and strengthen community resources. For more information, go to www.self-helpfcu.org and www.self-help.org.
 
In addition to providing high-quality financial products and services, it is part of Self-Help FCU’s mission to engage with communities through volunteer work, technical assistance, and other forms of community development support. This includes continued sponsorship of the annual Classified Employees and Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration Dinner. In 2022, Self-Help FCU merged with Premier Community Credit Union, a founding sponsor of this event celebrating education in San Joaquin County.