The Gold Star Awards are prestigious honors in our school community, recognizing Highline Public Schools best and brightest — celebrating the outstanding Teachers, Volunteers, Alumni, Staff and Administrators throughout the district. These awards provide our community the opportunity to honor those who have shown outstanding support of students and their education, and those inspire us. Anyone can nominate a Gold Star, we rely on our community and Highline Schools staff to put forward their nominees for these awards.
2024 Gold Star Award Nominees
The Gold Star Awards are prestigious honors in our school community, recognizing Highline Public Schools’ best and brightest — celebrating Outstanding Teachers, Volunteers, Alumni, Staff and Administrators throughout the district. These awards provide us with the opportunity to honor those who have shown exceptional support for students and their education, and those who inspire us. This year, we received 156 nominations (for 118 individuals) representing 36 schools, programs, and departments across Highline Public Schools. This year’s list of impressive nominees includes well-deserving teachers, staff, administrators, and volunteers nominated by their peers and coworkers, parents, and even students! See below for the full list of Gold Star Nominees!
Gold Star Bash!
We will celebrate all our nominees and announce the winners of the Gold Star Awards at the BASH on Wednesday, March 27th at the SeaTac Community Center. Whether you are supporting a specific nominee or just want to be in on the fun and the first to hear who wins, join us for the fun!
BASH Details:
Date: Wednesday, March 27th, 2024
Time: doors open at 5:30pm, program from 6-7pm
Location: SeaTac Community Center Banquet Room, 13735 24th Ave. SW, SeaTac
TICKETS: $25 each, and includes one drink ticket, appetizers, and dessert. Purchase tickets via the button below!
Please note: Due to venue restrictions, tickets will not be available at the door, so preregistration is necessary. Guests must be 21 or older.
And the Gold Star Nominees Are...
Outstanding Administrator
Christina Fritch, Assistant Principal – White Center Heights Elementary
Corbin Busby, Principal – Hilltop Elementary
Jacqueline Downey, Instructional Leadership Executive Director – Teaching, Learning and Leadership
Joe Boyer, Assistant Principal – Evergreen High School
Juan Lozano, Principal – Puget Sound Skills Center
Kevin Takisaki, Principal -Innovation Heights Academy Principal
Kimberly Jones, Principal – North Hill Elementary
Kimberly Nelson, Principal – Valley View Early Learning
Maggie Heater, Principal – Marvista Elementary
Phil Willenbrock, Director of Athletics – Highline Public Schools Athletics
Victoria Terry, Principal – Tyee High School
Outstanding Classified Staff
Amanda Gean, Paraeducator – Bow Lake Elementary
Amleset Legesse, Early Learning Liaison – P-5 Early Learning and Elementary Success
Audris Pettit, ILC Paraeducator – Bow Lake Elementary
Birdie Rocha, Family Engagement Liaison/Bilingual Paraeducator – McMicken Heights Elementary
Brandi Schnell, EBC Paraeducator – Evergreen High School
Brandy Nelli, Special Education Paraeducator – Gregory Heights Elementary
Charleisha Cox, Office Manager – McMicken Heights Elementary
Christy Birch, Paraeducator – Bow Lake Elementary
Denise Avitia, Bilingual Paraeducator – Cedarhurst Elementary
Denise Dagley, Office Manager – Bow Lake Elementary
Eduwiges Prieto, Office Manager – Madrona Elementary
Elizabeth Mijal, ILC Paraeducator – North Hill Elementary
Fawn Rinker, Office Manager – Midway Elementary
Isabel Leveron, Custodian – Chinook Middle School
Jaimee Shaug, Attendance Specialist – Tyee High School
Jeri Rickard, Librarian Assistant – North Hill Elementary
Jocee Whisner, Finance Tech – Puget Sound Skills Center
Kimiko Lozan, Paraeducator – North Hill Elementary
Lisa Lay, Office Manager – Hilltop Elementary
Nicole Arguello, Attendance Specialist – Pacific Middle School
Rebecca Schreiner, Office Assistant – McMicken Heights Elementary
Renee Stanton, Registrar – Bow Lake Elementary
Scott Villa, Bilingual Paraeducator – McMicken Heights Elementary
Sherrie McIntyre, Paraeducator – Parkside Elementary
Susan Hope, Office Manager – Evergreen High School
Taresa Herrmann, Office Assistant – Puget Sound Skills Center
Teresa Christensen, Paraeducator – Parkside Elementary
Outstanding Professional Staff
Alison Hogue, Academic Success Dean – Evergreen High School
Christofer Rothrock, Student Success Coach – Midway Elementary
Deanne Conrad, Counselor – Chinook Middle School
Emily Mruk, Re-engagement Specialist – Pacific Middle School
Jenn Truong, Counselor – Tyee High School School
Jill Wilson Zahn, School Social Worker – Social Work
Jonas Buck, 7th Grade Counselor – Pacific Middle School
Lori McEwen, Dean of Students and Admin Intern – Innovation Heights Academy
L’Shray Jones, Counselor – Pacific Middle School
Rachel Kerr, Counselor – Evergreen High School School
Rosie Allen-Garibaldi, School Social Worker – Social Work
Shauna Pierson, Counselor – Innovation Heights Academy
Shawna Moore, Dean – Puget Sound Skills Center
Outstanding Volunteer
Dan Harrington, Highline Public Schools
Nimat Aljabori , White Center Heights Elementary
Susan Stefanini, McMicken Heights Elementary
Outstanding Rookie Teacher
Ashley La, Music Director – Mount Rainier High School
Chris Darling, Auto Body Teacher – Puget Sound Skills Center
Jessenia Hernandez, DL Culinary Teacher – Evergreen High School
Kaitlin Beidas, Social Studies Teacher – Evergreen High School
Kelly Shilhanek, 3rd Grade Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary
Kristen O’Conner, Special Education Teacher – Gregory Heights Elementary
Liana Garvett, ILC Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary
Nicole Leisy, 2nd Grade Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary
Olivia Pierce-Bluhm, 3rd Grade Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary
Riley Lindheimer, Long Term Substitute – McMicken Heights Elementary
Stacy Williamson, ILC Teacher – Shorewood Elementary
Sydney Farrer, IAC Special Education Teacher – Madrona Elementary
Outstanding Teacher
Alicia Elms, Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary
Amy Razo, English Teacher – Evergreen High School
Angela Madrid-Lara, Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher – Spanish – White Center Heights Elementary
Bethany Tate, Teacher – Evergreen High School
Catherine Cassidy, ELA Teacher – Pacific Middle School
Cathy Reinsel Torres, ILC Teacher – North Hill Elementary
Corey Mikkelson, Music Teacher – White Center Heights Elementary
Cristina Velez-Gracia, 5th Grade Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary
Darrell Chase Jr., CTE Teacher- STEM, Construction and Wood Technology – Highline High School
Dawn Gardner, Developmental Pre-Kindergarten Teacher – Hilltop Elementary
Diana Arenas Castillo, 1st Grade Teacher – Hazel Valley Elementary
Elba Martin, Developmental Pre-Kindergarten Teacher – Hilltop Elementary
Erik Kory, Special Education Teacher – Evergreen High School
Erika Castellon, 1st Grade Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary
Erin Enquist, 4th Grade Dual Language Teacher – Mount View Elementary
Erin Hocevar-Ortiz, Dance & PE Teacher – Evergreen High School
Jaymie Torres-Ibarra, Special Education Teacher – McMicken Heights Elementary
Jeni Estrada, 1st Grade Teacher – Hilltop Elementary
Julie Rice, 3rd Grade Teacher – Marvista Elementary
Justin Deary, Construction Teacher – Puget Sound Skills Center
Katherine Huh, Kindergarten Teacher – Midway Elementary
Katie Asare, Academic Coach/Teacher – Puget Sound Skills Center
Katie Reka, 5th Grade Teacher – Gregory Heights Elementary
Katie Yore, 2nd Grade Teacher – Marvista Elementary
Kimberly Burton, Kindergarten Teacher – Cedarhurst Elementary
Lisa Penor, Teacher – Chinook Middle School
Lisa Snyder, Teacher – Marvista Elementary
Lorena Engle, Teacher/ML & DL Coordinator – Pacific Middle School
Lynne Terpenning, ELL Interventionist – Bow Lake Elementary
Mason Costantino, Teacher – Hilltop Elementary
Meghan Stewart, Teacher – Cedarhurst Elementary
Mia Mlekarov, Teacher – Maritime High School
Michael Hecklinger, Teacher Librarian – Madrona Elementary
Mikayla Smith, Teacher – CHOICE Academy
Mirabella Escobar, DL Marketing Teacher – Evergreen High School
Mireya Roldan Guzman, Teacher – Midway Elementary
Naomi True, Teacher – Evergreen High School
Nicole Leisy, 2nd Grade Teacher/Admin designee – Bow Lake Elementary
Nora Duarte, 2nd Grade Dual Language Teacher – Hilltop Elementary
Renee Agatsuma, Teacher – Evergreen High School
Richard Coker, Teacher – Evergreen High School
Sydney Wagner, Kindergarten – Bow Lake Elementary
Timothy Wind, Art Teacher – Pacific Middle School
Traci Washington, Teacher – Big Picture High School
Tristyn Ward, Special Education/DHH Teacher – Bow Lake Elementary
Tyler Defrees, Social Studies Teacher – Sylvester Middle School
Vaughn Rohrdanz, Teacher – Seahurt Elementary – Virtual
Wennie Hong Evergreen, Language Arts Teacher – High School
Yipsi Barallobre, Teacher -Mount View Elementary
Zachary Hermsen, PE Teacher – Evergreen High School