District staff receive Golden Apple Awards
September 1, 2010 11:10 AM
More than a dozen Corvallis School District staff and one surprise honoree received the coveted Golden Apple Award during the district's "Back to School Rally" for employees Wednesday morning at Corvallis High School.
This year's winners include Cindy Muir, an educational assistant at College Hill; Claudia Raleigh, a teacher at Adams Elementary School and Carol Andresen, a teacher at Franklin K-8 School. Typically a single teacher at the high school level is also awarded a Golden Apple, but this year the entire math team at Corvallis High School was recognized. The CHS winners were teachers Greta Brooks, Eric Dazey, Millie Kimes, Chris Mooney, Rob Cornell, Scott Lasswell, Bob Holt, Jennifer Kollath, Susan Diaz and Matt Kirby and math tutor coordinator Cheiko Weiler.
Local philanthropist and businessman Mario Pastega established the Golden Apple awards along with an endowment fund in 1996 to recognize excellence and dedication among Corvallis educators. Each year, recipients are presented with a framed certificate, a golden apple statuette, a check and a loaf of homemade bread made by Pastega.
Superintendent Dawn Tarzian and Corvallis Public Schools Foundation director Fred Kane surprised Pastega by giving him the Stellar Service award this year. The Stellar Service award recognizes an individual who demonstrates "exemplary service" to students, parents, staff and community members while promoting the goals of the district.
Tarzian said she was honored to recognize Pastega for his many contributions to the education of children in Corvallis. "He has proven to be a loyal, steadfast and true friend of education," she said.
The morning rally also featured speeches by Marta Decoster and Cydnie Meyer, co-presidents of the Corvallis Chapter of the Oregon School Employees Association; Marsha Lincoln, president of the Corvallis Education Association; and Anne Schuster, chair of the Corvallis School Board. Following the rally, certified and classified employees participated in various building-based training activities and preparation for the new school year.
The first day of classes with students is Wednesday, Sept. 8.
