SBCSS News and Press Releases

County Education Medal of Honor Winners Announced

2005-04-25

RANCHO CUCAMONGA – Six champions of public education – representing Alta Loma, Apple Valley Unified, Fontana Unified, San Bernardino City Unified and the San Bernardino Community College school districts – will be awarded at the 14th annual San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor on April 25. The awards dinner will be held from 6-9 p.m. at Etiwanda Gardens, 7576 Etiwanda Ave.

Each year, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools along with the San Bernardino County School Boards Association and County Communicators Network, recognizes individuals and groups who give outstanding service and support to public education with the San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor.

“We are pleased in San Bernardino County to have so many supporters of public education who give their time and resources,” County Superintendent Herbert Fischer said. “We applaud our recipients for the invaluable role they play in our schools.”

The six categories, respective winners and districts served are: Volunteer in Action/Community Volunteer, Julie Ramos, PTA president at Oak Park Elementary, Fontana Unified School District; Volunteer in Action/Service Group, Assistance League of San Bernardino, San Bernardino Community College District; Partners in Education/Small Business or Franchise, Ted and Ramona Thompson, managers of the Alta Vista Mobile Home Park, Alta Loma School District; Partners in Education/Corporation, San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians, Office of Deron Marquez, San Bernardino City Unified School District; Excellence in Education/Education Professional, Virgil Barnes, Superintendent, Apple Valley Unified School District; and Excellence in Education/Student Alumni, Judy White, Deputy Superintendent, San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Volunteer in Action/Community Volunteer

As president of the Parent-Teachers Association at Oak Park Elementary, Julie Ramos isn’t just another parent volunteer at her children’s school. She’s come to symbolize the warmth and nurturing environment so prevalent at the Fontana Unified School District site.

“Julie’s vision is to bring the community together and to promote families getting together,” wrote Principal Jinane Annous in her nomination of Ramos.

From organizing fundraisers that pay for students’ field trips and assemblies and instituting a program to raise student attendance at the school, Ramos has made herself available daily at the site. She has been involved at the school for eight years and has three children who have attended or are attending Oak Park Elementary.

Even when she’s not at the site, she’s just a cell phone call away. “She makes herself available at all times, and she responds to requests and needs so quickly,” Annous said.

The principal added that the school’s appreciative staff relies on the PTA and Ramos to foster a spirit of community that is invaluable.

“Wow,” wrote one of the judges. “Mrs. Ramos’ contributions to the students, teachers and entire school are exemplary.”

Volunteer in Action/Service Group

The Assistance League of San Bernardino has provided literally decades of service to students in the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Through two programs – Operation School Bell and the Dr. Earl R. Crane Children’s Dental Center – tens of thousands of public school children have been provided care and needs that were previously unavailable to them.

“These dynamic women volunteer over 7,000 hours of service and raise more than $100,000 annually to support these philanthropies,” wrote Donna Hoffmann of San Bernardino Valley College in her nomination.

Operation School Bell provides new clothing, shoes and personal hygiene products to approximately 200 children per year. Assistance League volunteers accompany the children on the shopping trips. “There’s a real connection between the volunteers and the students,” Hoffmann said.

In addition, the dental center visits 3,000 first-graders in the district annually to do screenings and more than 1,500 patients are served each year by a full-time dentist and two assistants.

“The (programs) are phenomenal ways of providing for the community and leaving an impact on the families of San Bernardino City Unified students,” wrote one of the judges.

Partners in Education/Small Business or Franchise

Ted and Ramona Thompson figured they were coming to Southern California to retire. But the former educators from Texas haven’t put away any of their books just yet.

After a community meeting with families of Deer Canyon Elementary was held at the Alta Vista Mobile Home Park they manage, the Thompsons introduced the idea of starting a homework club. Some 80 students who live in the trailer park attend Deer Canyon in the Alta Loma School District.

“From the moment they arrived, doors literally opened,” wrote Sue Geddes, assistant principal at Deer Canyon in her nomination.

The Thompsons transformed the trailer park’s clubhouse into a learning center with computers they had donated by the school district. They started a library and brought in furniture. They even arranged for funding from the owners of Alta Vista to supply snacks and drinks for the students when they studied.

High school and college students from the trailer park have volunteered to tutor the elementary children as well. The school has also been caught up in the new spirit of volunteerism.

“Teachers from a neighboring elementary school, awed by the Thompsons’ dream and belief in children, offered their support and presence after school,” Geddes said.

Partners in Education/Corporation

The San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians is a true partner in education for the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Financially, the group has provided support in donations totaling more than $100,000 in scholarships, as well as funding field trips and in-kind materials for students. In addition, the San Manuels have supported before- and after-school programs at King Middle School, clothing for the Junior Police Academy at Lytle Creek Elementary, violins to Richardson Prep and holiday food baskets to needy families at a variety of district schools.

“The students benefit from the generosity of the San Manuel Tribe and the partnership program provides the San Manuels an opportunity to support public education,” wrote Superintendent Arturo Delgado of San Bernardino City Unified School District in his nomination.

In partnership with the district, the San Manuels have hosted more than 12,500 elementary, middle and high school students over the past six years at the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference. The San Manuels also have developed curriculum called “People of the Pines,” which is aligned with the state standards and is provided to the district at no cost and benefits third-graders.

Excellence in Education/Education Professional

With 20 years of dedicated service to the Apple Valley Unified School District as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, curriculum director, assistant superintendent and superintendent, Virgil Barnes has been a unifying force for public education not only in his community, but the High Desert region.

“Leadership is shown mostly in terms of building a team, and Dr. Barnes has built a team because he has worked hard in terms of inclusion,” wrote Anita Anderson, a longtime Apple Valley Board of Education member, who wrote his nomination.

His leadership helped the school district pass its first school bond in its 60-year history.

“Because of his efforts with employee groups, parents and community members, we now have an effective educational coalition in Apple Valley,” Anderson added.

His support of programs like Advancement Via Individual Determination, Gifted and Talented Education and smaller learning communities have helped the area increase its college-going rates. In addition, he has reached out to the community to build stronger relationships with parents and the schools serving their children.

Superintendent Barnes has announced he will be retiring at the end of the 2004-05 academic year.

Excellence in Education/Student Alumni

As a 1973 graduate of Cajon High School in San Bernardino, Judy White has been a champion of literacy, bringing state and national recognition to the city where she’s been an educational force for the past 23 years.

“Judy White exemplifies educational values through her dedication to all students,” wrote Sheri Becar in her nomination.

White, deputy superintendent for the San Bernardino City Unified School District, helped found the City of Readers program, which was recognized by the state with its 2004 Civic Star Award. Her list of awards reads like an honor roll – Administrator of the Year in 2003 from the California Association of Bilingual Educators, a 2002 Golden Bell from the California School Boards Association and Citizen of Achievement from the League of Women Voters in 2000.

“She has made an impact and a lasting contribution to the residents of San Bernardino and Highland by her vision and unity through reading for fun and information,” Becar wrote.

“Dr. White’s efforts at the school-site, regional and national levels on behalf of public education have been outstanding,” wrote one of the judges.