Staff Achievement Grant Program
About the Staff Achievement Grant program
The Walla Walla School District Staff Achievement Grant program is designed to recognize individual staff members who exemplify standards of excellence. Each year, up to five staff members (certificated and classified) shall be recognized as a part of the grant program. This grant shall include up to five days of professional leave and up to $1,500 for use in an approved growth activity of the recipient’s choice. An employee may be awarded only one achievement grant.
ABOUT THE GRANTS
Growth Activities
The recipient may choose an approved growth activity such as:
• Attending a national conference
• Attending a special workshop or seminar
• Visitation to a specific program or activity
NOTE: Grants are awarded in June and must be used before the end of the following school year.
Selection Process
A committee of former recipients will evaluate nominations and letters of support and make the grant award selections. Committee members each read all the nominations and rate them on a numerical scale. The results are entered into a database and tallied. Those five nominations which have received the highest scores are selected as Staff Achievement Grant Award Winners. This is a peer nominated, peer selected award.
(PLEASE NOTE: All nomination applications will be considered for two school years. Nomination packets submitted last year but that did not receive grants, will be considered this school year.)
Criteria for selection may include one or more of the following:
• Exemplary leadership
• Innovation
• Outstanding performance
• Exceptional service or contributions to the Walla Walla School District
• Excellence in Instruction
• Unusual dedication
Nomination Process
Candidates may personally make application or be nominated by their colleagues. Letters of support may be submitted by supervisors, students, and parents. Each nomination form shall be submitted with NO MORE THAN THREE LETTERS OF SUPPORT. These should be type-written and limited to a single page. The nomination forms shall be submitted to the Communications Office in the administration building. All grants will be awarded during the end of the school year celebration.
2024-2025 Staff Achievement Grant Nomination Form
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS IS MAY 10.
• Call Mark Higgins at 509-525-6716 or e-mail mhiggins@wwps.org if you have any questions
Past Recipients
Walla Walla Public Schools proudly recognizes the following staff members for exemplifying superior standards of excellence. This peer nominated, peer selected award is judged on exemplary leadership, innovation, and exceptional service.
1987-1988
Jill Taruscio – Pioneer Middle School
Mac Bledsoe – Walla Walla High School
Dorothy Deeney – Berney Elementary
Ellie Heiser – Business Office
Nancy McCorkle – Prospect Point Elementary
1988-1989
Judy Anderson – Pioneer Middle School
Pat Grant – Berney Elementary
Sharon Ford – Blue Ridge Elementary
Bill McCorkle – Walla Walla High School
Gretchen Anthony – Green Park Elementary
1989-1990
Connie Taylor-Randall – District Athletics
Glenda Robertson – Sharpstein Elementary
Scott Tibbling – Walla Walla High School
Sharon Delaney – Berney Elementary
Karen Fuller – Sharpstein Elementary
1990-1991
Mike Martin – Walla Walla High School
Barbara Bledsoe – Pioneer Middle School
Clark Erdman – Walla Walla High School
Betsy Adkins – Berney Elementary
1991-1992
Steve Olsen – Plant Facilities
Dolores Clark – Walla Walla High School
Paul Dennis – Walla Walla High School
Irene Maxon – Walla Walla High School
Karen Reid – Garrison Middle School
1992-1993
Margo McClellen – Curriculum Department
Al Sievertsen – Walla Walla High School
Jan Heimbigner – Prospect Point Elementary
Pat Decker – Walla Walla High School
Brenda Ramirez – Berney Elementary
1993-1994
Tensie Lovejoy – Paine
Karen Hermeston – Walla Walla High School
Joan McPherson – Berney Elementary
Leah Crudup – Blue Ridge Elementary
Dale Steindorf – Walla Walla High School
1994-1995
Johnnie Dennis – Walla Walla High School
Ron Higgins – Walla Walla High School
Loretta Barum – Green Park Elementary
Gayle See – Walla Walla High School
Kay McCauley – Walla Walla High School
1995-1996
Judi Kessler – Garrison Middle School
Betty Schubert – Special Programs
Terri Gilbert – Sharpstein Elementary
Gary Peasley – Walla Walla High School
Justine Taylor – Berney Elementary
1996-1997
Charlene Kaaen – Edison Elementary
Laurie Cochran – Health Services
Evelyn Dutton – Prospect Point Elementary
John Darnell – Paine
Leslie Stockton – Walla Walla High School
1997-1998
Shelly Froese – Pioneer Middle School
Barbara Daniel – Green Park Elementary
Suzanne Sams – Opportunity Program
Kay Barga – Edison Elementary
Dennis DeBroeck – Walla Walla High School
1998-1999
Lenore Zaro - District Office
Jackie George – Sharpstein Elementary
Sue Hansen - Blue Ridge Elementary
Alison Peck – Opportunity Program
Mira Gobel – Pioneer Middle School
1999-2000
Leonard Adams - Transportation
Gail Callahan - Blue Ridge Elementary
Darlene Greenwood - Blue Ridge Elementary
Bill Gilbert – Pioneer Middle School
Cheryl Herr – Pioneer Middle School
Greg Reid – Garrison Middle School
2000-2001
Dave Larson – Pioneer Middle School
Lynn Waldron – Walla Walla High School
Gayle Harwood - Green Park Elementary
Kris Takemura - Preschool
Gail Serven – Edison Elementary
2001-2002
Diane Briggs - Garrison Middle School
Dennis Bennett - Pioneer Middle School
Sue Bloom - Walla Walla High School
Shirley Rodenberg - Blue Ridge Elementary
John Herr - Walla Walla High School
2002-2003
Sue Westergard - Green Park Elementary
Janifer Sams - Blue Ridge Elementary
Kathy Keatts – Walla Walla High School
Gina Cox - Prospect Point Elementary
Paul Wickline – Walla Walla High School
2003-2004
Gail Danielson - Blue Ridge Elementary
Leslie Hanson-Anderson – Edison Elementary
Tracy Williams - District Office
Georgie Germain – Edison Elementary
Heidy Wiese - Blue Ridge Elementary
2004-2005
Missy Johnson - Green Park Elementary
Dawn Jepson – Pioneer Middle School
Kate Venneri - Sharpstein Elementary
Yvon Barber - Pioneer Middle School
Peggy Willcuts - Paine
2005-2006
Arlene Moreno - Edison Elementary
Norb Rossi - Walla Walla High School
Kathy Lamb - Pioneer Middle School
Judy Peasley - Special Programs
Doug Venneri - Pioneer Middle School
2006-2007
Mike Dill - Pioneer Middle School
Sherry McConn - Walla Walla High School
Jean Tobin - Green Park Elementary School
Nancy Anhorn - Edison Elementary School
Elaine Bluhm - Business Office
2007-2008
Shannon Jones - Pioneer Middle School
Lucy Gregoire - Blue Ridge Elementary School
Mike Gobel - Walla Walla High School
Margi Ault - Personnel Department
Elissa Stites - Green Park Elementary
2008-2009
Sue Parrish - Garrison Middle School
Mel Gribnau - Green Park Elementary
Tanya Hoffman - Walla Walla High School
Meg Cochran - Blue Ridge Elementary
Rob Ahrens - Walla Walla High School
2009-2010
Daneitta Mertens - Edison Elementary
Brenda Prins - Prospect Point Elementary
Louise Johnson - Edison Elementary
Kelly Gabel - Print Shop
Erik Gordon - Lincoln Alternative High School
2010-2011
Veronica Esparza - Personnel Department
Casey Monahan - Walla Walla High School
Lori Parnicky - Sharpstein Elementary
Kay Schisler - Curriculum Department
Jesse Torres - Green Park
2011-2012
Maria Garcia - Coordinator
Shane Jacobson - Technology Department
Christine Ludwig - Propect Point Elementary School
Carina Stillman – Walla Walla High School
2012-2013
Susie Golden - Business Office
Cindy Nass - Special Education
Jo Anna Gogl - Edison Elementary
Julia Woods – Walla Walla High School
Brenda Crumpacker - Green Park Elementary
2013-2014
Tressa Baker - Green Park
Milissa Gierman - Berney
Elizabeth Jagelski - Berney
Peder Fretheim - WWHS
Donna McCaw - Green Park
2014-2015
Vivian Glaeser - Walla Walla High School
Tom Porter - Opportunity Program
Karen Bumgarner - Pioneer Middle School
Barbara Thatcher - Green Park Elementary
Lisa Davis - Berney Elementary
2015-2016
Michelle Higgins - Walla Walla High School
Brent Bieloh - Pioneer Middle School
Shannon Ahrens - Garrison Middle School
Connie Goude - Prospect Point Elementary
Loretta Wright - Green Park Elementary
2016-2017
Amy Hartford - Green Park Elementary
Jerry Poirier - Support Services
Bryan Eggart - Blue Ridge Elementary
Arturo Alonso - Walla Walla High School
Tina Holbrook - Green Park Elementary
2017-2018
Kelsey Dill - Walla Walla High School
Pam Jacobson - Walla Walla High School
Monica Nelson - Walla Walla High School
Claudia Saldivar - Sharpstein Elementary
Sue Schulz - Garrison Middle School
2018-2019
Anne Bickelhaupt - Walla Walla High School
Gracie Cortez - Blue Ridge Elementary
John Kiefel - Sharpstein Elementary
Refugio Reyes - Walla Walla High School
Sara Strickland - Pioneer Middle School
2019-2020
Chris Ferenz - Walla Walla High School
Armida Contreras - Garrison Middle School
Liza Jacobson - Prospect Point Elementary
John Golden - Walla Walla High School
Marybeth Norby - Green Park Elementary School
2020-2021
Juan Faba – Green Park Elementary School
Conor Fish - Garrison Middle School
Lisa Cox - Walla Walla High School
Brad Hobbs - Green Park Elementary School
Grace Ogoshi - Walla Walla Online
2021-2022
Clayton Hudiburg – Walla Walla High School
Jennifer Matson - Teaching & Learning
Melissa Bates - Green Park Elementary School
Shari Strickland - Human Resources
Peggy Payne - Walla Walla High School
2022-2023
Shannon Hand - Berney Elementary School
Tara Jasper - Elementary Library Technician
Mary Burt - Walla Walla Online
Yaneth Hernandez - Garrison Middle School
Kim Cassetto - Walla Walla High School
2023-2024
Patrick McFetridge – Edison Elementary School
Gloria Olivos – Green Park Elementary School
Kristin Hessler – Walla Walla High School
Cory Fish – Technology Department
Stacy Morrison – Berney Elementary School