GGUSD Celebrates Classified Employees and Teachers of the Year

Friday, June 5, 2026

Deborah Guevara Classified Employee of the Year

At its meeting on Tuesday, June 2, the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education honored 12 outstanding GGUSD employees who have been nominated for the Orange County Department of Education’s Employee Recognition Programs.

GGUSD’s Board honored its nine nominees for the 2026 Orange County Classified Employee of the Year program, including two – GGUSD Electrician Paul Dalmas and Student Supervision Assistant Deborah Guevara – who were selected as countywide finalists, an honor awarded to nine classified employees across all of Orange County.

Dalmas brings extensive technical expertise with more than 25 years as a journeyman electrician who for the past 7 years has been dedicated to maintaining complex school electrical and lighting infrastructures to ensure facilities run smoothly for students and staff. Guevara has dedicated 29 as an SSA at Parkview Elementary School and was recognized for her unwavering commitment to student safety and her ability to make every child feel welcomed, supported, and valued.

GGUSD’s nine Classified Employees of Year are:

Maria Cervantes, School Community Liaison at Doig Intermediate
Paul Dalmas, Electrician
Eric Garcia, Electronics and Technology Support Technician
Deborah Guevara, Student Supervision Assistant at Parkview Elementary
Donna Monnig, Food Services Lead at Gilbert Elementary
Ramon Moreno-Zanabria, Intensive Behavior Intervention Aide
Brian Sannebeck, Grounds Equipment Mechanic
Clara Santacruz, Senior School Secretary at Rancho Alamitos High School
Karla Smith, Bus Driver

The Board also recognized GGUSD’s three Teachers of the Year and nominees for the Orange County Department of Education’s 2027 Teacher of the Year program:

Larinda Kotani, Hazard Elementary School
Donna Page, Crosby Elementary School
Jeanne Wu, Santiago High School

All three of these exceptional educators, who have each dedicated their careers to our district and have inspired students, strengthened school communities, and made a lasting impact on generations of learners. It’s because of teachers like these that GGUSD is known as a leader in educational excellence: equipping all students with the academic skills and personal skills for lifelong success.