Dublin Unified Schools Honor Teacher Of The Year, Other Employees

DUBLIN, CA — Four Dublin Unified School District employees were honored for their commitment to local education in various roles. The district presented its annual awards on Tuesday, including naming Dublin and Frederiksen Elementary School teacher Lilia Tsui its Teacher of the Year recipient.

The awards were presented during Tuesday’s board of education meeting and honored four staff members who were presented with Teacher of the Year, Classified Employee of the Year, ACOE Classified Employee of the Year (Skilled Trades Category), and the Teresa Herrington Memorial awards, the district announced Wednesday in a news release.

“We have an incredible group of talented and dedicated employees in Dublin,” Interim Superintendent Daniel Moirao said in the release. “Even in this most challenging of years, our classified and certificated staff have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of this community. While they all deserve our praise and recognition, I relish the opportunity to highlight some of these incredible people. To all our award winners, and to our entire staff, you make a difference every day, and we are forever indebted to you. ”

Tsui, who is an English Language Development teacher, was honored as the district’s top teacher. In the news release, school officials recognized Tsui as an advocate for all students who supports her fellow staff members by fostering an inclusive and accessible learning environment. Tsui trains colleagues in Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) strategies and serves as an additional support for families who are learning English and/or the local school district, officials said in the release.

Tsui is characterized by the district as having a kind, approachable, and welcoming demeanor. Students truly feel comfortable, valued, and "recognized" in her presence, the release said.

Jay Hourcaillou was honored as the district’s Classified Employee of the Year after having served as a warehouse worker for the past six years. Over that time, district officials said he has become known as a well-liked, respected, and appreciated employee by staff across the district. Hourcaillou never hesitates to help colleagues in need of assistance and does so with a smile and a positive attitude. According to the news release, his positivity and work ethic is so infectious that it influences those around him.

In addition to serving as a mentor to substitute custodians and child nutrition workers, Hourcaillou has taken on a number of additional tasks, the district said. He also played a major role in managing the receiving and distribution of furniture, equipment, and supplies for the Dublin High School Engineering & Science building, according to the news release.

Jose Rodriguez was honored by the district as its Classified Employee of the Year in the Skilled Trade category and has been with the district for the past 19 years. District officials said that Rodriguez has a working knowledge of all aspects of maintenance work and is always ready to take on a project and follow it through to completion, according to the release. Rodriguez is known as someone who goes above and beyond to make sure everything is in place for operations and events to be successful. He is responsible and hardworking, always comes to work with a smile, and cares about his work, district officials said.

District officials added: “Jose makes every effort to ensure that the needs of his district's schools are met, understanding that each school has different needs, schedules, and protocols. Jose is willing to tackle any project. He sets a good example for others; he takes pride in his work and wants others to do the same.”

Teri Meadows is the recipient of the Theresa Herrington Memorial Award, which honors the memory of the beloved school secretary and association leader who died suddenly in 2005, the district said. The honor is given annually to the employee who best exemplifies the character traits of Herrington, who worked for the district for 25 years.

Meadows works as a secretary at Dublin Elementary School and has been with the district since 2001, according to the news release. During her time with the district, Meadows has also worked at Dublin High School and Fallon Middle School. She is recognized for the professionalism she consistently demonstrates “with polish, finesse, humor, and an unparalleled attention to detail”, district officials said. Her work is exemplary, and her skills are often called upon by colleagues across the district, the news release said.

District officials added: “She takes great pride in her work and her reports are second to none. In addition to her impeccable work ethic, Teri keeps the energy in our office positive, light-hearted, and moving.”