County Education Office announces Teacher and School Employees of the Year awards

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) announced the 2025 County Teacher of the Year as well as the 2024 County Classified School Employees of the Year this week.

On Thursday, Earnest Righetti High School science teacher Laura Branch was selected as the Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year and her selection was shared during the County Board of Education meeting on May 9.

"Laura’s energy and enthusiasm, mixed with her expert knowledge and love of geology and Earth sciences, have created an amazing learning environment for her students. On behalf of SBCEO, we congratulate Laura and the entire Righetti High School team on this recognition, and look forward to learning more about - and from - Laura in the coming year," said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of School Susan Salcido about the announcement.

Branch, a geology buff and self-described "rockhound", created the curriculum for Santa Maria Joint High School District's first Career Technical Education Environmental Resources pathway and was one of the first teachers in the state to develop a Geology-specific course at the high school level.

"When I began teaching twenty-five years ago, my goal was to create positive change in public education within Earth sciences along with teaching students of all abilities," explained Branch. "To be honored for my accomplishments is an incredible feeling! This award is really dedicated to my students and all of the people I’ve worked with throughout the years."

The County Teacher of the Year award requires applicants to have eight full years of classroom experience and each potential winner is evaluated by the SBCEO Teachers Network as well as a selection committee that reviews educators both during an interview process and in the classroom.

Branch now has the opportunity to go even further by competing with educators from across the state to become California's Teacher of the Year.

SBCEO will celebrate Branch alongside other award-winning teachers during its Education Celebration on Thursday, May 23, 2024.

On Friday, SBCEO revealed four honorees selected to represent the County of Santa Barbara as the 2024 Classified School Employees of the Year.

"It’s not uncommon for classified employees to be described as the ‘go-to’ individuals on their campuses. They are often the ambassadors of their schools and districts, the first person to greet a student or family, the person people turn to for help," explained Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido. "We congratulate this year’s awardees and thank all classified employees for the thoughtfulness and care they show through their work every day."

The California Department of Education created the Classified School Employees of the Year program to highlight the critical contributions of people who support the education of more than six million public school students across the state.

The program has nine classified school employee categories that county-based education offices can honor locally and nominate for the statewide award in their respective categories.

The annual announcements leads into Classified School Employee Week which is May 19 through May 25 this year.

The 2024 SBCEO Classified School Employees of the Year:

• Nancy Barclay, Lead Custodian at El Camino Elementary (Lompoc Unified School District)
• Marianne Heuchert, Office Manager for the Child Nutrition Department (Orcutt Union School District)
• Kara Lane, Librarian and Media Specialist at Joe Nightingale School (Orcutt Union School District)
• Deborah 'Debbie' Smith, School Office Assistant at Mountain View Elementary (Goleta Union School District)

SBCEO's nominee for Classified School Employee of the Year in the Custodial and Maintenance category is Nancy Barclay, Lead Custodian at El Camino Elementary in the Lompoc Unified School District.

"Nancy is at the center of our campus," detailed coworkers at El Camino. "From greeting community folks as they arrive to helping employees, students, and individuals from the district while they are on campus, Nancy is at the heart of it all."

Barclay has been the Lead Custodian for the last four years where she plays an essential role in ensuring the cleanliness, efficiency, and safety of the school campus.

Colleagues describe her as, "highly dependable, proactive, and conscientious in the performance of her job, often anticipating needs and proactively addressing matters before anyone asks."

SBCEO's nominee for Classified School Employee of the Year in the Clerical and Administrative category is Marianne Heuchert, Office Manager for the Child Nutrition Department in the Orcutt Union School District.

"Marianne is always ready to assist wherever needed, and she’s known for collaborating with other departments seamlessly. Marianne’s enthusiasm is contagious, and her work ethic truly motivates everyone around her," explained coworkers regarding the announcement.

Heuchert has worked for 22 years within the community's education system and was also described by those who work with her as "extraordinary" and "a ray of sunshine".

SBCEO's nominee for Classified School Employee of the Year in the Paraprofessional category is Kara Lane, Librarian and Media Specialist at Joe Nightingale School in the Orcutt Union School District.

Lane has dedicated 20 years to inspiring visitors to her library at Joe Nightingale School including creating makerspace activities for students during recess and lunchtime.

Fellow library colleagues have explained that Lane is the "go-to" person across the district and coworkers described her as, "a 'can do’ woman, and I feel so grateful that I get to work with her".

SBCEO's nominee for Classified School Employee of the Year in the Health and Student Services category is Deborah "Debbie" Smith, School Office Assistant at Mountain View Elementary in the Goleta Union School District.

Smith has worked for more than 26 years in the Goleta Union School District and her team describe her as "the heart of Mountain View Elementary".

Her work as a School Office Assistant means that she is the reference for a wide variety of activities, from managing absences to coordinating medical support for field trips, which she performs with notable precision, organization, and, most importantly, kindness to everyone she helps.