California County Superintendents Announces 2024 Award Winners

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Kindra Britt Email: kbritt@cacountysupts.org September 19, 2024

California County Superintendents Announces 2024 Award Winners

The California County Superintendents is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Annual Awards announced last evening. The annual awards winners are selected by an awards committee composed of county superintendents throughout the state, following nominations from all 58 county offices of education. Below you will find the 2024 recipients, along with a short description of the award that they received.

Star Awards:

The California County Superintendents has 5 committees that consist of county office subject matter experts from across the state. Each year, the members of the committees select one colleague who has gone above and beyond in their field to support the mission and vision of the California County Superintendents in service to students.

1. Business and Administration Service Committee (BASC) STAR Award Winner: Dean West, Orange County Department of Education

2. Curricular and Improvement Support Committee (CISC) STAR Award Winner: Dr. Caryn Lewis, Monterey County Office of Education

3. County Operated Student Programs Committee (COSP) STAR Award Winner: Monica Vaughan, Alameda County Office of Education

4. Personnel Administrative Services Committee (PASCo) STAR Award Winner: Dr. Colleen Slattery, Placer County Office of Education

5. Technology Service Committee (TSC) STAR Award Winner: Dr. Julie Judd, Ventura County Office of Education

Leadership Awards:

Each year, the California County Superintendents offers annual awards that are aligned with the priorities of the organization, and competitive in the national awards program given annually by the national Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA).

Small County Office of the Year (Class VI, VII, and VIII) – to a county office of education within class III, IV, and V. Criteria would be a combination of previous awards categories such as Professional Publication, Technological Innovation, and Executive Leadership and would add other considerations such as whole child implementation, work surrounding students with disabilities, DEI initiatives, campaigns, supporting arts education, and other state-leading/extraordinary work.

Eligible counties (22): Class VI: Lake, Mendocino, Nevada, San Benito, Tehama, Yuba Class VII: Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Inyo, Lassen, Mariposa, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tuolumne Class VIII: Alpine, Sierra 2024 Winner: Krystal Lomanto, San Benito County Office of Education

Medium County Office of the Year (Class III, IV, and V) – to a county office of education within class III, IV, and V. Criteria would be a combination of previous awards categories such as Professional Publication, Technological Innovation, and Executive Leadership and would add other considerations such as whole child implementation, work surrounding students with disabilities, DEI initiatives, campaigns, supporting arts education, and other state-leading/extraordinary work.

Eligible counties (24): Class III: Monterey, Placer, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, Tulare, Ventura Class IV: El Dorado, Imperial, Merced, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma Class V: Butte, Humboldt, Kings, Madera, Marin, Napa, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Sutter, Yolo

2024 Winner: Michael Davies-Hughes, Humboldt County Office of Education

Large County Office of the Year (Class I and II) – to a county office of education within class I or II. Criteria would be a combination of previous awards categories such as Professional Publication, Technological Innovation, and Executive Leadership and would add other considerations such as whole child implementation, work surrounding students with disabilities, DEI initiatives, campaigns, supporting arts education, and other state-leading/extraordinary work.

Eligible counties (12): Class I: Los Angeles Class II: Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Santa Clara

2024 Winner: Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Santa Clara County Office of Education

Educational Partner of the Year Award – previously the “Legislator of the Year” award; this individual is seen as a partner in advancing the work of county offices of education.

2024 Educational Partner of the Year Award Winner: Assemblywoman Megan Dahle, California 1st Assembly District

Legacy Award: This award was created as a way to recognize a colleague that has been instrumental in carrying the mission and vision of county offices forward in a way where the impact is greater than the county they serve.

2024 Legacy Award Winner: Dr. Steve Tietjen, Merced County Superintendent of Schools

Champion’s Award: This annual award is given to the county superintendent that has been selected by the five most recent California County Superintendents Past Presidents, as the county superintendent that “epitomizes the mission of the organization”.

2024 Champion’s Award Winner: Dr. Stacey Adler, (former) Mono County Superintendent of Schools

Event photos available upon request

About California County Superintendents: The California County Superintendents provides the organizational mechanism for the 58 County Superintendents of Schools to design and implement statewide programs to identify and promote quality cost-effective educational practices and services, and provide support to school districts in the areas of student services, curriculum and instructional services, fiscal accountability and business services, personnel services, and technology and telecommunications.