ENCINITAS — The San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) announced Ana Maria Ochoa as its 2021 Classified Employee of the Year, and is celebrating all certificated staff for its 2021 Teacher of the Year honor.
“This has been a very trying year for educators throughout the country, and it is important that we take the time to acknowledge the dedicated service that our classified and certificated employees provide to our students,” San Dieguito Union High School District Superintendent Robert Haley said. “I am honored to congratulate Ana Maria Ochoa as the Classified Employee of the Year, an award that quite frankly could have been given to her many years for her service in the transportation department. Our district has also made the decision to honor all of our certificated staff members as the 2021 Teachers of the Year because doing so is indicative to the hard work and innovation that our teachers have put forth in what has been an unprecedented school year.”
Ochoa is in her 19th year as an employee of the San Dieguito Union High School District, beginning her employment as a school bus driver in August 2002. She became a California State-certified School Bus Driver Instructor in 2012 as a demonstration of her leadership and commitment to helping her peers and improving the quality of transportation for the students in the district.
In her current position as the department’s bus driver instructor, Ochoa ensures that all drivers continue to meet SDUHSD district standards prior to transporting any of our students. Her duties include arranging and planning all training activities for all transportation employees in addition to scheduling DMV, CHP and physical appointments for school bus drivers and certain Grounds Department employees. Ochoa also ensures that all training records and motor carrier records are in proper order for the yearly California Highway Patrol Terminal Inspection. Through her dedication and professionalism, SDUHSD has received the highest rating in each of the past seven years.
The San Dieguito Union High School District raised up all of its certificated staff members as 2021 Teacher of the Year. In an unprecedented year, teachers chose to honor and acknowledge each other as a collective body for the 2021 Teacher of the Year. SDUHSD recognizes their outstanding efforts and supports this universal recognition of their work.
Educators within the district have continually adapted to new challenges, public health orders and technology to find innovative ways to continue teaching students. Teachers, counselors, school psychologists and student support specialists continued to serve the highest-need students on campuses throughout the year despite the challenges brought forth by the pandemic. In addition, certificated staff incorporated new and emerging technology platforms and systems to connect with students engaged in at-home and in-person learning.
