The North Central Educational Service District (NCESD) has announced the 2024 Regional Teacher of the Year and the  2023 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year for the North Central Washington region: The award recipients are Sarah Burnell with the Eastmont School District and Christopher Rosales from the Wenatchee School District.

A news release from the NCESD says Burnell and Rosales are now eligible for state honors from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to be announced this September.

NCESD 2024 Regional Teacher of the Year - Sarah Burnell

Sarah Burrell 2024 Regional Teacher of the Year/ Photo: NCESD
Sarah Burnell 2024 Regional Teacher of the Year/ Photo: NCESD
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Sarah Burnell was selected by the regional selection committee as the 2024 Regional Teacher of the Year. Burnell is a 4th grade teacher at Clovis Point Elementary School in the Eastmont School District.

Burnell prioritizes creating a classroom environment that amplifies learning experiences that are engaging and provide opportunity for student choice.

“Real learning happens when kids buy in and take ownership of their education,” according to Burnell.

Burnell wants kids to succeed by helping students connect with their school, families, and the greater community, consistently encouraging them to make connections between their lives and the curriculum.

“My students are willing to take chances when they feel safe, included, cared for, and respected,” she added. “They are eager to try new things and make crucial mistakes when learning new skills." she said.

Burnell was nominated by one of her student's parent who described her teaching as “one of a kind” and said she leads her students with patience, compassion, and professionalism.

Amy Dorey, Principal at Clovis Point Elementary School described Burnell as “a master at sparking students’ enthusiasm for learning,” adding “She uses many strategies to engage her students and multiple forms of assessment to make sure that each child gets the tailored instruction they need.”

NCESD Names 2023 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year - Christopher Rosales

Christopher Rosales 2023 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year/ Photo: NCESD
Christopher Rosales 2023 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year/ Photo: NCESD
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Christopher Rosales was selected by the regional selection committee as the 2023 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year. Rosales is a Paraeducator for the Alternative Learning Experience program at Westside High School in the Wenatchee School District. Rosales also serves as a Family Advocate and Graduation Specialist.

Rosales was nominated by Andrea Danahey-Feil, the Westside Night School Humanities/CTE Teacher.  In his role, Rosales has become a vital connection to the Spanish-speaking families at Westside High School.  “He has become a master of the FAFSA and WAFSA,” she added.

FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and provides financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. WASFA is the Washington Application for State Financial Aid and is for students in Washington State who are undocumented or do not qualify for federal financial aid because of their immigration status.

Recently, Rosales and his coworker, Jonathan Godina, hosted a FAFSA/WAFSA Night for Westside High School migrant and bilingual students and families to learn about the opportunities available to assist with the costs of continued education after high school.

The event brought outside organizations into Westside High School to connect directly with students and their families. The informational event had not previously been provided at Westside High School due to the size of the school, Rosales explained.

“Many of our migrant students had to attend Wenatchee High School in order to get all the information, but we decided that we could bring that here too,” Rosales said. “After the initial talks with our resources, it was like a wildfire. We had different organizations reaching out to us to help in whatever way they could.”

“I want them to know that they can be the next President, or the next surgeon, or the next whatever they want to be, as long as they put in the effort,” he added. “It is important to me that they know that all the staff at Westside High School are here to help them, both academically and mentally.”

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