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A Message from the Department of Communications and Community Relations

Bellingham Public Schools surprised 2025 Promise Award recipients over the last two weeks, and we are excited to now announce the honorees.

The Promise Awards program recognizes the exemplary achievements and contributions of staff and volunteers connected to The һ����app, our district’s strategic plan. The Promise Awards are supported by the .

The Promise Awards provide an opportunity to highlight the exceptional work of honorees that make a significant difference in our schools and community, increasing awareness of the important contributions of all staff and volunteers.

In addition to the award feature photos below, .

Above and Beyond Service Award

Anne Covington, paraeducator at Options High School

Anne exemplifies what it means to care for students and coworkers. A colleague shared, “Anne goes above and beyond every day to ensure that students’ needs are met so they can in turn be their best selves. She welcomes students (and staff) by name every morning with a smile, a high five, or a hug, starting everyone’s day off by showing them they are seen, valued, and are important members of our Options community.”

Students gravitate toward Anne, and her colleagues marvel at the way she beautifully and seamlessly checks in with students who are sitting alone and may need a friend to talk with.

Anne is known for sharing hot cocoa while greeting students at the school entrance each Friday morning as well as serving as a calming presence for students visiting The Nook – an area with The Health Center at Options which provides a space for calming regulation as well as access to basic needs resources.

A nominator shared, “This year our school opened a calming regulation space for students to access if they were feeling anxiety, upset, overwhelmed, or sad; this was a huge undertaking, and Anne was an integral part of creating this warm space for students.”

Anne is flexible and always ready to change her schedule to meet the greatest need in the school on a given day. She is present at school events of all kinds. Students and families feel safe reaching out to Anne about needs because there is no judgement, only love and willingness to support.

She also works tirelessly to provide 1:1 academic support, passionate about supporting education and ensuring students are on a path to graduation.

A staff colleague shared, “Anne provides snacks, smiles, and hugs, creating a nurturing environment where students feel valued and supported. When students graduate, they routinely shout out her kindness and warmth during our commencement ceremony.”

Collaboration Award

Sehome High School paraeducator team, Sehome High School

 

The Sehome High School paraeducator team is revered for its ability to support students’ independence, social skills and academics.

The 11-member team is composed of Jordan Chalfant, Bronwyn Sambrook, Natalie Angaiak, Trish Neary, Laurel Karney, Jenalyn Brown, Emmery Enga, Yoav Golan, MacKenzie Kesling, Michel Mason and Collin McDonell.

Team members work side-by-side with students with some of the most specific intensive needs, always working with compassion, attentiveness and love.

The team advocates for students, centering students in all they do. Examples include encouraging students to participate in sports, advocating for additional translated items in the library and attending events after school.

A nominator shared, “The paraeducator team at SHS exemplifies The һ����app and Sehome Core Covenants on a daily basis. This team is the backbone of our school’s inclusive community and is at the forefront of the work Sehome has done to make continual and intentional steps toward supporting all students with an inclusive educational model.”

Whether working in a one-to-one capacity following extensive behavioral or supervisory plans or supporting small groups, they operate from a lens of facilitating access to appropriate supports across all settings, whether academic, social, adaptive, athletic or other.

Collaboration is evident through the many students and classes they serve.

A colleague shared, “They collaborate with each student’s educational team by staying in constant communication by updating each other on all relevant information that is necessary to pass along as they transition from classes and students many times each day. “

Compassion and Service Award

Joey Robles, football coach at Shuksan Middle School

Coach Joey Robles is a shining example of living out The һ����app’s core belief that the whole child is important.

In a sentiment that defines compassion and service, a nominator shared, “We all breathe a sigh of relief when Coach Joey is here, for his influence does not stop on the field, or with our kids, but reaches every human at Shuksan.”

Each year, Joey defines a theme for the team’s season. This year’s theme is Bigger than Football.

Classroom staff love the way Shuksan football program emphasizes the “student” in “student-athlete” and share how Joey’s leadership has enhanced the ways students approach school attendance and performance.

This year, Joey developed a voluntary, incentive-based bingo cards board for student-athletes that has positively impacted the school culture. The bingo board is filled with rigorous expectation and motivating ways for the player to support one another, their school, staff, families and the community. Staff provide signatures as students complete tasks.

His practices are equitable, fair and student run- centering peer engagement and student-athletes pushing one another other toward being their best selves.

A nominator shared, “Joey lives his life to exemplify what he is teaching to our kids. I have never worked with someone who puts in the same amount of effort he expects, and receives, from those he is supporting.”

Joey’s influence reaches far beyond the football field and middle school. He is commended for mentoring students with life skills, attending academic events such as classroom speech projects and supporting former students with employment opportunities and attending graduation parties.

One of Shuksan’s student-athletes shared, “We all feel like a big family. He takes care of us like we’re his own kids.”

Great Teaching Award

Steve Settem, social studies teacher at Squalicum High school

Steve is described as a cornerstone of Squalicum High School, exemplifying great teaching since the school opened in 1998.

Through more than three decades of experience as a social studies teacher, Steve’s impact is widespread. Many former students attribute academic achievement and career paths to encouragement they received in his classroom.

A colleague shared, “Steven’s teaching reflects the very essence of The һ����app. He not only helps students become knowledgeable and engaged learners but also instills in them a sense of belonging and respect for diverse perspectives.”

His colleagues shared he consistently creates a classroom environment where all students feel seen, heard and valued. His teaching reflects the belief that all students can learn at high levels.

A nominator shared, “He has the uncanny ability to make even the most stoic high school junior chuckle at an obscure historical anecdote or dad joke. His quick wit and down-to-earth style create an atmosphere where students feel both intellectually challenged and genuinely cared for — a delicate balance that not every teacher can achieve.”

Steve uses his platform to amplify historically underrepresented voices in ways that resonate with students. He is serios about what he teaches while also infusing humor and storytelling into every lesson.

A colleague shared, “The fact that some of his former students now have children enrolled in his classes—who are equally fond of Mr. Settem—speaks volumes about his multigenerational influence. Steve is not only a remarkable educator but also a cherished colleague whose mentorship and camaraderie have shaped the professional lives of countless staff members.”

One Schoolhouse Award

Elementary multilingual learner specialists and elementary instructional coaches, districtwide

 

The collaboration between the elementary multilingual learner specialists and instructional coaches embodies the strategies of The һ����app through a comprehensive approach to curriculum development and professional learning.

These teams have done so much to support and empower teachers across the district, which in turn empowers students to critically engage in the classroom. Honorees are: Carmen Avila Cervera, Melanie Haines, Leilani Hoch, Shannon Lemieux, Lori Radvany, Nelly Schonborn, Brenda Torres, Sally Unger, Emma Bodin, Rachel Frye, Kristin Gresham, Kirsten Jensen, Michelle Hornof, Tess Ridgway, April O’Halloran, and Andrea Quigley.

They work hard to provide inclusive resources that support all learners in reaching standards. The collaboration and One Schoolhouse approach is evident through materials that are accessible to students of diverse linguistic backgrounds and learning needs.

For example, the group was instrumental in creating resources that highlight the historical and cultural significant of Treaty Day, which provided students with a dependent understanding of our shared history and the important of honoring indigenous perspectives. The group’s focus on literacy with an anti-racist lens promotes social justice and equity, while empowering students to critically engage with texts and develop a more nuanced understanding of diverse perspectives.

A nominator shared, “The coach/ML specialist team has built a successful model for developing effective instructional resources and ensuring effective implementation. We appreciate all their efforts to support teachers having access to high quality inquiry-based curriculum resources and the structured collaboration time that allows teachers to bring these resources to their own school/grade level context.”

Outstanding Leadership Award

Dr. Craig Baldwin and Eva Chazo, leadership team at Cordata Elementary School

Cordata Elementary School Principal Dr. Craig Baldwin and Assistant Principal Eva Chazo embody leadership through great teaching with strong support.

Over the past three years, the leadership team has successfully built a strong community and neighborhood feeling at Cordata.

Through intentional efforts to regularly engage the Cordata community, efforts have drawn hundreds of children and families to the school for evening events. This is an especially commendable testament given Cordata’s fairly remote location with limited ability for students and families to walk to the school.

The Cordata mantra, known by all, is “You are loved and you belong.” This phrase is said on every morning announcement as a call and response. Students and staff respond, “I am loved and I belong.”

A nominator commended the intentional and caring leadership by Craig and Eva that make the guiding mantra a reality for Cordata students, staff and families.

Last year, the school hosted a You Belong Night showcasing student projects. Every class had worked on a variety of identity projects from heart maps to interactive posters to “Who I am” poems—some so profoundly deep, parents teared up. The You Belong Night was not just for students, we asked families to share anything they wanted from their homes. The event became an art show, a party, an act of community making.

They have implemented effective systems for addressing students’ behavioral needs more effectively and have provided teachers with tools to support students in classrooms.

The nomination also shared, “Eva and Craig and their team at Cordata started with a focus on what the students’ needs are/were, and built their systems around student conduct to support teachers making proactive steps with student behaviors in the classroom. As such their office referrals have decreased dramatically every year for the past three years.”

Volunteer of the Year Award

Pam Sinnett “Nana Pam”, volunteer at Wade King and Parkview elementary schools

Nana Pam brings love, warmth and contagious laughter and spirit to the school community she serves.

Through the gift of music, she creates an inclusive space that fosters belonging, hope and positivity. As a former early childhood educator, she carries with her years of classroom experience and is passionate about continuing to serve students during her retirement.

A nominator shared, “One year we had two original songs written by first graders. Pam supported the children in sharing their songs with the class, helping them take a risk while honoring their ideas. She does that with every child.”

She provides weekly music sessions with students spanning all grade levels at Wade King, and is also consistently present in several classrooms at Parkview. Her song choices further a sense of belonging and togetherness and invite students to see themselves as something greater than themselves.

One popular song with students is “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Others celebrate fun and creativity.

The songs are so well received that even in Pam’s absence, teachers have noticed students singing the songs.

A nominator shared, “Nana Pam’s choice to sing, ‘I Will Be Your Friend,’ ‘I Think You’re Wonderful,’ and ‘You Are My Sunshine,’ reinforces the essential truth that every student deserves to be seen, heard, and loved. Her consistent message of inclusivity and love through music ensures that no one is left out.”

Her impact does not stop with music, since she also joins indoor and outdoor classroom time.

A nominator shared, “Nana Pam comes into our classroom every week. She dedicates 45 minutes to a sing-along, but Nana Pam comes into classroom about an hour early every week to help with whatever it might be the students are working on.”

The light, laughter and love Pam provides and invokes exemplifies her widespread impact as a beloved volunteer.

Community Partner of the Year Award

Dr. David Beatty, longtime supporter of ocean science and salmon education

Dr. David Beatty is known as “Dr. Dave” to students and has been passionate in providing science education, specifically salmon education, for decades.

His efforts have been instrumental in community-supported organizational work to ensure each elementary school in Bellingham Public Schools has a fish tank for students to observe and care for salmon eggs.

A nominator shared, “…We love having a living laboratory in our schools that helps students understand how their actions and behavior can keep salmon habitats clean and cool.”

As a result of this work, students learn about biology, environmental stewardship and the life cycle of salmon.

Dave, at 89 years young and a retired University of Alberta professor, has had his own kids and grandkids graduate from Bellingham Public Schools. He is a shining example of a lifelong learner sharing his passions with students – he is present at salmon releases and in classrooms assisting with dissections and anatomy lessons.

His impact spans several decades, predating the long relationship BPS has with community partners in the field of work. Dave volunteers with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife School Cooperative Program, locally called Salmon in the Classroom Bellingham, which supports salmon education in BPS. He also volunteers with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) which has partnered with BPS for salmon education through the NSEA Education Committee.

A nominator shared, “The beauty in the way Dr. Dave works, is that he just doing what he loves, and it is absolutely contagious!”

Dave loves to see students asking questions, capturing data, and solving problems connected to raising the fry and releasing them in a local stream.

 

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These award recipients represent our school district and help increase awareness of the important contributions of all staff and volunteers. Members of the Promise Awards Advisory Group score nominations for districtwide awards using a rubric based on The һ����app. (Outstanding Leadership Award and One Schoolhouse Award are reviewed and selected separately by leadership colleagues.)

We receive many nominations of amazing staff and volunteers across our school district each year. Recipients represent highlights of so many amazing individuals and teams across our school district.

Families, staff and students are encouraged to nominate impactful individuals and/or teams when the nomination window opens each February, and repeat nominations of non-recipients are encouraged as we welcome an increasing number of nominations each year.