Bellingham Public Schools
Promise Awards
Nomination tips:
- Share stories that connect the nominee to The Bellingham Promise.
- Where possible, consider asking others to share anecdotes about the nominee for your nomination and/or including additional details to provide the strongest possible nomination.
The nomination window for 2026 was Feb. 17 through 5 p.m. March 6.
Questions?
Call the Dept. of Communications at 360-676-6520.
Overview
Bellingham Public Schools is committed to recognizing the special achievements and outstanding contributions of staff, volunteers and community partners. The Promise Awards provide an opportunity to highlight the exceptional work of select honorees that make a significant difference in our schools and community. These award recipients represent our school system and help increase awareness of the important contributions of all staff and volunteers.
The criteria that will be used to score the nominations will be based largely on The Bellingham Promise. Who models the strategies and tenets of The Bellingham Promise in an exemplary way? Who clearly and fully represents the mission, vision, core beliefs and outcomes of The Bellingham Promise?
Nomination Details
Who can nominate?
Students, colleagues, labor associations, supervisors, parents or community members may nominate an eligible individual or team for any award. We do not accept self-nominations. Staff or volunteers who’ve received a Promise Award in the past five years are not eligible, even if nominated for a different award than they received. Exceptions may be made if an individual recipient in the past five years is nominated again as part of a large team, or vice versa.
How can I nominate?
Submit an online nomination form during the nomination window.
What do I include in the nomination?
The online form provides instructions for what to include, prompting a nominator for required and outlining the optional sections.
For the best possible nomination, it is helpful to share stories and/or specific details that connect the nominee to The Bellingham Promise. Additionally, the optional section of the nomination offers the chance to provide extra details to support a nomination. Where possible, consider including additional details and/or including short testimonials about the nominee to provide the strongest possible nomination.
What is the process and timeline for the 2025 Promise Awards?
Feb. 17, 2026 Nomination window opens.
March 6, 2026 at 5 p.m. Nomination window closes.
Mid March Members of the advisory group score districtwide awards in each of the categories and makes final selections. (Outstanding Leadership Award and One Schoolhouse Award are selected by executive team.)
Late March/Early April Recipients announced.
Award Categories
ABOVE AND BEYOND SERVICE AWARD This award is designed to recognize a staff member who models superior service. They work hard to make students, families and staff feel important, respected and exceed expectations daily. Any classified employee in Bellingham Public Schools is eligible.
COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE YEAR Community partners may be an organization (such as a community nonprofit or parent organization) that provides a volunteer, unpaid service to the school or district.
COLLABORATION AWARD This award is given to a staff member or team that leads others through partnerships and collaboration. This award is intended for an individual or team that promotes effective partnerships, builds consensus and works to support The Bellingham Promise. Any individual employee or team in Bellingham Public Schools is eligible.
COMPASSION AND SERVICE AWARD This staff member promotes staff morale and fosters community by building bridges for people to come together both inside and outside of the school. This staff member promotes their school or community through positivity. Any individual employee or team in Bellingham Public Schools is eligible.
GREAT TEACHING AWARD This award recognizes a teacher in our district for exemplary work in teaching Bellingham students. This staff member exemplifies Great Teaching with Strong Support. Any certificated employee in Bellingham Public Schools is eligible.
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD This award is intended for a leader (e.g. principal, assistant principal, director, manager or supervisor) who exhibits commitment and dedication to The Bellingham Promise by supporting all staff and students.
ONE SCHOOLHOUSE AWARD Individuals or teams of staff or volunteers are eligible for this district-level award. The purpose of this award is to recognize those who are advancing the goals of the school system — beyond one classroom and school — for the better for all.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Any individual or team that is not a paid employee and provides a volunteer, unpaid service to the school or district.
Who is eligible?
Who is eligible?
Each school and district facility location may nominate in any or all of the categories outlined below. All nominations will come directly to members of the Promise Awards Advisory Group and the previous year’s award recipients (c/o Department of Communications and Community Relations) to be scored. From this group of nominations, the scoring committee group will select one districtwide Promise Award recipient in each of these categories.
Past Promise Awards Recipients
2026
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Dan Sasse, paraeducator at Bellingham High School
Collaboration Award:
- Geneva Elementary School Special Education Team, Geneva Elementary School
Community Partner of the Year:
- Will be announced end of May 2026
Compassion and Service Award:
- Bob Lazzar-Atwood, extracurricular event staff member, Squalicum High School
Great Teaching Award:
- Kristle Craft, Special Education teacher, Kulshan Middlle Schoolol
One Schoolhouse Award
- James Hayes, district director of activities and athletics
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Laurel Peak, principal at Squalicum High School
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Lauren Bunke, volunteer at Sunnyland Elementary School as well as other schools throughout the district
2025
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Anne Covington, paraeducator at Options High School
Collaboration Award:
- Sehome High School paraeducator team, Sehome High School
Community Partner of the Year (two recipients):
- Dr. David Beatty, longtime supporter of ocean science and salmon education
Compassion and Service Award:
- Joey Robles, football coach at Shuksan Middle School
Great Teaching Award:
- Steve Settem, social studies teacher at Squalicum High School
One Schoolhouse Award
- Elementary multilingual learner specialists and elementary instructional coaches, districtwide
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Dr. Craig Baldwin and Eva Chazo, leadership team at Cordata Elementary School
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Pam Sinnett “Nana Pam”, volunteer at Wade King and Parkview elementary schools
2024
Above and Beyond Service Award (two recipients):
- Kelly Balzer, paraeducator and PTA co-president at Northern Heights Elementary School
- Dionte Thomas, campus monitor at Squalicum High School
Collaboration Award:
- Anna Burns and Alexa Tucker, sixth grade teaching team at Shuksan Middle School
Community Partner of the Year (two recipients):
- Children of the Setting Sun Productions, Indigenous-led and -centered nonprofit
- Compass Health, local healthcare partner
Compassion and Service Award:
- Joe Wooding, social studies teacher, AVID teacher and instructional coach at Options High School
Great Teaching Award:
- Ruwani Brohier, fifth grade teacher at Cordata Elementary School
One Schoolhouse Award
- Russ Robinson, safety and security supervisor for Bellingham Public Schools and high school athletics coach
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Teri Herda, principal at Silver Beach Elementary School
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Naaman Hinton, volunteer at school locations districtwide
2023
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Jim Hammett, head custodian at Alderwood Elementary School
Collaboration Award:
- Maggie Hite, Tido Nakazato and Katie Owen, athletic trainers and sports medicine teachers at Bellingham High School (Katie Owen), Sehome High School (Maggie Hite), and Squalicum High School (Tido Nakazato).
Community Partner of the Year:
- Vamos Outdoors Project, local nonprofit serving Latine, migrant, multilingual and newcomer youth and families through outdoor and academic programs
Compassion and Service Award:
- Michael Finley, sixth grade teacher at Fairhaven Middle School
Great Teaching Award:
- Rachel Roeder, first grade teacher at Carl Cozier Elementary
One Schoolhouse Award
- David Jones, music specialist at Whatcom Middle School; fifth grade strings leader and teacher
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Pam Pottle, principal at Northern Heights Elementary
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Bob Nelson “Grandpa Bob”, volunteer at Silver Beach Elementary
2022
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Joy Lovingood, head custodian at Carl Cozier Elementary School
Collaboration Award:
- Katie McGrew, student information systems technician
Community Partner of the Year (Two recipients):
- A1DesignBuild, local general contractor
- Dr. Veró Vélez, Western Washington University professor and high school ethnic studies volunteer advisor, teacher
Compassion and Service Award:
- Lonnie Schang, art teacher at Sehome High School
Great Teaching Award:
- Kurt Ottum, math teacher at Squalicum High School
One Schoolhouse Award
- Health Services Team, districtwide team (Kim Niederhauser, director, health services; school nurses: Krissy Abbey, Colleen Boisjolie, Caroline Cho, Shelly Donahue, Amy Eisenhauer, Lori Fransen, Sonia Harder, Alyssa Johnson, Tobi Melton, Matt Neisinger, Sheri Wiess, Deb Wilkowski; health room assistants: Carmen Andersen, Alpana Bhanot, Lauren Higgens, Roohi Joshi, Mandeep Kaur, Angela Onukwufor, Sofia Rodriguez, Karly Schenck, Jennifer Thornton; Jennifer Gaer, volunteer coordinator and Amelia Vader, grant writer (vaccine clinics coordinators, testing support, communications, grants); Angie Ritchey, executive administrative assistant, operations)
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Sonia Cole, principal at Sehome High School
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Betsy Rocks, multilingual learners volunteer at Bellingham High School and Sehome High School
2021
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Chesed Reyes, English language learners paraeducator at Squalicum High School
Collaboration Award:
- Colin Cushman, activities and athletics coordinator at Sehome High School
Community Partner of the Year Award:
- Friends of the FRC (Anne Calico, Laura Corker, Linda Feltham, Carmen Gilmore, Grace Munson, Kate Wearn and Alina Zollfrank)
Compassion and Service Award:
- Nelly Schonborn, Spanish teacher and ELL specialist at Birchwood Elementary School
- Steve Wiley, counselor at Squalicum High School
Great Teaching Award:
- Darin Nolan, physical education teacher at Bellingham High School
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Jessica Sankey, Executive Director of Operations
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Creando Connections Team at Bellingham High School (Meysha Riviere, Gillian Spilker, Noah Epps, Amelia Wermus, Ami Purdue, Michael Mosquera, Opal Barker, Stephanie Aragon)
2020
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Margiangely Gonzalez Diaz, Birchwood Elementary School
Collaboration Award:
- Inclusion Team at Sehome High School (Monique Carpenter, Gwen Nyman, Erin Furda, Steve Terreri, Julie Ross-Buckmaster, Kevin Candela, Todd Leita, Angie Desler, Victoria Mayers, Ed Wissing, Monte Walton, Brenda Apt, Jason Clewett)
Community Partner of the Year Award:
- Common Threads Farm
Compassion and Service Award:
- Paraeducator team at Alderwood Elementary (Melinda Nelson, Kim Austerman, Amelia Mendoza, Sarah Engel, Stephanie Cooper, Desiree Fields, Jaedyn Joers)
Dependable and Responsible Award:
- Cristina Manterola, Cordata Elementary and Shuksan Middle School
Great Teaching Award:
- Adam Shaffer, Kulshan Middle School
Innovation and Flexibility Award:
- Network Services Team (Brian Collins, BJ Adams, Cory Bouma, Rob Freeman, Jacob Gilchrist, Greg Gorman, Lauri McBeath-Davies, Tyler Parbon, Kyle Swenson, Greg Weishaupt, Greg Verbarendse, Patrick Wright)
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Mike Haberman, Director of Special Education
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- James Hayes, volunteer
One Schoolhouse Award:
- Food Services Team
2019
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Marnie Keller, Kulshan Middle School
Collaboration Award:
- Laura Murdzia and Kristin Cerenzia, Happy Valley Elementary School
Compassion and Service Award:
- Dianna McCandless, Geneva Elementary School
Dependable and Responsible Award:
- Robin Russell, Roosevelt Elementary School
Great Teaching Award:
- Alexa Nigretto, Cordata Elementary School
Innovation and Flexibility Award:
- Lori French, Bellingham High School and Jeremy Louzao, Squalicum High School
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Michelle Kuss-Cybula, Sehome High School
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Elie Samuel, Samuel’s Furniture
One Schoolhouse Award:
- Ron Cowan, Central Services
2018
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Lynn Cooper, Options High School
Collaboration Award:
- Roosevelt Elementary School Title I Literacy Intervention Team – Lisa Aucutt, Kiersten Barr, Carmen Avila Cervera, Shelly McKay, Melissa Peterson and Penny Will
Compassion and Service Award:
- Jeff McKenna, Bellingham High School
Dependable and Responsible Award:
- Donna Hulford, Sehome High School
Great Teaching Award:
- Sam Stapleton-Cousens, Birchwood Elementary School
Innovation and Flexibility Award:
- Options High School Students and Staff
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Jeff Tetrick, Director of Career and Technical Education
Volunteer of the Year Award:
- Veronica Douglas, Sehome High School
One Schoolhouse Award:
- Bellingham Public Schools Foundation
2017
Great Teaching Award:
- Linda Short, Bellingham High School
Above and Beyond Service Award:
- Rebecca Sauter, Districtwide
Collaboration Award:
- Kerrie Zerba and Wendy Albrecht, Parkview Elementary School
Outstanding Leadership Award:
- Nicole Talley, Silver Beach and Matt Whitten, Birchwood
Community Partner/Volunteer of the Year Award:
- The Giving Circle
One Schoolhouse Award:
- Laura Livingston, Bellingham United Debate Club
2016
Staff Members of the Year:
- Steven Dolmatz, Squalicum High School
- Elizabeth Uelmen-Johnston, Shuksan Middle School
Team of the Year:
- Squalicum Storm Freshmen Mentor Team; Jason Bergman, Katie Ruthford, Elyse Slagle and Josh Durias
Leader of the Year:
- Eric Paige, Carl Cozier Elementary school
Community Partner of the Year:
- Assistance League of Bellingham
One Schoolhouse:
- Morgan Schwab
2015
Staff Members of the Year:
- Brian Gilmore, Silver Beach Elementary School
- Sam Pryor, Shuksan Middle School
Team of the Year:
- Life Skills Team; Richard Bennett, Alyssa Bowhay, Sarah Catudio, Brett Evans, Connor Hegarty, Chelsea Horsburgh, Kacy Keck, Dominique Lantagne, Keri Lester, Elizabeth Madden, Kelly McGinnes-Heath, Megan Milford, Heather Smith, Carrie Swackhammer and Sara Swetish
Leader of the Year:
- Micah Smith, Cordata Elementary School
Community Partner of the Year:
- Opportunity Council, Early Learning and Family Services
One Schoolhouse:
- Transportation
2014
Staff Members of the Year
- Ronni Weston, Kulshan Middle School
- Dennis Angell, Fairhaven Middle School
Team of the Year
- Squalicum High School GRADS program: Barbara Hoyt, Brenda Mashburn, Kelly Nolan, Stephanie Schroeder, Judith Wahlborg and Early Childhood Education Coordinator, Kristi Dominguez
Leader of the Year
- Jay Jordan, Shuksan Middle School
Community Partner of the Year
- Sharon Camblin, Squalicum High School
One Schoolhouse
- Isabel Meaker and Shari Neilan, Shuksan Middle School
2013
Staff Members of the Year
- Kevin Johnson, Sehome High School
- Laura Davis, Fairhaven Middle School
Team of the Year
- Eighth Grade Team, Kulshan Middle School
Leader of the Year
- Stephanie Korn, Alderwood Elementary School
Community Partners of the Year
- Gene Myers, Columbia Elementary School
- Mardi Solomon, Columbia Elementary School
One Schoolhouse
- Dawn Christiana and Pam Pottle, Central Services
2012
Staff Members of the Year
- John Glenn, Central Services
- Peggy Fogarty, Sehome High School
Team of the Year
- Eighth Grade Team, Shuksan Middle School
Leader of the Year
- Keith Schacht, Squalicum High School
Community Partner of the Year
- Heather Stevenson, Geneva Elementary
One Schoolhouse
- High School Counselors and FAFSA Events Staff
2011
Staff Members of the Year
- Marc Whitlock, Northern Heights Elementary School
- Melinda Nelson, Alderwood Elementary School
Team of the Year
- Alderwood Title One Reading Team: Kristi Champagne, Dawn Christiana, Jennifer Percival, and Christina Tan
Leader of the Year
- Rob McElroy, Wade King Elementary
Community Parner of the Year
- Erin McEachern, Columbia Elementary School
2010
Staff Members of the Year
- Kim Kirk, Sehome High School
- Stephen Peters, Columbia Elementary School
Team of the Year
- Whatcom Secretarial Team: Joanna Cooper, Linda Erickson, Nancy Howell, and Adele Pears
Leader of the Year
- Tom Venable, Carl Cozier Elementary School
Community Partners of the Year
- Susan Hakeman, Heather Steele, and Selena Storey