ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

PAST WINNERS:

2024 -- Flor Varela

2023 -- Kali Hines

2022 -- KATHI STANLEY

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2021 -- Kari Vasa

2020 -- Nicolas Balog

2019 -- Melanie Wheeler

2018 -- Nancy Miles

2017 -- Cristine Mallari

2016 -- Greg Wakeman

2015 -- Karen I. Ortner

2014 -- Chandra K. Parker

2013 -- Ashley Clayton

2012 -- Christina Martinez

2011 -- Summer Maloney

2010 -- Nancy Kennedy

Flor Varela

Flor truly loves the students and wants the best for them, while holding them to high standards and expectations. The energy and passion she brings to her classroom every day is exemplary. The connections she builds with her students and their families is second to none, and we are a better school system because she is teaching in it. Flor is in a unique position to be a role model for our English Language Learners in our school [being an alumni of the HHS herself]. She has walked the same path her students currently walk.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

This is open to any employee who is in their first three years of working for the Holyoke School District. This individual has embraced the Holyoke School District culture, their peers, their students, and the community. The purpose of this award is to demonstrate how we value those new to the district for finding or making opportunities to connect with students, peers, and the community while helping the district, peers, and students strive to reach excellence in all they do.

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

This was open to any employee who had taken a risk to implement some new initiative, program or strategy based on research or evidence of success. The purpose of this award was to demonstrate how we value innovation and risk taking in this district, and that it takes these pioneers in a district to make progress.