Dear Sierra Unified Community,

One of the greatest strengths of Sierra Unified School District is our people. This week, I am incredibly proud to celebrate our Teachers and Staff of the Year—individuals who represent the heart, dedication, and excellence found across our district.

Please join me in congratulating the following honorees:

Joel Ramos – Facilities 
Joel’s commitment to maintaining safe, welcoming, and well-cared-for campuses does not go unnoticed. His work behind the scenes ensures our students and staff can focus on learning every single day.

Elissa Santillan – Sierra Adult School Parenting Co-Op 
Elissa’s dedication to supporting families and building strong foundations for our youngest learners reflects the very best of community education.

Jennifer Fielding – Sierra@Home 
Jennifer exemplifies innovation, flexibility, and student-centered learning, ensuring that our home school students receive meaningful and engaging educational experiences.

Dylan Gault & Renee Grimbleby – Sierra High School At Sierra High School
Dylan and Renee demonstrate unwavering dedication to student success, building relationships that inspire achievement both in and out of the classroom.

Joanna Dunn, Gail Stark & Lori McClelland – Foothill Elementary 
The team at Foothill Elementary represents the power of collaboration. Their collective impact on students is evident in the positive culture and strong learning environment they help cultivate every day.

Barbette Dunn – SUSD District Office 
Barbette’s leadership and service at the district level strengthen the systems that support every school and every student across our district.

I am especially proud to share that Lori McClelland in nutrition services and Joanna Dunn, Foothill Elementary are our County Submissions, representing Sierra Unified School District at the county level. They exemplify excellence not only within our district but across our broader educational community.

National School Breakfast Week (March 2–6)
Next week, we celebrate National School Breakfast Week, March 2–6. I want to extend special appreciation to our incredible Nutrition Services team. Each week, they serve an average of over 2,000 breakfasts to our students—ensuring that children start their day nourished, focused, and ready to learn.

A healthy breakfast fuels academic success, and this dedicated team works tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure meals are prepared, served with care, and accessible to all students. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to our children and families.

Measure U Update
We remain committed to keeping our community informed about the progress of Measure U. Current updates include:

We appreciate the engagement and oversight of our Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee and thank our community members who volunteer their time to ensure transparency and accountability.

Sierra Unified is strong because of the collective efforts of dedicated educators, staff, volunteers, and families. Thank you for your continued support of our students and our schools.

With pride and gratitude,
Dr. Lori Grace
Superintendent
Sierra Unified School District