With Classified School Employees Week just having passed us, I feel it is a great time to highlight the fantastic Classified Employees working here at Ukiah Unified School District. It takes a village as they say, and in our classified village, we have Paraeducators, Food Service, Transportation, Grounds, Mechanics, Fiscal Services, Maintenance, Community Liaisons, Health Care Assistants, Secretaries, Campus Supervisors, Custodial Staff, Technology, Crossing Guards, Librarians, Child Care Assistants, Extended Daycare Workers, and more. Each of these people directly influences our student and staff success during their time here at Ukiah Unified and beyond. 

Without the essential work provided by these individuals, we would fall short of providing a safe and healthy environment to ensure the ultimate success of our students. In this past pandemic year, our classified staff has stepped up to do whatever it took to get us through the uncertainty that the pandemic provided. Our classified staff not only showed up to their regular duties but were given a wide variety of new duties, tasks that they would not ordinarily complete. The classified staff stepped up and pitched in where and when needed, whether it was providing food to ensure families and students remain fed during this pandemic or picking up custodial tasks to ensure sanitization was completed. We have all had to adjust our daily assignments to include new functions due to the pandemic. Our classified staff has shown up in a big way, and their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Because of their willingness to jump in and do whatever is needed, Ukiah Unified School District was able to succeed in the move to distance learning and then ultimately return to a hybrid model with students once again coming back to our campuses. 

Due to the pandemic, we could not celebrate Classified School Employee Week as we would typically do with our annual party and BBQ. I feel it is imperative to celebrate the hard work we do and that every one of our staff knows what a difference they make in the lives of our students and staff. From all of them to all of you, I wanted to extend our gratitude for everything you do and will continue to do to ensure the success of our students and staff. I know at times it may seem that what we do has no effect or goes unseen by others, but like building a brick wall, each brick builds upon the other, and the mortar holds it all together to create a strong wall that stands for decades. Like a brick wall, each one of us and our actions has a place in the success and the strength of Ukiah Unified School District. For your part in that, I thank you, classified employees!

I would also like to thank the UUSD administration, including Superintendent Deb Kubin, Assistant Superintendents Nicole Glentzer and Katie Sommer, and our Chief Business Official, Steve Barekman. A big thank you to all of our teachers, and of course, our Board members. All of whom have worked tirelessly during this pandemic to move in and out of the restrictions and obstacles that came with it. It takes each of us to succeed, and I could not be more proud of the Ukiah Unified team and our efforts to ensure our students' success.  Keep up the Essential Work; our students are counting on each of us!