November 2025 RE-2 “Thunder Thanks” recipients announced

Rachel Dunning- LEAP: Rachel is an essential part of the heartbeat of our district, working tirelessly alongside PineCove to ensure our systems run smoothly and our staff and students are supported each day. Her work is often behind the scenes, but its impact reaches every corner of our schools. Rachel approaches every responsibility with initiative, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. She is a true go-getter. She is someone who not only identifies solutions but actively builds them. Her ideas consistently elevate the student experience, and her willingness to take on tasks beyond her formal role demonstrates her dedication to improving our district as a whole. What sets Rachel apart is her genuine care for our students and their day-to-day school experience. She goes above and beyond to make sure their needs are met and their voices are heard. Many of the processes she manages or improves go unnoticed by most, yet they are the very tasks that keep our schools functioning seamlessly. Quite simply, our district would be lost without her steady presence, hard work, and exceptional skill.

Dayne Eaton- LMS: In the short amount of time that Dayne has been our new A.D. and our Assistant Principal he has made such a huge impact on the students and staff, making sure that everyone is having a good day to getting students hyped for a normal day of classwork or even our games. Learning the ropes of the concession stand, and even adding new items that people are interested in buying and helping our school earn the money. Dayne takes the time to get to know the kiddos and make sure that they feel safe, heard and seen. I am sure that when he first arrived he had no idea what to do or even expect, but he went and ran with what he knew to do and keeps doing great! You have excelled at your job, and I hope that you stick around and keep spreading the joy and positivity!!!

Vanessa Guevara- LHS: Vanessa is the face of our front office as she is often the first person parents and visitors encounter when coming into our building. Her friendly smile and kind personality create a very welcoming environment. She has helped out the counseling department tremendously by entering transcripts for transferring students. When we asked Vanessa if she could take that over she did not hesitate. We appreciate that so much! She is always willing to help with anything we ask of her. With our new phone system we no longer have the ability to make hallway calls for students. She does that for us with no hesitation (and we ask this of her a lot). Thank you for always being so willing to help us out! -The LHS Counselor Team

Jason Tice- LHS: Mr. Tice took on a huge task organizing the Quilts of Valor assembly. He implemented the project into his Southeast Colorado History giving those students an awesome opportunity to hear what it is like to serve our country. The students interviewed veterans and wrote about their time in the military. After the all school assembly, I had students come and ask how they could get involved in the assembly next year. Great job! Jason’s passion for teaching is evident in his classroom. Over the last few weeks I have been working with students to fill their second semester schedule. I have had several students choose to take Mr. Tice’s social studies classes because, “Mr. Tice really gets into history.” We are very lucky to have Mr. Tice in our building!

Judy Salgado- LMS: Judy has been a very consistent member of our classroom. She is always willing to do what is necessary to help the students understand the content and complete assignments. You’ll always see her with a table of students discussing the task at hand, and when it is time to focus on instruction, she is there to support that as well. Thanks Judy! Please know you are appreciated!

Cathy Park- Alta Vista: Cathy has been a fantastic addition to Alta Vista this year! She immediately jumped right into a new teaching position while taking on the responsibility of running Student Council. Cathy demonstrates commitment to our school by always stepping up to help out wherever and whenever someone needs her. Beyond her teaching, she is an incredible role model. She consistently encourages her class to go above and beyond with community service, and she sets a great example by contributing to the community herself. Her genuine connection and empathy for her students makes her an outstanding teacher.

Andrea Spitz- Alta Vista: Andrea stepped up to be my mentor teacher! She has answered all my questions and has been a huge support for me! She is such a valuable member of our school! She is the most amazing human ever! Lamar is lucky to have an amazing teacher like her.

David Baird- Parkview: David has been such a welcome addition to our building. He has been in the district for several years, has received high praise before and we definitely understand why. He is on top of everything that needs fixed or looked at, and he makes sure our school is always looking tip-top. On top of that, the students love seeing and interacting with him around the school. He’s very friendly and an easy-going person to have around. We are thankful for him!

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