Liberty Middle School principal, LHS library tech are finalists in Kings Excellence in Education slated for April 2 in Hanford

Lemoore Liberty Middle School Principal Ben Luis, Lemoore High School Library Technician Catherine Zaharris, and Jose Antuna, a maintenance custodian at the Kings County Office of Education Service Center in Lemoore have all made the final cut.

Luis, 43, is a Lemoore High School graduate and attended West Hills College and Fresno Pacific University where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He earned his teaching credential from Chapman University and a master’s degree from National University.

Luis taught fifth grade for seven years before getting a job as an assistant principal. He’s currently in his 10th year as Liberty Middle School’s principal. “I got into education because I was coaching and it was a natural progression into teaching,” said Luis.

Of his possible selection as Kings County Administrator of the Year: “I think it’s a really nice honor for our school,” he said. It’s a great opportunity for our school.”

Under his watch, Liberty Middle School was recently named a State and National School to Watch. The school has an enrollment of about 630 students and employs 35 teachers.

Lemoore High School Library Technician Catherine Zaharris

Kings County Education Learning Coordinator LaVonne Chastain is also vying for Administrator of the Year, while Zaharris, a 24-year employee with Lemoore High School joins Atuna and Rosa Mendez, a secretary with the Pioneer Middle School Union Elementary School District in the Employee of the Year category.

Both Zaharris and Lemoore High School Leadership Teacher Anne Strong were both nominated from within the high school district with Zaharris making the finals in the Employee of the Year category. Locally, Theresa Soto, a Cinnamon Elementary School Teacher was also nominated. Lemoore Middle School also had an employee of the year nominee in Anna Covarrubias, a special education paraprofessional.

The finalists for Teacher of the Year include Pioneer Middle School’s Sheryl McCarty, a math instructor and Corcoran High School’s Isaias Ramirez, a physical education teacher.

Excellence in Education Awards

Administrator/Manager of the Year

• LaVonne Chastain, Education Learning Coordinator - Kings County Office of Education
• Edwin Larkin, Learning Director - Corcoran High School, Corcoran Unified School District
• Ben Luis, Principal - Liberty Middle School, Lemoore Union Elementary School District
• Richard Rose, MOT Director - Pioneer Union Elementary School District

Teacher of the Year

• Sheryl McCarty, Math Teacher - Pioneer Middle School, Pioneer Union Elementary School District
• Isaias Ramirez, Physical Education Teacher - Corcoran High School, Corcoran Unified School District
• Theresa Soto, First Grade Teacher - Cinnamon Elementary School, Lemoore Union Elementary School District
• Anne Strong, Leadership Teacher - Lemoore High School, Lemoore Union High School District

Employee of the Year

• Jose Antuna, Maintenance Custodian - Lemoore Service Center, Kings County Office of Education
• Esmeralda Barajas, Registrar - Corcoran High School, Corcoran Unified School District
• Anna Covarrubias, Special Education Paraprofessional - Liberty Middle School, Lemoore Union Elementary School District
• Rosemarie Lopes-Horn, Alt. Education Administrative Assistant, Hanford Adult School
• Rosa Mendez, Secretary - Pioneer Middle School, Pioneer Union Elementary School District
• Catherine Zaharris, Library Technician - Lemoore Hgh School, Lemoore Union High School District

*Finalists are in bold