SAUSD Board of Education Recognizes Employees of the Month for February 2023

The SAUSD Board of Education on Feb. 28, 2023 honored the District’s Employees of the Month for February 2023. 

Maria Hollingsworth is the Certificated Employee of the Month, while Lisa Lievanos is the Classified Employee of the Month.

Congratulations to both! Read more about them here. 

Maria I. Hollingsworth

Maria I. Hollingsworth is a teacher at Madison Elementary. Here’s how she’s described by Principal Sara Shorey: 

“We are honored to have Ms. Maria at Madison Elementary. 

Mrs. Hollingsworth has worked in Santa Ana as a Kindergarten teacher for over 25 years and has had a huge drive and passion for teaching since the day she began.  She has a true commitment to our students and looks at the whole child when designing lessons. She provides a beautiful classroom environment in which student learning is evident by the work displayed on the walls. 

She differentiates each lesson carefully and ensures that her students are engaged and excited about coming to school. She can be seen working on weekends or late into the night making sure her lessons and hands-on activities are ready.  

Mrs. Hollingsworth has been committed to her student’s success and has made it her life commitment to help all students grow not just academically but socio-emotionally. She was one of the first teachers to implement a curriculum to help transform schools into supportive, successful learning environments uniquely equipped to help children thrive. 

She utilizes innovative, 21st Century strategies and she herself is motivated to continue to grow professionally as a lifelong learner. It is an honor and pleasure to work alongside Mrs. Hollingsworth and we are so thankful for her dedication!

Lisa Lievanos

Lisa Lievanos is an activity monitor at Jefferson Elementary. Here’s how she’s described by Principal Maricela Roque: 

“I have the honor and pleasure to introduce to you Mrs. Lisa Lievanos. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” 

Mrs. Lievanos recognizes the importance of her job and is more than 100% committed to striving for excellence.  She goes above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference in the lives of the students, staff, and parents of SAUSD.

Activity Monitors ensure the safety of our students, build trusting relationships and help create a positive school environment.  She provides excellent customer service to our parents, teachers and students. Everyone describes Mrs. Lievanos as productive, efficient, and dedicated. I describe her as flexible, versatile, and solutions-oriented.

However, what sets Mrs. Lievanos apart is her ability to do all of the above and more.  She volunteers her time to be a member of the whole school community. She makes a positive contribution to the school Safety Committee and PBIS Team.

Mrs. Lievanos thrives on working behind the scenes and will be a bit self-conscious about being recognized at this meeting tonight. But we at Jefferson want her, and her family, to know how grateful we are to her for her service to our school community. She is a valued member of the Jefferson team who is trusted by staff, students, and parents to always make the best decision on behalf of students.

We are proud to have Lisa Lievanos at Jefferson and know that she deserves to be celebrated.”