The Certificated Employee of the Month is Martin De Santiago, Outreach Consultant at Carr Intermediate School. The Classified Employee of the Month is Cristian Hernandez, District Safety Officer at Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School. Congratulations to both!
Martin De Santiago, Outreach Consultant, Carr Intermediate School
Martin De Santiago has proudly served the Santa Ana Unified School District and Carr Intermediate since July 2001. During his time, he has been the definition of a dedicated and dependable hard worker who lends his support in whatever capacity he can. He comes to work with a positive attitude and never loses sight of his commitment to serving our community regardless of the obstacles we encounter. He is an inspiration to our students and his story growing up Latino, resonates with so many of us. He is an example of where hard work and dedication can get you to despite the hardships and struggles that you may encounter. He has pursued higher education which enables him to assist with administrative tasks as well. From supervising our blacktop so students have a space available to be active at lunch, to holding detention, covering for teachers, and serving as admin designee in IEP meetings, this individual does it all.
Through his service and work, he has exemplified initiative and extra effort! He serves as a vital part of our MTSS implementation, and he plays a part at every tier. He serves as a consistent member of our PBIS committee and assists with our student of the month recognition. His efforts continue into our Tier 2 COST Team. He serves as our attendance interventionist who consistently runs data to reward positive growth in students, bring attention to negative trends, and when needed conduct home visits. He helps to run our WIN Saturday program by informing students and families. He ensures that we have teachers signed up and that our facilities are secure. He volunteers to serve as a CICO mentor and often goes above and beyond to support his mentee. He holds SART/SARB meetings at the Tier 2 and 3 levels. He helps to organize our SST meetings by gathering preliminary data and ensuring that we have a variety of people attending and participating in the meetings. We could not run our MTSS implementation (or our school to be honest) without the help and support of this individual.
In addition, he assists with providing services to our McKinney Vento-identified students and families, ensuring that they have access to fulfilling their basic needs and beyond. He helps to organize our Christmas SOS gift distribution by screening students and families. Beyond screening the families, he assists with the distribution of the gifts and recruits’ staff to assist in this wonderful opportunity. He even helps to recruit students to present the Most Inspirational Teacher at our Staff Meetings as well as brewing coffee for staff-wide events. He truly keeps our school running and is well-caffeinated!
Mr. De Santiago is dependable, dedicated, and a valuable institution at our campus. We can always count on his support for whatever the school needs. He always lends his support with a positive attitude because he understands that the needs of our students and families come first. The Carr School Staff, Students, and Parents could not be more grateful for “Mr. D” and are extremely appreciative to have him be honored as the Certificate Employee of the Month for all that he does.
Cristian Hernandez, District Safety Officer, Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School
I am honored today to recognize, Mr. Cristian Hernandez, our District Safety Officer, Mr. Hernandez consistently demonstrates an exceptional commitment to the Mendez Fundamental community, going above and beyond to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone. His proactive approach is evident in the way he takes the initiative and ensures that all staff members are well-prepared to handle potential safety challenges.
Cristian is absolutely a reliable and humble human being. He is always available when needed, often stepping up without being asked and never seeking recognition for his efforts. His helpfulness and calm presence provide reassurance to both staff and students in every situation. As a role model, Cristian demonstrates integrity, kindness, and professionalism every day. His commitment to the safety and well-being of our school community makes him an invaluable asset to our school. We are fortunate to have someone of his caliber in our school district.
Lastly, Cristian frequently makes himself available for extra responsibilities, such as after-school activities, and is diligent in attending safety training sessions and staying up to date with safety protocols. He collaborates effectively with school and district staff to address imminent concerns and implement preventative safety measures. His dedication, positive attitude, and the respect he shows to everyone around him make him a true asset to our school and community.
