Oceanside, CA – March 12, 2025 – It is with great excitement that the Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD) announces the remarkable team members selected as Employee of the Year and Teacher of the Year for the 2025-26 school year. These outstanding individuals have demonstrated exemplary dedication and service to education, embodying the values of excellence, compassion, and innovation.
Classified Employee of the Year Winners
Lisa Lopez
School Community Advisor
Chávez Middle School
Lisa Lopez has worked in OUSD as a School Community Advisor for more than 9 years. She is a trusted resource families have turned to for years, especially families that have previously felt marginalized or left out of active school participation. In addition to making meaningful connections with families she has taken action to help improve student achievement. In 2023-2024, Chávez’s reclassification rate for Multilingual Learners reached a record high of 47.89%. Ms. Lopez worked with the ELD teacher and spent time conferencing with individual students and families, planning next steps, inspiring confidence, and building their agency as they worked toward reclassification. Lisa maintains a positive, unflappable, professional demeanor at all times. She has a high degree of integrity, is profoundly solution oriented, and her work stands out as someone who lives out equity leadership.
Jennifer Liggan
Paraprofessional I
Pablo Tac School of the Arts
Jennifer Liggan has dedicated 15 years of service to the Oceanside Unified School District as a Paraprofessional I. Throughout her tenure, she has provided both academic and emotional support to students, fostering a safe and welcoming environment. Many students seek her out when facing social or personal challenges, as she consistently demonstrates a compassionate and approachable demeanor. While Ms. Liggan’s primary role is to support students with disabilities, her commitment extends to assisting any student in need. She treats all students equitably, ensuring each child receives the care and guidance they deserve. Her support goes beyond the classroom, as she continually finds ways to enhance students’ well-being and educational experiences. Her generosity is evident in the countless ways she contributes to the school community. She has donated clothing, shoes, school supplies, rewards, birthday gifts, snacks, and, most importantly, her time.
Teacher of the Year Winners
Sally Cohenour-Kerl
Physical Education Teacher
North Terrace
Sally Cohenour-Kerl is the dedicated and innovative PE teacher for North Terrace’s 4th-8th grade students. In just three years, she has completely transformed the school’s PE program, creating a well-rounded, engaging curriculum that meets the needs of all of our students. Her approach goes beyond physical fitness. She emphasizes social-emotional learning, academic connections, and overall student well-being. Ms. Cohenour’s impact extends far beyond her classroom. She motivates the staff, engages with families, and strengthens the entire school community. She also works to unify the school with the Trekking Tigers running program. She encourages students, staff, and parents to participate. Ms. Cohenour serves as DEI Team Leader, provides leadership on the PBIS Committee and presents to staff and tripled student participation in cross country and coached the team to its first-ever championship win!
Liliana Garcia
3rd Grade Two Way Bilingual Immersion Teacher
Pablo Tac School of the Arts
Since joining Pablo Tac School of the Arts in 2021, Liliana Garcia has exhibited exemplary teaching practices that have resulted in significant academic achievement for her students in both English and Spanish. Her 3rd-grade TWBI class consists of a linguistically diverse student population, with one-third dominant in English, one-third dominant in Spanish, and one-third bilingual. Ms. Garcia skillfully implements an 80/20 instructional model, where 80% of instruction is conducted in Spanish and 20% in English, ensuring balanced and effective bilingual education. Ms. Garcia’s students consistently demonstrate high academic performance. According to the most recent i-Ready assessments, 44% of her students are performing at or above grade level in English reading, with an impressive 85% progress toward annual typical growth by December 2024 significantly surpassing the expected 50% growth benchmark.
