A Lasting Contribution: LBUSD Spring Employee Celebration Honors Dedication and Excellence

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LBUSD Spring Employee Celebration Honors Dedication and Excellence

On May 22, 2025, the Long Beach Unified School District community gathered for "A Lasting Contribution," the district’s Spring Employee Celebration, held to honor employees whose unwavering dedication and achievements have made a lasting impact on students, schools, and the broader LBUSD mission. With light refreshments, laughter, and heartfelt recognition, the evening reflected the district’s deep commitment to Excellence and Equity.

The celebration began with a warm welcome from Superintendent Dr. Jill Baker and Board Member Diana Craighead, who reminded the audience that this was a tribute to the collective story of LBUSD’s progress, people, and purpose.

Celebrating Our 2025 Vision Stars
Thirteen extraordinary employees were recognized as 2025 Vision Stars, each embodying a core element of the district’s Vision 2035 Adult Portrait. From empathetic communicators to empowering facilitators of learning, the honorees represented every facet of LBUSD’s values in action:

• Champion for Students: Melissa Espinoza (Mann), Scott Fleming (Burbank), Diana Works (FRC)
• Equity-Focused Change Agent: Ryan Byrne (Renaissance)
• Positive and Resilient Professional: Stacy Markovitz-Troncoso (Hudson), Sabrina Sullen (Robinson)
• Adaptable and Reflective Lifelong Learner: Dylan Thompson (Poly)
• Empathetic Communicator: Elizabeth Dilts (Fremont)
• Empowering Facilitator of Learning: Patrick Gillogly (Poly)
• Creative and Critical Thinker: Craig Foster (Duplicating Services)
• Community-Minded and Collaborative Leader: Marcia Bonilla (Facilities), Astrid Feist (Head Start), Cliff Parks (Secondary Schools)

Honoring the 2024–2025 Teacher of the Year
Dr. Baker also recognized Ky-Phong Paul Tran as the 2024–2025 LBUSD Teacher of the Year, applauding his innovation, inspiration, and the transformative impact he brings to his students.

Celebrating Our Retirees
The district paid tribute to our dedicated retirees whose careers shaped generations of learners. Board members shared thoughtful tributes as each retiree was presented with a resolution certificate. 

Notable Achievement Highlight
Amy Love was honored for receiving the 2025 Impact Award from the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office for her outstanding work on the Restorative Justice Panel Pilot Program—a shining example of LBUSD’s dedication to justice, healing, and student-centered support.

Recognizing New LBUSD Doctors
We acknowledged our most recent doctoral recipient, each of whom came forward to receive an Ed.D. pin in recognition of their academic excellence and leadership. Honorees included:

Honoring Our PASC Cohort 1 Trailblazers
LBUSD also celebrated the district’s first-ever Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC) Program Cohort, recognizing participants who completed the program and are preparing to lead the next chapter of excellence in school administration. Their successful completion marks a milestone for internal leadership development across the district.

As the program concluded, Superintendent Baker returned to the stage with closing remarks that encapsulated the evening: “Thank you for the role you’ve played in who we are and where we are going. Together with our 63,000 students, we are Long Beach Unified.”