![Vancouver Public Schools' Hilda Lail has been recognized as the 2023 Washington State Classified School Employee of the Year.](https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Large_Clark-County-Today-Vancouver-Public-Schools-Hilda-Lail-wins-state-‘Classified-School-Employee-of-the-Year-Award.jpg)
Hilda Lail was presented with the award on Sept. 30 by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal at the 2023 Educator Awards Ceremony in Olympia
Vancouver Public Schools’ Hilda Lail has been recognized as the 2023 Washington State Classified School Employee of the Year. Lail was presented with the award on Sept. 30 by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal at the 2023 Educator Awards Ceremony in Olympia.
“It’s beautiful to see how Hilda builds community,” said Jeff Snell, superintendent of Vancouver Publish Schools. “Her impact is felt through student enrichment and increased family confidence in our district as a trusted partner in the development of their children.”
With more than 10 years working in various roles at Vancouver Public Schools (VPS), Lail has worked as a paraeducator, Family Community Resource Coordinator, and for the past few years, has served as the District Spanish Family Advocate. Her contributions led to Lail being recognized by the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction as Classified School Employee of the Year.
“This award is a great honor to me. It’s not just a recognition of my work and dedication, but a testament to the incredible team and support that have been with me throughout this journey,” stated Lail, who continued, “This is also a reminder that perseverance and passion can lead to extraordinary achievements. I am deeply honored and motivated to continue making a positive impact in my field.”
Lail also manages VPS en Español, a YouTube program that features important information for families in Spanish, and the VPS Family Advisory Group, one of five advisory structures at VPS. The family advisory is composed of a group of 25-30 people that represent and reflect the broader district demographics, ensuring a more equitable and diverse representation in strategic planning work, sharing feedback, and helping to review and prioritize input received from the community.
In addition to coordinating these groups and programs, Lail also coordinates programming that enhances access for multilingual families with numerous community partners and agencies.
During the nomination process for the award, Lail’s colleague shared that, “Hilda is a fierce family advocate with tremendous compassion and kindness. … Hilda embodies the values that exemplify inclusivity and diversity which make her an excellent representative of Vancouver Public Schools, our region, and the state of Washington.”
As part of her tenure, Lail will move forward to compete for the national Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) award, administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Winners will be announced in Spring 2024.
To learn more about the Classified School Employee of the Year award, visit OSPI’s website.
For additional details or to request an interview, please contact Jessica Roberts, VPS Executive Director of Communications, at jessica.roberts@vansd.org.
Information provided by Vancouver Public Schools.
Also read:
- Opinion: OIC tells consumers not to pay for ‘insurance’ you won’t likely benefit from: Does that include WA Cares?Elizabeth New (Hovde) of the Washington Policy Center believes you should consider yourself warned by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner about WA Cares and its maybe-only benefit.
- Opinion: Same road, different speed limit?Target Zero Manager Doug Dahl addresses a question about speed limit signs going into and leaving town.
- Progress being made at GRO Parade of Homes siteThe 2024 GRO Parade of Homes, presented by the Building Industry Association of Clark County, is a little more than a month away, and builders are busy completing the luxury homes before the big event, scheduled for Sept. 6 through 22 in Felida.
- Has trust in the media tanked over coverage of President Biden’s decline?After President Joe Biden’s calamitous debate performance against former President Donald Trump, and days after Biden’s decision Sunday not to seek reelection, there are still many questions about how the news media covered Biden’s mental and physical decline.
- Opinion: Hiding the growing cost of the Interstate Bridge replacementJoe Cortright of the City Observatory addresses the rising cost of the Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project.
- Letter: ‘This election I am NOT voting for Greg Cheney’Clark County resident Wynn Grcich shares her thoughts on Rep. Greg Cheney and the issue of fluoridation in area drinking water.
- Major gas line leak closes major arterial in Clark CountyFirefighters from Clark County Fire District 6 responded Thursday (July 25) afternoon to the scene of a major natural gas leak on NE 99th Street, directly in front of Columbia River High School.