Troy Van Bavel, Jacob Rodriguez Named LVUSD Employees of the Month

Longtime FFA advisor and teacher Troy Van Bavel and new information technology support employee Jacob Rodriguez were named the certificated and classified Employees of the Month, respectively, by the Lucerne Valley Unified School District. Mr. Rodriguez was presented his award by Superintendent Peter Livingston during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the LVUSD’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Van Bavel was unable to attend and will be formally recognized in January. The following was shared on both employees.

 

According to Supt. Livingston, Van Bavel — who has been a district teacher for more than 25 years — possesses a unique gift that inspires students to want to learn. With his own true passion for education and for our FFA program, Mr. Van Bavel captures his students’ imaginations and evokes a sense of excitement inspiring students to question, discover and anticipate the future with an exhilarating sense of potential, the superintendent said. Mr. Van Bavel’s one-of-a-kind style of teaching gives him the ability to uncover students’ hidden talents and passions, and helps them believe they are capable of anything.

 

Already this year, Mr. Van Bavel has accompanied his students to conferences in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C.; he has led FFA students to the High Desert Sectional Leadership Academy, the Greenhands Leadership Conference, to victories at "opening and closing" ceremonies competition at Serrano High School, the Big Bear Leadership conference, and has organized multiple extra-curricular activities and events for our students.

 

Mr. Troy Van Bavel is truly a great teacher who can engage the whole class, leaving no one behind, and keep students motivated with variety, humor, multimedia and fresh approaches, Supt. Livingston said.

Jacob Rodriguez has been outstanding as our IT support at the Elementary School and throughout the entire district, Supt. Livingston said.

 

The word “no” or the statement “not my job” is not in his vocabulary. He is always ready, willing, and able in supporting our entire staff here at the elementary school. He has helped us sift through many things that needed to be changed in our IT arena. Jacob has become the go-to guy.

 

If Jacob does not know the answer to something, he will always take the time and research it. He has not met a challenge he could not master, with regard to IT. Jacob is always friendly and professional when dealing with staff and IT issues. He seemingly never becomes frustrated when many of the same type of issues arise all about the same time.

 

Jacob has been an awesome addition to our staff. Jacob has the unique ability to communicate effectively with all of our stakeholders, with students being at the top of the list. Jacob exemplifies what all employees should strive to be.

 

----------------