Pictured left to right: Superintendent Kim Casey; Director Elisa Riley; PHS Teacher Christopher Aiken; KRV Teacher Millea DeAngelo; PHE Teacher Sydney Charvet; PHE Teacher Kaylee Haberman; HMS Teacher Gilberto Muñoz; PHS/HMS Teacher Dan Norris; WHIT Teacher Ruth Zieske; Vice President Michelle O’Brien; and Assistant Superintendent Deanna Flores.

Back row, left to right: Director Brian Weinmann; Director Frank Vermulm; and Director of Grants, Assessment, and Elementary Programs Kevin Gilman.

The Crystal Apple Award recognizes teachers who go above and beyond in their dedication to students and the profession of teaching. This year, we were honored to receive eight outstanding nominees, each of whom exemplifies excellence in education.

With such an exceptional group of educators, the decision was not an easy one. The Crystal Apple Award Committee met on Friday, January 9, and after thoughtful discussion, selected this year’s recipient.

We are proud to announce Sydney Charvet, teacher at Prosser Heights Elementary School, as the 2026 Crystal Apple Award winner, announced at our January 14 Regular Board Meeting.

Congratulations to all of our nominees, and thank you for the passion, dedication, and care you bring to your classrooms and school community every day.

"In the classroom she consistently goes above and beyond to create a welcoming, engaging, and supportive learning environment where every child feels valued and capable of success." "As a parent, I appreciated her clear communication, responsiveness, and commitment to partnering with families to support student success." "In her short time here, she has already made an extraordinary impact on students, colleagues, and the school community.  Sydney exemplifies the highest standards of teaching and educational leadership, demonstrating unwavering commitment to her students, colleagues, and the broader school community."

- PSD Parents and Staff Member

"Her enthusiasm—for teaching, for collaboration, and for continuous improvement—is contagious, and it sets a positive tone for our staff."

"Lorelle is respected and trusted by her peers. She leads through service and connection, offering advice, problem-solving support, or simply listening to help others succeed."

- PSD Administrator

"Prior to Mr. Aiken, our son had lost his enthusiasm for math. Mr. Aiken reignited his passion and built his confidence as a student and a person."
"No matter who you are, he is always understanding and willing to help. He always goes the extra mile… because he wants to see his students succeed."

- PSD Parent and Students

"Millea is an extraordinary educator whose compassion, patience, and dedication make her not only an exceptional teacher, but also a source of comfort, stability, and inspiration for every student who walks into her classroom."  
"She creates an environment where every child feels seen, heard, and valued. Her patience is unwavering, and she approaches each student with the understanding that learning is not only academic—it is emotional, social, and deeply personal."

- PSD Parent 

"Kaylee possesses a rare blend of instructional expertise, compassionate leadership, and a relentless belief in the potential of every child. She creates a learning environment where students feel safe to take risks, challenge themselves, and genuinely grow. Her impact on students, colleagues, and the broader school community is profound and unmistakable."

- PSD Staff Member

"Mr. Munoz is creative and patient with his students and puts their interests first. Since my son was entering middle school with a disability, he reassured me that he would keep an eye out for him, which gave us confidence to start school."

- PSD Parent

"It was clear that Mr. Norris is welcoming, organized, and deeply invested in his students."
"He puts in many extra hours to ensure students succeed and feel connected."
"I think one school would be challenging enough, but working between two different schools with two very different age groups takes dedication."

- PSD Parents

"She is creative, flexible, and always willing to think in new ways to support student success."
"Mrs. Zieske's classroom is more than just a place of learning it is a safe haven where every child feels seen, valued, and celebrated." 
"She is collaborative with parents, other team members, and students in ensuring that students' academic, social emotional and basic needs are met to achieve success within the classroom." 

- PSD Staff Members

January offers us a fresh start and an opportunity to reset our focus as we begin the second half of the school year. While winter can feel long, this is also a powerful time for growth, reflection, and renewed determination. I continue to be inspired by the dedication of our staff, the resilience of our students, and the strong partnership we share with our families. Together, we have already accomplished so much, and there is still great work ahead. Let’s move forward with confidence, support one another, and stay focused on our shared goal of helping every student succeed. Thank you for your continued commitment to Prosser Schools—your efforts truly make a difference every day.

We are excited to share that our district has recently received grant funding that will help us strengthen our Farm to School efforts. These funds allow us to bring more Washington-grown foods, local produce, and local meats into our school meal program. As part of this work, our Food Services Department is exploring replacing a few ultra-processed menu items with scratch-made meals using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Our goal is to offer nutritious options that students genuinely enjoy while supporting our local farmers and strengthening healthy eating habits.

We would love to gather kid-friendly, scratch-made recipe ideas from our school community. If your family has a favorite simple, wholesome recipe that could be adapted for school-meal service, we invite you to share it with us!

Please send recipes or suggestions to:  darlene.morrow@prosserschools.org

"I am nominating our PHS counselor, Jennie Colgan. One of her notable practices is her
Counselor Conversations. She meets with each and every student on her roster during
short check-in meetings at different times of the year. This communicates such value to
each student!"

- Nominated by Michelle Hall

"Every since she began at Prosser two years ago, Tricia has been a positive, informative school psychologist at HMS, preschool and KRV schools. She is a very detailed, legal school psychologist with years of experience and expertise that she brings to our district." 

- Nominated by Cameron Holt

Would you like to nominate a Prosser School District staff member for our Staff in the Spotlight?
Please send an email to Selena Swearingen at selena.swearingen@prosserschools.org with the staff member’s name and a brief reason for the nomination.

Prosser School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boys Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

 Section 504/ADA Coordinator:
Dr. Jennifer Allen, 1203 Prosser Ave. Prosser, WA 99350 509-786-1820 jennifer.allen@prosserschools.org
Title IX Coordinator and HIB Coordinator for State Law:
Kim Casey 1203 Prosser Ave. Prosser, WA 99350 509-786-3323 kimberly.casey@prosserschools.org
Civil Rights Coordinator for State Law:
Deanna Flores 1203 Prosser Ave. Prosser, WA 99350 509-786-3323 deanna.flores@prosserschools.org