FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAGUNA BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONTACT: ANAKAREN CÁRDENAS UREÑO
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT
(949) 497-7700 EXT. 5232 | AURENO@LBUSD.ORG

December 15, 2025

Laguna Beach Unified School District announces 2025 employees of the year

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. – The Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) this week announced its 2025 Employees of the Year, recognizing Randi Beckley, a world language French teacher at Thurston Middle School with 19 years of service, as Teacher of the Year, and Thasa Zuziak, a special education instructional aide at Laguna Beach High School with 12 years of service, as Classified Employee of the Year.

“Randi Beckley represents the very best of what it means to be an educator at Thurston. She creates an engaging, joyful culture in her French classroom, builds transformative intervention programs for students who need extra support, leads teams and schoolwide initiatives with skill and humility, and consistently steps forward to lift our entire community,” said TMS Principal Joe Vidal. “Randi leads with her heart in everything she does, and our school is better because of her. We are incredibly grateful for her talent, compassion, and unwavering commitment to our children. Congratulations to our Teacher of the Year and TMS Instructional Leader, Mrs. Randi Beckley,” he concluded. 

LBUSD surprised its Employees of the Year with announcements at the annual all-staff holiday open house on Wednesday afternoon. In addition to the districtwide honorees, LBUSD also recognized Employees of the Year across several staff job categories. These categories represent the wide range of non-teaching roles that support the district’s schools:

• Leanne Hartley: Clerical and Administrative Services, Data Support Specialist, District Office
• Sal Tamayo: Custodial, Maintenance, Nutrition, and Security Services, Campus Supervisor, Laguna Beach High School
• Krissy Landgraf: Health and Student Services, Activities Account Specialist, Laguna Beach High School

“Mrs. Zuziak is an amazing paraeducator,” said LBHS Principal Jason Allemann, Ed.D. “She is always calm in moments of challenge, patient in times of growth, and consistently kind in every interaction. Her caring, professional presence in the classroom creates a sense of safety and belonging for students, and her unwavering support helps them feel seen, valued, and capable every day,” he concluded.

Winners are selected through peer-driven processes determined by each labor association. For classified employees, honorees are chosen through a districtwide nomination and voting process open to all classified staff. For certificated employees, the award rotates among school sites annually, with each site conducting an open nomination process to select the staff member who receives the most votes from their peers. Both honorees will advance to the Orange County Department of Education’s countywide competition.

Employees of the year will be celebrated as part of a broader recognition ceremony at the school board meeting on January 22 at 6 p.m. Held at regularly scheduled meetings of the board of education, the student and staff recognition nights bring the school community together to recognize student participants in arts and athletic programs, employees of the year, and staff members nominated by their peers for contributions to school culture and academic programs. 

All Orange County school districts are invited to submit nominations for the program, based on guidelines and timelines established by the California Department of Education.

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