IUSD announced its five 2026 Classified Employees of the Year: Diana Dru, Katherine Lee, Regina Lee, Katrina Longpre and Albert Madrid.
Classified employees include custodians, para-educators, media technicians, food services staff members, analysts, secretaries, bus drivers, maintenance technicians, clerks, and other non-certificated staff members. Most are represented by the California School Employees Association (CSEA). This year’s five employees were selected from more than 2,000 classified employees Districtwide.
A team from the District, including Board Members Lauren Brooks, Jeff Kim Katie McEwen and Connie Stone, Superintendent Cassie Parham, District staff, and CSEA President Gus Talamantes, traveled to each site to surprise this year’s honorees in front of their families, colleagues, and students.
Diana Dru, Analyst – Information Technology
Diana Dru exemplifies IUSD’s core values of integrity, empowerment and collaboration. She is always kind and compassionate to colleagues, providing a safe space for her fellow teammates. She consistently produces high-quality work with her signature detail-oriented precision. Diana's work with AERIES is at the core of supporting student success. She always performs with humor and a smile. Beyond her IT responsibilities, she serves as a Well-Being Coordinator, and this dual commitment to both staff and students makes her truly deserving of this recognition.
Katherine Lee, Office Assistant – Maintenance and Operations
Katherine Lee demonstrates an exceptional work ethic, maintaining high standards of accountability for herself and her colleagues to ensure consistent excellence. She works diligently behind the scenes to manage textbook distribution for all students and staff. By collaborating with site libraries, the District Office and M&O teams, she has developed streamlined workflows for the efficient delivery of curriculum materials. During the busy summer months, Katherine oversees the temporary warehouse staff to handle peak delivery demands. Her dedication extends further as she attends book repair workshops and presents at media technician meetings to share insights on warehouse processes and software.
Regina Lee, English Learners Instructional Assistant – Solis Park School
Regina Lee is an outstanding English Language Instructional Assistant who knows that “one size fits all” doesn’t work in language learning. She can take a complex grade-level lesson and instantly break it down into manageable chunks using visuals, gestures or simplified syntax without watering down the rigor. She builds trust with students who might otherwise feel disconnected from school. She can precisely target individual student needs, ranging from phonics to academic vocabulary, whether instructing students in an individualized session or within the regular classroom. But what truly sets Regina apart is her relational capacity. Regina’s calm, steady presence provides the emotional safety net students need when they feel overwhelmed. She is a reliable face in a world that can feel confusing to an English Learner. She is a catalyst for belonging, ensuring language barriers are not a barrier to success. The growth shown by Solis Park’s English Learners Program is largely credited to Ms. Lee’s attention, care, love and support she provides.
Katrina Longpre, Behavioral Interventionist – Jeffrey Trail Middle School
Kat has quickly become an essential and invaluable member of the special education team at Jeffrey Trail. Her dedication is rooted in her love for the students she serves and her commitment to their success, which is often shown by bringing in supplies tailored to their specific interests. She is constantly on the move, supporting students, devising innovative strategies, assisting during campus incidents, volunteering for bus rides and after-school activities like dances to ensure all her students are included and feel supported. Kat is a stellar role model who promotes growth in her department by both encouraging colleagues and coaching them. She proactively creates and demonstrates specialized resources for her team. She handles her role, which involves working with students facing the highest individualized needs, with an outstanding attitude. She is truly student-centered, never complains, and is a fierce advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves.
Albert Madrid, Lead Custodian – Venado Middle School
Through the last 25 years of modernization and campus changes, one thing that has remained constant at Venado is Albert’s commitment to excellence. Whether he is ensuring projects are completed, acting as an insightful liaison between departments and contractors, or guaranteeing that our classrooms remain safe and comfortable for optimal learning, Albert handles it with grace. If you were to ask colleagues across the district what makes Venado great, the answer would be unanimous: ALBERT! He is known for his welcoming spirit, but his true legacy goes even deeper. Albert is the heart of the school. Having encountered thousands of students over the years, he leaves a lasting impression on everyone he meets. He has seen former students return as parents, and they remember him vividly–not just for his hard work, but for his approachable demeanor, humor and his tireless willingness to lend a hand.
Join us in congratulating our 2026 Classified Employees of the Year!