Desert Wind honors students, staff members, principal

To celebrate the end of another successful school year at Desert Wind Middle School, an all-school assembly was convened last week to honor various teams and individuals.

Members of the track and field, boys’ baseball and girls’ soccer teams received certificates and most spirited awards,

Chad Barcus, head coach of the 5-1 championship playoff baseball team, offered a tribute to team members. “They never quit all year long; they became a team,” he said.

Assistant coach Lionel Williams added, “These guys were here in the hot sun ready to go to work; they brought home our first championship trophy.”

Choir members, representing the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, sang a song from the musical score of “Grease.”

Every month at Desert Wind, a teacher and a member of the support staff are honored.  For May sixth grade math teacher Melissa Hackett was named teacher of the month; the support staff member of the month was counselor Chris Morene.

Members of the school staff voted to honor the following individuals:

Wanda Lubag (registrar), Support Staff of the Year
Tom Kozal (physical education), Coach of the Year
Brad Chamberlain (simple machines), Rookie of the Year
Beverly Parker (7th grade science), Teacher of the Year
William Lange (7th grade social studies), Eye of the Tiger Award

As the finale of the event, MUSD Superintendent Jeff Kleck and Human Resources Director Tom Beckett came to the stage to help honor Desert Wind Principal Joe Veres with an Excellence in Leadership award from his staff and school secretary Diane Vigil. 

As assistant principal Danielle Record said while introducing Veres, he is “the man of the house.”

Photos by Joyce Hollis

Group photo: (left to right) William Lange, Beverly Parker, Wanda Lubag, Tom Kozal and Brad Chamberlain.