Altar Valley All-Stars

We value each of our students and staff in the Altar Valley School District. These All-Stars, who work tirelessly to benefit our AVSD community, deserve our praise and gratitude.

Robles Elementary All-Star Student of the Month

Emiliana Coronado  – Pre-Kindergarten

Emiliana Coronado has shown tremendous growth this year in Pre-K and is truly deserving of being recognized as Student of the Month. She has blossomed both academically and socially, demonstrating that she is more than ready for kindergarten. Emiliana is kind, smart, and always eager to learn. She approaches each day with a positive attitude and a willingness to try her best. Her caring nature shines through in the way she treats her classmates and teachers with respect and kindness. Emiliana’s growth, confidence, and dedication have made her a wonderful role model in the classroom, and we are so proud of all she has accomplished this year.

Robles Elementary All-Star Employee of the Month

Martha Verdugo

II am proud to recognize Martha Verdugo as our Staff of the Month! As our 2nd-grade math teacher, Martha has made an incredible impact on both our students and staff. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to student success, which is clearly reflected in her outstanding achievement results in both student growth and proficiency.

Martha brings a positive attitude to our campus each day and approaches her work with enthusiasm and dedication. Martha consistently shares creative and effective ideas to strengthen instruction in math, science, and social studies. Her passion for teaching, collaborative spirit, and unwavering focus on student learning make her a valuable asset to our school community. Congratulations, Martha, on this well-deserved recognition!

Altar Valley Middle School All-Star Student of the Month

Caleb Nunn

We are excited to recognize Caleb Nunn, one of our outstanding 7th-grade students, as this month’s All-Star! This student is a dedicated member of the student council and was recently inducted into NJHS—an honor that reflects both strong academics and character. He consistently goes above and beyond, always among the first to volunteer at events like Family Fun Night and other school activities.

In addition to his service, he represents our school with confidence and pride. Most recently, he presented to the governing board as part of our 7th-grade presentation, showcasing the excellence and leadership we value at AVMS.

We are proud to celebrate a student who leads by example and makes a positive impact on our school community every day. Keep soaring!

Altar Valley Middle School All-Star Employee of the Month

Chona Gambong

We are proud to recognize Mrs. Chona Gambong as our All-Star of the Month! In addition to her role as an outstanding PE teacher, Mrs. Gambong serves as the AVMS Athletic Director—and this year, her leadership has truly stood out.

After our league unexpectedly dissolved just before the school year began, many of our athletic programs faced uncertainty. Thanks to Mrs. Gambong’s determination, organization, and commitment to our students, she worked tirelessly to schedule games, secure officials, and keep our sports seasons alive.

Her efforts ensured that our student-athletes still had the opportunity to compete, grow, and represent our school with pride. While she is being recognized this month, her impact has been felt all year long. Thank you, Mrs. Gambong, for your dedication, resilience, and unwavering support of our students. You are truly an All-Star!

Altar Valley School District Retirees

Ms. Audrey

We are proud to celebrate Ms. Audrey and her incredible 19 years of dedicated service with Altar Valley. Throughout her time, she has made a lasting impact on countless students, always greeting them with a warm smile and a caring heart.

Ms. Audrey began her journey as a preschool paraprofessional, where she supported our youngest learners with patience and kindness. She also played an important role in supporting students with exceptional needs, ensuring that every child felt valued, safe, and supported. Most recently, she has served as the health clerk at Robles, where she has cared for students daily—whether tending to injuries, comforting those who were sick, or simply offering reassurance when it was needed most. 

Her compassion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to students have made her a truly special part of our school community. Ms. Audrey has been someone our students could count on, and her presence will be deeply missed. 

We thank her for her many years of hard work and service, and we celebrate her as she begins this exciting new chapter in her life. Congratulations on your retirement, Ms. Audrey—you have truly made a difference!

Ms. Mattias

It is with gratitude that we recognize the amazing 36-year career of Mrs. Wendy Mattias. Before landing in Altar Valley, Mrs. Mattias spent the first three years of her teaching career at St. Stephen’s Indian School on the Arapaho Reservation in Wyoming, which is her home state. From there, she went to Indian Oasis School in Sells, where she taught for 9 years. In 2002, Mrs. Mattias came to Altar Valley and never left. Over the course of her 36 years in the classroom, she taught everything from 4th to 8th grade. Although she enjoyed all of the grade levels she worked with, her heart lies with middle school students, or “the older, sassy ones” as she calls them.

Although Mrs. Mattias taught all subject areas throughout her career, social studies has always held a special place in her heart. This passion comes as no surprise, as her father is a retired history teacher, making it only natural that she would follow in his footsteps. During the final three years of her career, Mrs. Mattias taught 6th through 8th-grade social studies and truly cherished the opportunity to focus on the content area she loves the most.

Over the years, Mrs. Mattias sponsored the student council and served as the advisor for the National Junior Honor Society. She came early, stayed late, and made an impact on hundreds of students. She is loved and respected by her colleagues, and we will all miss her big personality and her even bigger heart. Mrs. Mattias, thank you for your dedication and service to AVSD. You have inspired those around you and truly changed lives for the better.