Ridgefield School District Celebrates January 2026 Students And Employees Of The Month (Photo) - 01/14/26
On January 13, Ridgefield School District officials recognized the January 2026 Employees and Students of the Month at the regular Board of Directors meeting. Congratulations to all of this month’s honorees!
Felicity Stone, Pre-K at the Early Learning Center
Felicity shows exceptional gratitude, kindness, and compassion each and every day. She communicates beautifully through her expressive gestures, warm presence, and thoughtful actions. She shows appreciation in her own special way, and her gentle kindness shines through in everything she does. Felicity is a ball of sunshine who lights up the room with her bright smile. She brings joy to her classmates, offers comfort without needing words, and shows compassion in ways that make everyone around her feel seen and cared for.
Grayson Munoz, 1st Grade at Union Ridge Elementary School
Grayson consistently goes above and beyond to lend a helping hand to both adults and his peers. His kindness, positive attitude, and natural leadership make him a dependable and valued member of the classroom community. He brings a sense of joy and warmth to our school each day and truly is a light to those around him. In addition to his strong character, Grayson is always striving to grow in his education. He approaches learning with curiosity and determination, eagerly taking on new challenges and showing perseverance when tasks become difficult. Grayson takes pride in improving his skills and is always willing to put in extra effort to better himself academically. Grayson’s dedication, growth mindset, and caring spirit make him a wonderful example for others.
McKinlee Robinson, 1st Grade at South Ridge Elementary School
McKinlee (Mac) brings a wonderful sense of kindness and care to our classroom each day. She is thoughtful and aware of the world around her, often going out of her way to help the community by picking up trash that isn’t hers simply because she knows it’s the right thing to do. Mac is also quick to offer help to others, whether a classmate needs support or an extra hand. One of Mac’s greatest strengths is how genuinely happy she is for others. She celebrates her classmates’ accomplishments with enthusiasm and joy, helping create a classroom environment where everyone feels valued and encouraged. She consistently looks for ways to lift others up and make sure they feel supported. Mac’s positive energy is evident in everything she does. Her optimism and kindness have a ripple effect, brightening the classroom and influencing those around her in meaningful ways. She is a caring, considerate student who models empathy and compassion, and her presence makes our learning community a better place.
Ethan Makohon, 5th Grade at Sunset Ridge Intermediate School
Ethan truly shines as a Responsible, Respectful, and Resilient leader in our school. Every day, Ethan is incredibly Responsible—he can be counted on to follow directions, and works hard to do his personal best in every single subject. His sweet, empathetic nature makes him wonderfully Respectful to staff and classmates alike. He is always looking for ways to be a helpful class community member and is a bright role model for all of us. In fact, we recently saw his leadership skills bloom when he gently and respectfully brought his group members back on task during a big project, making sure everyone felt heard but stayed focused on the goal. Finally, while he is an extremely capable student, he shows fantastic resilience by learning to trust himself and confidently embrace new challenges.
Taylor Page, 8th Grade at View Ridge Middle School
Taylor brings a smile to STEM class every single day, listens attentively, and consistently applies herself to every task. Taylor can always be counted on to give her best effort, whether she is working independently or collaborating with classmates, even in challenging group situations. She demonstrates patience, respect, and strong teamwork skills, showing that she can lead as well as support others effectively. Beyond STEM, Taylor has pushed herself outside of her comfort zone in Drama this year. Her motivation to be successful often helps her overcome obstacles and creatively problem solve. In ELA, Taylor is a model student, continuously seeking ways to stretch her abilities and improve her skills. Her writing is a joy to read and reflects her unique voice and creativity. Taylor is incredibly hardworking and driven. Her consistent effort, positivity, and grit make her a role model for her peers and a valued member of our school community.
Grace Lee, 12th Grade at Wisdom Ridge Academy
It has been our distinct privilege and absolute pleasure to work with Grace Lee during the several years at Wisdom Ridge. Grace's journey here has been characterized by exceptional resilience. She has faced formidable personal challenges, yet her response has been one of consistent growth, commitment, and an unwavering determination to move forward and prove what she can accomplish. That monumental effort to build a better future for herself has not gone unnoticed. This academic year, Grace has demonstrated a powerful and visible commitment to her goals. Her attendance has significantly improved, her focus on her studies has sharpened, and her dedication to both her personal growth and her education is unequivocally clear. We understand that this year has been particularly demanding, yet Grace has successfully managed two programs simultaneously: the Transition Program and the challenging coursework required for her graduation from Ridgefield School District. To manage this workload while navigating personal struggles is nothing short of impressive. She has risen above these obstacles and, through her exceptional follow-through, has proven herself to be an incredibly capable and determined young woman. We are incredibly proud of her tenacity. Grace’s story is a profound reminder that progress is not always immediate, but with consistency, perseverance, and heart, it undeniably happens. She proves this powerful truth every single day. Thank you, Grace, for the positive and inspiring strides you have made and for being such an integral part of our school community.
Colin Hutton, 12th Grade at Ridgefield High School
Colin values the strong sense of community at RHS and the time he spends connecting with friends. Influenced by teachers and coaches like Mr. Brink and Mr. Rinard, Colin has learned the importance of being pushed to grow—both individually and as part of a team. Colin is widely known across campus for his creativity, resilience, adaptability and exceptional work ethic. Teachers consistently describe him as proactive and dependable, whether he is supporting students in the library before the school day even begins or tackling complex challenges in physics, robotics, and engineering-focused coursework. His leadership on the Robotics team stands out, particularly in his role developing CAD training for younger students and serving as a bridge between professional mentors and new learners. Colin doesn’t just participate—he improves systems, anticipates needs, and finds creative solutions that make a real difference. With a positive attitude, strong problem-solving skills, and a “can-do” mindset, Colin brings joy and reliability to every space he enters. He works equally well independently or as part of a team, never making excuses and always striving to do his best. Looking ahead, Colin hopes to attend the University of Washington to study electrical engineering, a goal well matched to his curiosity, determination, and talent.
Employees of the Month
Tammy Cresap, 6th Grade Science Teacher at Sunset Ridge Intermediate
Cispus Outdoor School is a huge undertaking every year, and there is an incredible amount of moving parts to keep track of. The organization and planning start before the outdoor week is even over for the following year, and then work goes all through the school year (and summer) to make a successful camp happen. We are so thankful for the work done by Tammy Cresap. She pulled together all of those different elements for another year of adventures for our 5th-grade students. Thank you, thank you!
Amanda Burgess, 5th Grade Teacher Sunset Ridge Intermediate
Amanda Burgess was an instrumental part of the coordinating team that spent so many hours planning, organizing, and creating another year of Cispus Outdoor School for our 5th graders. It's a year-long commitment and includes SO many different parts and pieces behind the scenes. Getting hundreds of humans all going in the right directions (literally and figuratively) is a Herculean task, and we are so thankful for the time and effort put into making this week happen. Thank you, thank you!
