Rachel Garmen receives Golden Apple Award

Walnut Creek Middle School CI paraeducator, Rachel Garmen, received a Golden Apple Award at the October 9, 2025 Board of Education meeting.

Garmen was nominated Linda Stephan, a CI teacher at Walnut Creek, for always being professional and supporting CI students with understanding and empathy.

“Rachel has a keen ability to recognize what is needed and follows through to help,” said Stephan. “She quickly adapts to situations and makes necessary changes to meet the needs of all students, and she consistently reaches out for clarification on classroom activities, behavior issues and curriculum.”

“When we encounter challenging behaviors, Rachel is always thinking of new ways to redirect students or incorporate strategies to manage behavior effectively,” continued Stephan. “She is flexible, takes feedback well, and always keeps the students' best interests in mind.”

“Rachel seeks creative and innovative ways to incorporate fun activities into the curriculum to engage students,” concluded Stephan. “She has also provided many of the materials needed to support these activities. Rachel has become an invaluable member of the team. In fact, she ensured that the classroom ran seamlessly while I was out on medical leave.”