Liberty High Dean, Parent Honored At Migrant Education Awards

HILLSBORO, OR —Liberty High School Dean of Students Brent Saxton and Liberty parent Marisol Cariño Sánchez were honored earlier this month at the Region 8 Oregon Migrant Education Awards, according to Hillsboro School District (HSD).

At a virtual ceremony on Nov. 5, Saxton won in the category of Advocate/Administrator of the Year and Cariño Sánchez won in the Parent of the Year category.

According to HSD, both were selected because of their dedication and commitment to migrant students, their families and the Migrant Education Program in Oregon.

In the nomination form, HSD indicated that Saxton had been involved in the Migrant Education Program for over a decade, and that he has served as the Elementary Principal/Lead for summer school for the last seven years.

"Throughout the years, two themes have been unwavering: (Saxton's) goal of expanding the worlds of all and his drive to build community," HSD wrote. "It is his passion to see this happen that brings it to fruition."

Cariño Sánchez, according to her nomination form, began her involvement in the Migrant Education Program when her daughters were at the Migrant Head Start program. Last year, she completed her fourth year as the president of the district's Parent Advisory Committee (PAC).

The district said Cariño Sánchez also has been a strong proponent for the creation of new PACs, known as Paquitos, at the individual schools, and that she has been proactive in helping to create the formal guidelines for these Paquitos.

In fact, Cariño Sánchez founded the Paquito at Liberty High School — where her daughter goes to school —and has served as its secretary.

"Marisol is a strong parent leader and a champion for the preschool to 12th grade students," the district wrote.

"(As president of the district PAC) she shined as a strong and courageous parent leader who advocated on behalf of students as well as other parents."

Two others from HSD also were nominated for awards: Laura Ramirez Altamirano, in the category of Employee of the Year, and Viviana Manzano Lopez, in the category of Student of the Year.