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The North Central Educational Service District (NCESD) is proud to announce that Robin Hanson of Manson School District has been named the 2025 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year for North Central Washington. Hanson will advance for consideration at the state level through the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. State honorees will be announced in September.

Hanson was selected by a regional committee for her leadership, creativity, and tireless dedication to student wellness. She has served as Head Cook at the Secondary School in Manson for the past 11 years and is widely recognized for her scratch-cooked meals and her commitment to students’ health, well-being, and success, both in and beyond the cafeteria.

Her journey in education began as a parent volunteer and quickly grew into roles as a trip chaperone, varsity scorekeeper, booster club bookkeeper, and meal provider for countless student events and fairs. When the head cook position became available more than a decade ago, it was teachers and principals who encouraged her to apply, confident that her care for students would translate into nourishing meals and a welcoming cafeteria environment.

Eleven years later, Hanson continues to bring passion and ingenuity to her work, developing fresh, budget-conscious recipes while meeting rigorous state nutrition standards. She is particularly known for introducing a vibrant salad bar and for her consistent use of fresh ingredients in scratch-cooked meals.

Her nominator wrote, “Robin brings creativity and passion to her role, crafting meals that are not only nutritious but appealing to students. She skillfully balances menu planning with dietary requirements, ensuring that meals provide nutrients while reducing waste.”

Hanson’s impact also reaches into larger conversations about student health. She regularly adapts to evolving nutrition guidelines while advocating for a more holistic view of student wellness.

Head Cook
Manson Secondary School
Manson School District

“In the school kitchen, we stretch our budgetary dollars by using commodities in creative ways with fresh ingredients and scratch cooking, but what happens outside of school is just as important,” Hanson shared. “The increase in screen time, convenience foods, and pressure for perfection all affect students’ health. Healthy kids and communities begin where kids are, and adjusting guidance in the food served at school will not fix the problem alone.”

She has taken that message to heart through initiatives like “Fuel Up to Play 60,” which she led at her school to promote healthy eating and physical activity. Under her leadership, the school secured two $1,500 grants, one to enhance the PE program and another to purchase new salad carts, making nutritious choices easier for students. She also helped organize a school-wide assembly on healthy habits, featuring a special appearance by the Seattle Seahawks mascot, Blitz. These efforts not only helped students build better lifelong habits but also fostered a wellness-centered school culture where healthy living is part of the learning environment.

“Robin fosters a positive cafeteria environment where students feel welcomed and encouraged to make healthy food choices,” her nominator added. “She promotes a culture of collaboration, efficiency, and care. She goes above and beyond, adapting to student dietary needs, supporting staff, and making the cafeteria an extension of the classroom.”

Hanson’s work ethic, care for students, and community spirit make her a role model to all who know her. Her contributions remind us that learning doesn’t only happen in classrooms and that the right meal, made with heart and purpose, can fuel a student’s whole day.

About OSPI Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year Program

Since 1963, the Washington State Teacher of the Year program has selected one outstanding educator annually to serve as the Washington State Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year is selected from a slate of up to nine regional candidates representing Washington’s nine Educational Service Districts. Washington began naming Classified School Employees of the Year in 2010 and follows the same process.

Anyone can nominate someone for Teacher or Classified School Employee of the Year. Nominees complete a written application and enter the regional selection process. Each region recommends a regional finalist to the state program. The State Teacher and Classified School Employee of the Year are selected from among these regional finalists by a committee made up of diverse educators, families, students and education stakeholders.

Learn more on the OSPI website

About North Central Educational Service District

The North Central Educational Service District provides a wide array of programs, services and support to the 29 public school districts in the North Central Washington region of Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan county. The service district provides professional and timely tools to meet the needs of individual schools and districts, and a reliable point of education-related information for the communities served. The NCESD is one of nine respected educational service districts in Washington state.