Gilbert Arias
2022 Exceptional Service Award Recipient

School Operations Coordinator
The Bay School
Santa Cruz, Calif.


 

Gilbert (Gil) Arias joined our team in 2008 as Facilities Coordinator and transitioned to his current position, School Operations Coordinator, in 2012. In this position, Gil takes an active role in maintaining required school licensure and certifications, annual contracts with partnering school districts, updated student records, and billing processes.

He has a rich background in technology, which has enabled him to build many impressive databases that house information across all these administrative areas. With the click of a mouse, Gil can aggregate data and run a report on just about anything. 

As a former member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council, Gil has been integral in making sure our services and supports are accessible to our Latino community, which represents a large percentage of our population in Santa Cruz County. Gil is a native Spanish speaker who provides translation for families at student screenings and IEP meetings. He graciously provides proofreading and Spanish translation of all written school communication including parent emails, newsletters, and event flyers. 

He is also an exceptional photographer. At any school event, you will see Gil behind a lens capturing a happy moment with students. Every year he coordinates details of Picture Day and last year he stepped in as our official school photographer, taking stunning portraits of all individuals we serve and raising money for our school. After receiving her son’s school picture, one parent wrote to Gil expressing her appreciation: 

“Hey Gil, I just wanted to overwhelm you with compliments and gratitude. We absolutely LOVE the picture you took of [our son]. You captured him so beautifully; it really is such an amazing photo. We can't wait to share it! I'm not lying when I tell you it actually brought me to tears when I first saw it. Thank you for such a treasured memory of a very special year in our son's life. It really is a big deal for us.” – TBS Parent

As a trained medication administrator, Gil takes an active role in supporting several students with their daily medication needs. He will step aside from any task to respond to a call for medication administration – one of the many examples in which he always prioritizes the needs of individuals served. 

Gil is usually the quietest team member in a meeting; however, this does not mean he has little to contribute. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! When Gil makes a comment or shares an idea, the whole room becomes quiet and turns to listen. He always says something sincere and insightful—or incredibly funny. Gil is genuine, kind, and dependable (and he’s a great golfer, to boot). He is deeply humble about the essential role he plays in our school. He is an invaluable member of our team, and we offer our highest recommendations for him to receive the Exceptional Service Award. 

Recommended by Andrea Gold, Executive Director, The Bay School, and Laura Noland, Director of Community Engagement and Development, The Bay School

Quotes and reflections from his community:

Parent Letter:

"I feel very lucky to have this opportunity to share some thoughts about someone who is such a vital part of our school community. 

Gilbert Arias has been at The Bay School thirteen out of the fifteen years that my son Gabe has been at TBS, which means I've seen Gil in action for over a decade now! 

Gil’s role as School Operations Coordinator has him in what I see as a Jimmy Olsen role… (‘Hey! I’m a comic-book movie buff! Plus, he’s a photographer!’) a kind of ‘school support super-hero’ behind the scenes and behind the computer. 

As I write this, I can see his face in my mind all the times I’ve knocked on his office door over the years, needing his help with one thing or another. His face always wears that warm Gil smile and reflects his generous spirit. He’s always eager to help in any way he can, and there are so many ways he does—Whether it be with records, or picture day, or events, he’s there for parents, students, and staff. 

The wide array of behind the scenes work Gil does provides a foundation for our school to be able to run efficiently. He organizes things in a way that, in turn, frees staff and families to focus completely on the very important work of the direct care and teaching of our high-needs students. Even from his desk, Gil is considered a valuable team member, who can be called to lend a hand in any situation that might arise. He has made a huge positive impact on hundreds of TBS families’ lives. To say he is dedicated and hardworking doesn’t come close to describing Gil’s commitment. His job has him managing so many important facets of our school, but perhaps what’s the most telling is how he takes on additional roles when there’s a need. TBS benefits from his collaborative spirit every day. This includes sharing his natural talent of photography with us all. He has captured many magical moments for students and staff over the years. 

Gil has a genuine respect for these very special students, like my son Gabe, and his kindness and giving spirit show how deeply he cares about our community." – TBS Parent

Additional Quote:

"Gil’s role as School Operations Coordinator has him in what I see as a Jimmy Olsen role… (‘Hey! I’m a comic-book movie buff! Plus, he’s a photographer!’) a kind of ‘school support super-hero’ behind the scenes and behind the computer. 

As I write this, I can see his face in my mind all the times I’ve knocked on his office door over the years, needing his help with one thing or another. His face always wears that warm Gil smile and reflects his generous spirit. He’s always eager to help in any way he can, and there are so many ways he does—Whether it be with records, or picture day, or events, he’s there for parents, students, and staff." – TBS Parent

See all of the pictures from the event on our Flickr album!


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