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The Dublin Unified School District recently recognized behaviorist Eric Burkholder as the overall 2025-26 Classified Employee of the Year among many site-level honorees.
With over two decades under his belt at DUSD, Burkholder provides direct student support and staff training across a district where he is known for being reliable, communicative and level-headed, DUSD officials said in a statement announcing this school year’s peer-selected honorees.
“This recognition means that my colleagues — people I deeply respect — see value in the work I do for our schools and our district. Knowing that my peers recognize my contributions is truly humbling, and I’m very grateful for the honor,” Burkholder told Pleasanton Weekly in an email interview.
In his capacity as a trainer, Burkholder directs staff on how to conduct best practices for addressing challenging behaviors, root cause analysis, effective interventions and safety practices, according to district officials. He also leads parent group presentations and training sessions for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my work is seeing the classrooms I support become highly skilled in best practices to the point where they truly are experts in data systems and behavior management,” he said.
At the center of his job is collaboration, Burkholder added.
“I work to empower educators to look closely at the data and at evidence‑based practices, and then, as a team, make unified decisions about strategies that align with both best practice and the individual needs of each student,” he said.
School site honorees were also identified by service category with Keoki Yee in technical, Louis Pagan in skilled trade, Muna Asfour in food and nutrition, Tina Bhatia of clerical and nutrition, Veronica Smith in paraprofessional, Jamie Schaible in security, Roxana Pineda Lara in custodial and Burkholder in health and student.
“Our classified employees are integral to the strength and stability of our district,” DUSD Superintendent Chris Funk said in a statement. “They serve students and families in countless ways that often happen behind the scenes, yet their impact is visible in every classroom and on every campus. Their professionalism, expertise, and care make Dublin Unified a safe, welcoming and high-performing district.”
Honorees are up for consideration by the Alameda County Office of Education in their respective categories to win county-level distinction.
