Clover Park School District Retirees Celebrate End of Professional Era

Perfecting the Argentine tango, visiting Poland, volunteering, woodworking, planting organic gardens – and a whole lot of Grandma duty.

Those were just some of the future plans for the 2011-12 retiring employees from the Clover Park School District. The group included teachers, paraeducators, custodians and administrative employees. Some of the 37 employees actually retired last summer, but were celebrated on Monday at Clover Park High School with appetizers, desserts – and kind words.

Superintendent Debbie LeBeau and School Board President Carole Jacobs presented each retiree with a certificate of appreciation and a CPSD retiree pin.

LeBeau said she has worked with many of the honorees.

“I could tell a few stories,” she joked, “but they could also tell a few about me, so (I decided), no stories.”

But their supervisors certainly had some to share.

“Her teaching skills make her the teacher that parents want their children with,” said Lakeview Hope Academy Principal Michael Auton, speaking about kindergarten teacher Kathleen Eagan, who is retiring after 26 years. Eagan is the district’s 2012 Certificated Employee of the Year.

Ramona Johnson, who has taught at five schools in CPSD since 1980 and finishes her career as a kindergarten teacher at Clarkmoor Elementary School, was lauded for her “heart of gold.”

“Her smile and positive outlook will be missed by the Clarkmoor community and those of lucky enough to work with her,” said Principal Paula Gayson.

Mann Middle School Principal Ron Banner spoke of Aurora Deluao’s tendency to tease him about respecting his elders – simply to make him smile. The eighth-grade language-arts teacher is retiring after 23 years, all at Mann.

“Thank you for being my elder, for keeping me humble, and for being my friend,” he said.

Park Lodge Principal Eric Richards did the math to realize that Irma Brown dedicated 7,200 days to working with students, most recently as a second-grade teacher. Prior to beginning her 14-year stint at Park Lodge, she worked at the former Parkway Elementary on Fort Lewis.

“Irma has made an incredible mark on Park Lodge,” he said, “and she will be missed by everyone.”

And Transportation Director Delphie Nielsen drew laughs from the audience when she spoke about transportation dispatch employee Dixie Finger, a 36-year CPSD employee who previously worked as a bus driver.

“She always said she had the best job in the district,” Nielsen said. “She got to tell everybody where to go.”

Here is the complete list of 2011-12 retirees:

Beachwood Elementary School
Nick Helmer

Clarkmoor Elementary School
Ramona Johnson
Sylvia Tripp        

Evergreen Elementary School
Elizabeth Parkinson

Greenwood Elementary School
Alice Llorente
Margo McKell-Warnick 

Hillside Elementary School
Nancy Bennett 
Phil Giles
Linda Williams

Human Resources/Payroll
Betty Forsythe 
Connie  Mortenson        

Lake Louise Elementary School
Therese Healy   

Lakeview Hope Academy
Kathleen Eagan
Sandra Hieb
Lin Swanson

Lochburn Middle School
Alice Cottrill       
Susan Jackson
Judy Malmin     
Kenneth Pietraniec

Maintenance & Operations
Jeff Clay
Ngoc Nguyen

Mann Middle School
George Cowan
Aurora  Deluao

Oak Grove Elementary School
Bill Christensen

Park Lodge Elementary School
Irma Brown       

Southgate Elementary School
Lorna Taylor
Mary Ann Wiley               

Special Education
Ruthie Faris
Carol Read         
Valerie Schaler 
Gayle Tangeman

Student Nutrition
Monika Reynolds

Transportation
Dixie Finger       
Mary Goldner
Victor Hightower
Tommy Kite
Frank Neasbitt