Submitted photos
Lynn Eggert, Colleen Kill, Vicki Cornelius, Sallie G. Benson, Susan E. Sacquitne and Andrea K. Zwirner posed for a picture after the ceremony. Five of these six women are retiring this school year.
by Jim Boyle
Editor
The Elk River Area School District recognized 40 retirees at a May 18 ceremony at Hassan Elementary School.
Elk River Area School Board Chairwoman Jane Bunting and Superintendent Mark Bezek welcomed them to the event and handed out recognition certificates.
Among the retirees honored was curriculum specialist Stephen Schroeder-Davis, who logged more than 40 years of service with the Elk River Area School District.
Bezek noted at the ceremony that a lot has changed in 40-plus years. He said Schroeder-Davis started around the time Gerald Ford became president, having replaced Richard Nixon after Watergate. The Vietnam War ended. Bill Gates and Paul Allen developed a BASIC program for the Altair 8800, a computer that was released later that year. Motorola patented the first mobile phone.
Superintendent Mark Bezek handed a certificate to Roman Pierskalla, who is retiring after 10 years as the principal of Rogers High School.
“A new house cost $48,000, a gallon of gas was 57 cents, a stamp cost 10 cents and the average household income was $14,000,” Bezek said.
Eight people honored have 30 or more years of service to the school district. There were another 19 retirees were honored for more than 20 years of service.
“All of you, regardless of the title you held, have changed lives,” Bezek said. “You have educated, inspired and empowered thousands of young people, and they are in the world today doing important jobs, raising families of their own and living lives of purpose and joy due, in some measure, to you and your efforts. Take that to heart and know that you mattered.”
Teachers, custodians, other staff and a principal retiring
Mary E. Alberts, teacher and districtwide curriculum specialist
Sallie G. Benson, teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students districtwide, 24 years
Maureen K. Berry, special education teacher for children with specific learning disabilities at Lincoln Elementary School, 11 years
Kathleen Blesener, screening interviewer for District 728 Community Education, 24 years
Lawrence J. Bodnar, custodian at Ivan Sand Community High School and Elk River High School, 16 years
Patricia K. Clear, special education assistant, Handke Center, 20 years
Diane L. Daluge, head cook, Lincoln Elementary School, 32 years
Randolph J. Doesken, math teacher, Elk River High School, 23 years
Nettie M. DuBois, health services secretary, Twin Lakes Elementary School, 11 years
Lynn M. Eggert, technology assistant, Rogers High School, 24 years
Larry I. Fehr, custodian, Rogers High School, 21 years
Carol J. Grabow, teacher of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed, VandenBerge Middle School, 16 years
Patti J. Granning, instructional assistant, Otsego Elementary School, 11 years
Lea Iverson, math teacher, VandenBerge Middle School, 37 years
Susan J. Kelly, health services secretary, clerk, Salk Middle School, 19 years
Colleen M. Kill, media assistant, Rogers High School, 22 years
Deborah A. Koch, secretary, Zimmerman Elementary School, 22 years
Elaine M. Koenig, cook, Lincoln Elementary School, 26 years
Nancy J. Kurtzman, teacher and evaluator, Meadowvale Elementary School, VandenBerge Middle School, six years
Carol J. Lamont, custodian, Elk River High School, 14 years
Lucy C. Markfort, teacher of children with specific learning disabilities, Rogers High School, 34 years
Karan L. Murschel, food service, Zimmerman Elementary School, 23 years
Patricia L. Nypower, teacher of children with physical, health disabilities, 10 years
Dorothy E. Onstad, fifth-grade teacher, Westwood Elementary, 20 years
Deborah H. Pace, third-grader teacher, Hassan Elementary School, 28 years
Roman J. Pierskalla, principal, Rogers High School, 10 years
Linda J. Potter, general assistant for Early Childhood Family Education, Handke Center, 27 years
Vicki M. Roberts, third-grade teacher, Hassan Elementary School, 34 years
Susan E. Sacquitne, third-grade teacher, Rogers Elementary School, 28 years
Stephen J. Schroeder-Davis, teacher and districtwide curriculum specialist, District Office, 42 years
Ann M. Shirey, secretary, Elk River High School, 21 years
Kathryn M. Simonson, manager of Early Childhood Family Education at the Handke Center, 29 years
Thomas M. Stoll, science teacher, Salk Middle School, 30 years
Alice A. Strom, special education and early childhood special education teacher, Handke Center, nine years
Patricia L. VandenHoek, secretary, Salk Middle School, SMS, 23 years
Sharon K. Wagner, teacher and music teacher, Rogers Elementary School, 36 years
Gail A. Weber, teacher, Rogers High School, 25 years
Joyce A. Wefel, teacher and social worker, VandenBerge Middle School, 15 years
Victoria L. Wilt, teacher and social worker, Meadowvale Elementary School, 36 years
Andrea K. Zwirner, secretary, Otsego Elementary School, 35 years