Stillwater Area Public Schools Salutes 36 Retiring Staff Members

STILLWATER, MN —Stillwater Area Public Schools on Wednesday issued a statement saluting the 36 employees retiring from the district at the end of this school year.

The group includes teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, counselors, nutrition services staff, psychologists, technical and administrative support staff and school leaders at the elementary, middle school and high school levels, in addition to district-wide employees.

According to the district, the group was honored Tuesday night at a dinner held at the Lake Elmo Inn Event Center. At the event, each retiree was presented with a bell from the district and a cutting board from the Partnership Plan, which was made by students at the St. Croix Valley Area Learning Center.

"We are grateful to each of these amazing individuals for all they have done to support our students and families throughout their careers," the district said in the statement. "In all of these roles, they've helped to build a warm and welcoming school community and have impacted the lives of countless students."

The list of retirees includes:

Nancy Anderson, Teacher, Lily Lake Elementary, 29 years with the district
Sandy Bealka, Paraprofessional, Lake Elmo Elementary, 8 years
Dale Bengston, Custodian, Brookview Elementary, 16 years
Renee Clark, Nutrition Services, Stillwater Middle, 11 years
Julia Coe, Counselor, Oak-Land Middle, 21 years
Valerie Corman, Instructional Coach, Rutherford Elementary, 31 years
Gary Detlefsen, Custodian, Stillwater Middle, 35 years
Beverly Engesether, Teacher, Stillwater Area High School, 22 years
Sabrina Falzone, Nutrition Services, Rutherford, 17 years
Colleen Feldman, School Psychologist, Stillwater Area High School, 19 years
Pamela Hall, Nutrition Services, Districtwide, 15 years
Ralph Halvorson, Activities Supervisor, Middle Schools, 10 years
Laurie Hansen, Teacher, Stillwater Area High School, 33 years
Barbara Holman, Paraprofessional, ECFC, 15 years
Robert Johnson, Custodian, Stillwater Middle, 34 years
Sheryl Johnson, Nutrition Services, Andersen Elementary, 27 years
Wendy Johnson, Paraprofessional, Andersen Elementary, 18 years
Richard Keller, Teacher, Stillwater Area High School, 27 years
Carolyn Kirby, Paraprofessional, Andersen Elementary, 18 years
Monica Leo, Building Secretary, Andersen Elementary, 19 years
Allison McGinnis, Paraprofessional, Stillwater Area High School, 30 years
Diane Olson, Nutrition Services, Mahtomedi Schools, 15 years
Mitchell Olson, Paraprofessional, Oak-Land Middle, 6 years
Chris Otto, Principal, Stillwater Middle, 28 years
Karen Paulson, Paraprofessional, Rutherford Elementary, 8 years
Roxanne Pechacek, Bookkeeper, Stillwater Area High School, 13 years
Lisa Peterson, Teacher, Stillwater Middle, 10 years
Rhonda Place, Secretary, Lake Elmo Elementary, 18 years
Janet Radke, Paraprofessional, ECFC, 26 years
Michell Sherlock, Nutrition Services, Oak-Land Middle, 17 years
Alane Stickan, Teacher, Rutherford, 34 years
Terri Swenson, Teacher, ECFC, 32 years
Mary Jo Vene-Loida, Teacher, Stonebridge, 21 years
Sandra Weaver, Counselor, Stillwater Area High School, 32 years
Thomas Wendt, Teacher, St. Croix Valley Area Learning Center, 24 years
Iris Wotzka, Teacher, Lake Elmo Elementary, 27 years