La Plata, MD – The Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Kimberly Hill on Thursday, March 31 honored Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) employees for their years of service to the school system and children during a ceremony held at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building. Honored were those employees who have contributed to the school system with careers that total 40, 35, 30 and 25 years with CCPS.
Keith Hettel, assistant superintendent of supporting services, was honored for his 40-year career with the school system. Hettel began his career at the elementary-school level as a teacher at Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School and later served as a principal at Gale-Bailey and William B. Wade elementary schools.
In 1991, Hettel was honored by the Washington Post as a recipient of a Distinguished Educational Leadership Award and was the Charles County Public Schools Principal of the Year. At the district level, Hettel first took a position as Director of Educational Options at the Starkey Building and later became the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. In 2013, Hettel was named as the Assistant Superintendent of Supporting Services, and he oversees the maintenance and operations of all facilities within the school system.
The Board hosts a years of service ceremony annually to recognize CCPS employees. In addition to Hettel, the Board honored 64 employees.
Employees with 35 years of service are
• Barbara Davis, speech therapist, Indian Head Elementary School;
• Bryan Donahue, art teacher, Henry E. Lackey High School;
• Frederick Farley, in-school retention program instructional assistant, Westlake High School;
• Natalie Fenwick, kindergarten instructional assistant, Arthur Middleton Elementary School;
• Brenda Garner, secretary to the director of transportation, Annex 1 Building;
• Jill Morrow, physical education teacher, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School;
• Clifton Posey, building service manager, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School;
• Wilhelmina Pugh, principal, Malcolm Elementary School;
• Michael Simms, principal, North Point High School;
• Elizabeth Wanzer, art teacher, Milton M. Somers Middle School; and
• Richard Williams, computer teacher, La Plata High School.
Employees with 30 years of service are
• Susan Belmore, art teacher, T.C. Martin Elementary School;
• Brian Chase, building service manager, Gale-Bailey;
• Tony Chase, building service manager, Robert D. Stethem Educational Center;
• Darrell Clark, building service worker, Maurice J. McDonough High School;
• Karin Clark, third-grade teacher, Mary H. Matula Elementary School;
• John Farmer, Jr., building service manager, F. B. Gwynn Educational Center;
• Pamella Gingerich, Reading Recovery teacher, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School;
• Charlotte Goldsmith, special education instructional assistant Life Skills program, Somers;
• Kathryn Koch, reading resource teacher, Piccowaxen Middle School;
• Christine Mais, executive assistant to the assistant superintendent of school administration, Starkey;
• Mary Montgomery, fifth-grade teacher, Mitchell;
• Robert Opiekun, principal, J. P. Ryon Elementary School;
• Lisa Peters, secretary in special education, Starkey;
• George Simms, pupil data accounting specialist, Starkey; and
• Jack Tuttle, content specialist in social studies, Starkey.
Employees with 25 years of service are
• Robert Ansell, Jr., pupil personnel worker, Starkey;
• Tanya Ansell, language arts teacher, Theodore G. Davis Middle School;
• Heather Beaton, social studies teacher, McDonough;
• Glenn Belmore, risk manager, Starkey;
• Frances Bryner, English as Second Language (ESOL) teacher, J. P. Ryon Elementary School;
• Mary Capper, physical education teacher, Martin;
• Nancy Carbone, in-school retention program instructional assistant, C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School;
• Barbara Cooper, building service worker, Westlake;
• Cheryl Davis, vice principal, North Point;
• Tanya Dorsey, building service manager, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School;
• Ruby Duehring, drama/theatre arts teacher, Thomas Stone High School;
• Cynthia Fitzsimmons, special education teacher, Gwynn;
• David Fulcher, building service worker, John Hanson Middle School;
• Linda Gill, executive director of school administration, Starkey;
• Todd Glasgow, physical education teacher, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School;
• Lawrence Gross, building service assistant manager, Malcolm;
• Jana Heyl, drama/theatre arts teacher, McDonough;
• Jeffrey Lambert, physical education teacher, General Smallwood Middle School;
• Evelyn Lavorgna, special education instructional assistant, Middleton;
• Cynthia Ledoux, drama/theatre arts teacher, Lackey;
• Lisa Love, secretary in instruction, Starkey;
• Martha Mayer, secretary to the principal, Malcolm;
• Steven Miller, supervising specialist in transportation, Annex 1 Building;
• Sheryl Morrison, pupil personnel worker, Starkey;
• Kathleen Parry, vocal music teacher, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy;
• Nancy Pirner, acting director of compliance, Starkey;
• Patricia Pitonyak, special education teacher, Matthew Henson Middle School;
• Carroll Proctor, building service worker, J. C. Parks Elementary School;
• Wendy Proctor, building service worker, Gwynn;
• Leslie Schroeck, high school resource teacher, La Plata;
• Kathleen Staudmyer, special education teacher, Jenifer;
• Faye Stinehart, art teacher, Brown;
• Jean Walter, special education instructional assistant, Brown;
• Bruce Washington, building service manager, St. Charles High School;
• Margaret Woodley, library media specialist, Mattawoman Middle School;
• Barbara Woods-Miazza, Reading Recovery teacher, Middleton;
• Vera Young, content specialist in English/language arts, Starkey; and
• Julie Yowell, second-grade teacher, Wade.
Charles County Public Schools provides 26,300 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 36 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Patricia Vaira, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Pamela K. Murphy, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.