Calvert County Public Schools’ retirees celebrated May 31 at the Rod ‘N’ Reel.
Chesapeake Beach, MD – The exodus of students in the waning days of the current school year—including those who will receive their high school diplomas and advance to colleges, universities, trade schools, the Armed Forces or the workplace—is always a bittersweet moment. Another school year is in the books. There are other familiar faces that won’t be around when the new school year starts in the late summer. In fact, some have already departed. On Thursday evening, May 31, Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) saluted over 40 of the system’s most recent retirees. The event took place at the Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach.
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement Director Victoria D. Karol said there are no administrators among CCPS’ 64 total retirees. The list does include 27 teachers and 12 instructional assistants.
“Out the door goes 2,000 years of institutional experience,” declared Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Curry, who told the retirees, “I hope you have great plans.”
The retirees who opted to attend the ceremony received an array of parting gifts. For those retiring teachers who are members of the Calvert Education Association (CEA), leaders of the employee group provided golden bells. “Teaching is a profession that teaches all other professions,” said CEA President Dona Ostenso.
All the retiring attendees received a huge surprise when Karol announced that Chesapeake Beach Resort and Spa owner Gerald Donovan had extended to each retiree a free one-night stay at the hotel.
As the honorees made their way to the center of the room to receive certificates from Curry and all six members of the Calvert County Board of Education, Karol read summaries submitted by colleagues regarding the special impact the outgoing employees had. For example, Plum Point Elementary School Senior Childcare Director Paulette Creek “shared her love of reading with students.” Judy Center Family Resource Worker Naomi Gross-Watkins “organized many family events” while at the center. It was noted Patuxent Appeal Campus Instructional Assistant Melinda Simmons once promised a student who had trouble turning in assignments on time that she would dance on a desk if he reversed his tardiness. He did and she danced as promised.
Three of the 40-year milestone employees honored by CCPS earlier this year are among the 2018 retirees. They are Huntingtown Elementary School teacher Diane Chaney, Plum Point Middle School teacher Merry Ellen McGown and School Facilities Department supervisor Keith Roberts.
Music during the dinner portion of the celebration was provided by the Calvert Chamber Players.
Here is a list of CCPS’ 2018 retirees
Donna Adams, School Counselor, Patuxent High School; Julie Allinson, Instructional Assistant, Plum Point Elementary School; Kathleen Augustine, Teacher, Career & Technology Academy; Anita Baines, Teacher, Mill Creek Middle School; Lawrence Bazey, Teacher, Huntingtown High School; Judith Bibb, Instructional Assistant, Calvert Elementary School; Keith Bowen, Driver, School Facilities Department; John Burkhart, Teacher, Patuxent High School; Linda Burns, Specialist, Child Nutrition Program; Sharon Campbell, Instructional Assistant, Patuxent Appeal Campus; Ursella Campbell, Building Services Worker, Huntingtown Elementary School; Patricia Casto, Teacher, Huntingtown High School; Diane Chaney, Teacher, Huntingtown Elementary School; Eve Cox, Teacher, Patuxent Appeal Campus; Paulette Creek, Sr. Childcare Director, Plum Point Elementary School; Andrea Daniels, Secretary, Calvert Middle School; Karen DePaul, Secretary, Windy Hill Elementary School; Shari Eakin, Teacher, Northern Middle School; Linda Edmonds, Childcare Director, Mutual Elementary School; Robert Esworthy, Building Services Manager, Plum Point Elementary School; Veronica Kushda Fealy, Instructional Assistant, Calvert Country School; Harold Freeland, Building Services Worker, Barstow Elementary School, Keith Graham, Programmer, Department of Information Technology; Naomi Gross-Watkins, Family Resource Worker, Judy Center; Sharon Haller, Instructional Assistant, Calvert Elementary School; Donald Hammond, Teacher, Northern High School; Wendy Hawkins, Building Services Worker, Dowell Elementary School; Ruth Hawkins-Young, Assistant Cafeteria Manager, St. Leonard Elementary School; Catherine Hogenson, Teacher, Calvert Elementary School; Constance Howard, Teacher, Plum Point Middle School; Richard Humphreys, Teacher, Southern Middle School; Kathy Jones, Secretary, Windy Hill Middle School; Sarah Larson, Instructional Assistant, Northern High School; Vicky Lehman, Secretary, Patuxent High School; Darlene Long, Instructional Assistant, Calvert Elementary School; Jeanette Long, Building Services Worker, School Facilities Department; Carla Mathers, Teacher, Special Education Department; Merry Ellen McGown, Teacher, Plum Point Middle School; Carolyn McHale, Teacher, Huntingtown Elementary School; Priscilla McQuighan, Teacher, Huntingtown High School; Lisa Merriman, Speech Language Pathologist, Special Education Department; Susan Morrow, Teacher, Sunderland Elementary School; Jeanette Mueller, Teacher, Calvert Middle School; Michele Nycum, Guidance Counselor, Huntingtown Elementary School; Cindy O’Connell, Instructional Assistant, Patuxent Appeal Campus; Anne O’Leary, Teacher, Huntingtown Elementary School; Gary Printz, Teacher, Career & Technology Academy; Laurie Quijada, Food Services Worker, Barstow Elementary School; Dorothy Richards, Teacher, Patuxent High School, Teresa Richards, Instructional Assistant, Calvert Middle School; Keith Roberts, Supervisor, School Facilities Department; Renee Roper, Teacher, Plum Point Middle School; Susan Shifflett, Instructional Assistant, Calvert Middle School; Faye Shields, Secretary, Huntingtown High School; Melinda Simmons, Instructional Assistant, Patuxent Appeal Campus; Laurie Smith, Teacher, Windy Hill Elementary School; Pamela Spillman, Instructional Assistant, Calvert Middle School; Kim Staughton, Teacher, Patuxent Appeal Campus; Spring Taylor, Food Services Worker, St. Leonard Elementary School; Amy Thompson, Instructional Assistant, Windy Hill Middle School; Yvonne Vaughan, ISS Assistant, Mill Creek Middle School; Tracey Vernon, Teacher, Plum Point Elementary School; Kay Weber, Teacher, Beach Elementary School; Lori Whitford, Teacher, Plum Point Middle/Calvert Middle School
This list includes anyone who officially retired between May 13, 2017 and May 15, 2018.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
