Des Moines Public Schools Honors More Than 150 Retirees

One-hundred-and-fifty-three people are retiring or have retired over the past year from Des Moines Public Schools.  They were honored at a luncheon today at the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

Jerry Van Dyck spent 36 years teaching in the district.

“You close the door 180 times a year and they’re all yours,” Van Dyck said about his students in class. “There’s no bailing you out. They’re all yours. Piece of cake.”

Van Dyck, who finished his career at Central Campus teaching Marine Biology, worked at Callanan and Lincoln, too.  His mother was a teacher.  His wife, daughter, son and daughter-in-law are also teachers.

“We’re a Des Moines Public Schools family.  I love Des Moines Public Schools, I’m totally committed to them I think they do a great job and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”

Brena Schwartz-Corona came from Texas and spent 24 years with the district helping elementary Spanish-speaking students and their families. She stayed in Des Moines because she felt like she was making an impact.

“The winters are terrible,” she said. “But I like it here.  Des Moines is a small city compared to San Antonio.  There’s a lot of culture, people are friendly.  It’s a good place.”

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Ahart spoke to the group in the Grand Ballroom and expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you for the many ways you served the Des Moines Public Schools and contributed to the betterment of our community,” said Ahart. “You touched the lives of children — the best way to shape the future.  May you have a happy and healthy retirement.”

Van Dyck said he’s not sure how long his retirement will last.  He plans to look for some kind of classroom in which to teach.

“I think probably I will always be a teacher in some way.  It’s been wonderful.”

The program featured student speakers and each retiree was presented with a golden apple.

DMPS 2014 Retirees

LINDA ANDERSON, CNC

LINDA ANDERSON, CNTRL CAMPUS HS

MARY JEAN ANNEXSTAD, COWLES

TERESA BAKER, MCKINLEY

JUDITH BARBER, RIVER WOODS

CONSTANCE BATY-BREWTON, CNTRL CAMPUS HS

MICHAEL BEASLEY, CNC

MYRA BEENER, SOUTH UNION

JEFFREY BOCK, CNTRL CAMPUS HS

MARY BOWERMASTER, WINDSOR

JEROME BRADLEY, CNTRL CAMPUS HS

JACQUALINE BREKKE, CATTELL

DEBORAH BRENNAN, GOODRELL MS

CECIL BREWTON, CARVER

SHERYL BRINDLEY, SAMUELSON

DONNA BRITT, JACKSON ELEM

KATHLEEN BROWN, EAST HS

JUDY BROXMEYER, STUDEBAKER

PAULA BUTTS, CAPITOL VIEW

ALICE BUTTS, HARDING MS

ROMONA CAMACHO-AGUILAR, JACKSON ELEM

JUDITH CAMPBELL, CARVER

STEVEN CARNAHAN, FUTURE PATHWAYS

SUSAN CASBER, MERRILL MS

MARSHA CASTAGNOLI, NORTH HS

FREDERICK COFFIN, TRANSPORTATION

DEBORAH COLLINS, HIATT MS

CELESTE COMITO, LINCOLN HS

JAMES CONRATH, TRANSPORTATION

AUDLEY CONRATH, TRANSPORTATION

BECKY CRAWLEY, LINCOLN HS

DEANNA CULP, JACKSON ELEM

SUE DAVIS, ROOSEVELT HS

NANCY DAVIS, TECHNOLOGY

NENA DENMAN, HILLIS

JERI DEO-SOKOLOFF, STUDENT SVC @WD

LUCY DOUGLAS, LINCOLN RAILS

MARY DOUGLAS, STDNT SVCS WT

BETTY DOUGLASS, LINCOLN SOUTH

SHERRI DOWNS, TRANSPORTATION

MARY DYCUS, HOOVER HS

NADENE ELLER, HOOVER HS

MARCIA ELLIOTT, CNTRL CAMPUS HS

NANCY ELLIOTT, ROOSEVELT HS

TONI ESSEX, RIVERWOODS

KENNETH ESVELD, BRUBAKER

LYNN ETHINGTON, HUBBELL

CAROLYN FERRIGNO, MITCHELL ELC

JACQUELIN FLETCHER, HOOVER HS

ANGELA FORCUCCI, STDNT SVCS WT

GLENDA FRANZ, MCCOMBS

DEBORAH FRENCH, WEEKS MS

PATRICIA FRY, ROOSEVELT HS

ANN GINTHER, EAST HS

SHERYL GISSEL, PHILLIPS

KIMBERLY GLYNN, HUBBELL

MARY HELEN GRACE, GREENWOOD

SYLVESTER GREEN, TRANSPORTATION

PEGGY GRYLLS, MONROE

DAVID GUSTAFSON, CALLANAN MS

CHERYL HAWBAKER, SMOUSE

PEGGY HOLMES, MCCOMBS MS

MARY HOLWELL, MERRILL MS

RICHARD HOWARD, TRANSPORTATION

SHERYL HURLEY, MORRIS

ROSE HUTCHINSON, LINCOLN

SUZANNE HYDE, SAMUELSON

SUSAN JANSEN, ROOSEVELT HS

MARSHA JARRETT, GARTON

PATRICIA JENSEN-BOCK, HOOVER HS

LUANN JOHNSON, HANAWALT

MARY JOHNSON, STUDENT SERVICES

JANET JOHNSON-WEITENHAGEN, SOUTH UNION

PATTY JONES, WINDSOR

FREDERICK KEELING, CALLANAN MS

DAVID KEELY, HIATT MS

MARY KELLY, MADISON

LINDA KILLAM, JACKSON ELEM

SOMPHONG KITTHIKOUNE, HOYT MS

ROXANNE KUCHARSKI, EAST HS

VICKI LAINSON, SECURITY

JOSEPH LEAHY, HOYT MS

LANA LEE, JACKSON ELEM

TERI LEGG, STUDENT SVC WD

TERRI LENTZ, STDNT SVCS WT

DINAH LOCKHART, MERRILL MS

DENA LUKSETICH, HILLIS

DIANN MACKEY, WILLARD

KATHLEEN MAHONEY, COWLES

SANDRA MARCHANT, ROOSEVELT HS

SUSANNA MARCUCCI, ROOSEVELT HS

KATHRYN MAREAN, SMOUSE

SHERYL MATTERN, JEFFERSON

JEAN MCLAUGHLIN, JEFFERSON

DENNIS MCMAHON, SECURITY

THOMAS MCMAHON, WEEKS MS

GRACE MEAD-RICKMAN, OAK PARK

JOHN MILLER, HH @ BLANK

K. MINNICK, MCCOMBS

SANDRA MORTALE, JACKSON ELEM

MAUREEN MURPHY, HOOVER HS

MARY MURRAY, ROOSEVELT

FRANK MYERS, TRANSPORTATION

CARROLL NICHOLS, CRAFTS PAINTER

BARBARA NICHOLS-WOODS, HOLY FAMILY

ANNA MARIE NIELSEN, STDNT SVCS WT

ROSALIND OLIVER, HOOVER HS

PAMELA OLSON, JEFFERSON

MICHAEL O’MALIA, ROOSEVELT HS

BEVERLY JUNE PEARSON, SMOUSE

BARBARA PERKINS, BRUBAKER

STEPHEN PETERS, SCAVO

LYNN PETTIT, JEFFERSON

KATHLEEN POETTING, MORRIS

JILL POOL, EAST HS

PAULA PROPES, MOULTON

MARY QUANDT, BRODY

ANNE RAFTIS, WINDSOR

MARY RANKER, PLEASANT HILL

BARBARA RATCLIFFE, BRUBAKER

BARBARA REESE, RIVERWOODS

ROSALIE ROLLINS, MEREDITH

JANE ROWE, SMOUSE

PAUL RUBY, EAST HS

VICKI RUSH, HILLIS

CHRISTINE RYERSON, MERRILL MS

VICTORIA RYHERD, GOODRELL MS

KATHLEEN SCHILTZ, MOULTON

BRENA SCHWARTZ-CORONA, CARVER

SANDRA SEARS, LINCOLN HS

DIANE SHEIL, EAST

TEDD SHIRLEY, JACKSON ELEM

KATHLEEN SONNTAG, WINDSOR

MARY STIMMEL, LINCOLN HS

BONNIE SULLIVAN, TRANSPORTATION

BRIDGET TASLER, RUBY VAN METER

FRANCIS THOMA, SOUTH UNION

LYNETTE TINGWALD, GARTON

PATRICIA TORMEY, RUBY VAN METER

MICHAEL VALDER, LINCOLN HS

GERALD VAN DYCK, CNTRL CAMPUS HS

CONSTANCE VANDE KROL, SOUTH UNION

CATHERINE VICKROY, STDNT SVCS WT

DIANN WALLS KIPPER, STU. SEVICES

CHRISTINE WASCHLE, HUBBELL

STEVEN WENDEHL, HIATT MS

VICKI WHALEY, HILLIS

SHERI WILLIAMS, JEFFERSON

JAMES WILSON, ROOSEVELT HS

SUZANN WILSON, STDNT SVCS WT

ELAINE WOLF, CNTRL CAMPUS HS

MICHAEL ZELENOVICH, COMMUNITY ED