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Garfield Re-2 School District honors staff

Theresa Hamilton
Garfield Re-2 Director of Districtwide Services
The Garfield Re-2 School District honored their Classified Staff of the Year. This years honorees included (back) Jennifer Robinson, Lisa Zeman, Xiomara Beltran, Candi Delura (middle) Deici Chairez, Chantal Isley, Debbie Petree, Andrea Emery (front) Maria Lara, Ellie Rodriguez, Erica Ruiz and Maria Garcia. (not pictured: Jeremy Clare).
Provided |

On May 26, Garfield School District Re-2 held its annual Retirement and District Celebration to honor its employees, celebrate the school year, and say goodbye to several retiring friends.

Eleven employees said goodbye to the district this year including Sue Auxter from Rifle Middle School, Deb Bair and Dianna Fox from Kathryn Senor Elementary, Alan Baker and Cindy King from Graham Mesa Elementary, Ken and Lynn White from Rifle High School, Craig Parks from Coal Ridge High School, Jose Valadez from Elk Creek Elementary, Mike Freeman, districtwide school psychologist, and Lori Van Slyke, Garfield Re-2 director of Nutrition Services. Garfield Re-2 is grateful for the combined 179 years of caring and dedication that our retirees have given to the students and staff of the district.

The Clough Family Foundation honored one teacher from each building as Teacher of the Year. This award is prestigious because their peers nominate them. The Clough Family Foundation generously funded this award, and each winning teacher received $500 dollars for use in their classroom or for professional development. Winners of Teacher of the Year for 2016-17 were Jeremy Harrison from Rifle High School, Bobbi Jo Weiscamp from Coal Ridge High School, Will Allen from Rifle Middle School, Heidi Hitch-Young from Riverside Middle School, Sheryl Larson from Elk Creek Elementary, Stacey Ellibee from Kathryn Senor Elementary, Nikki Foreback from Cactus Valley Elementary, Julie Walpole from Highland Elementary, Kelly Bina from Graham Mesa Elementary, and Maggie Brooks from Wamsley Elementary. Garfield Re-2 thanks the Clough Family Foundation for its continued commitment to education and the students of the district.



Additionally, Garfield Re-2 honors an outstanding classified employee at each building who goes above and beyond. This year’s winners of the Classified Staff of the Year include Lisa Zeman from Rifle High School, Deici Chairez from Coal Ridge High School, Debbie Petree from Rifle Middle School, Xiomara Beltran from Riverside Middle School, Erica Ruiz from Elk Creek Elementary, Ellie Rodriguez from Kathryn Senor Elementary, Andrea Emery from Cactus Valley Elementary, Maria Lara from Highland Elementary, Chantal Isley from Graham Mesa Elementary, Maria Garcia from Wamsley Elementary, Jeremy Clare from Transportation, Candi Deluera from Support Services and Jennifer Robinson from the District Office.

Garfield Re-2 also celebrates a staff member from each building with a safety award. This award is given to a staff member who encourages safe behaviors and goes above and beyond to assist students and staff in safe behaviors. This year’s winners include: Carrie Miketin from Highland Elementary, Joseph Branca from Wamsley Elementary, David Webster from Kathryn Senor Elementary, Connie Flanagan from Cactus Valley Elementary, Cindy King from Graham Mesa Elementary, Amber Fitzsimmons from Elk Creek Elementary, Lorenzo Swazo from Rifle Middle School, Aron Day from Riverside Middle School, Rebecca Shideler from Coal Ridge High School, Brenda Jones from Rifle High School, Lesa Minturn from the District Office, Cathy Reed from Nutrition Services, Tony Allen from Maintenance and Sam Silvius from Transportation.



Finally, Garfield Re-2 honored several staff members that reached 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service to the district. Completing 20 years with Garfield Re-2 were Jack Clancey from Graham Mesa Elementary, Kristi Gross from Cactus Valley Elementary, Julie Knowles and Jennifer Rhoades from the District Office, Nikki Macklin and Julie Price from Highland Elementary and Kelly Smith-Iniguez from Transportation.

Completing 25 years with Garfield Re-2 were Dianna Fox from Kathryn Senor Elementary, Diane Cotner from Wamsley Elementary and Sharon Donohoue from the District Office.

Garfield Re-2 is fortunate to have such wonderful staff members who help students become better readers, writers and mathematicians each and every day. From the nutrition services department to transportation, from principals to classroom teachers, from the custodians to the librarians, they all impact student achievement. These wonderful people continue to encourage, nurture and challenge every student, every day.


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