OLDS - Twelve Chinook's Edge School Division retirees from Olds and Bowden were honoured and six employees were praised for at least 30 years of service during the division's annual celebrations event, held Oct. 24.
They were among scores who were so honoured from across the division. In total, tribute was paid to 43 retirees, many of whom have spent their entire careers in Chinook’s Edge. Twenty new teachers were introduced during the evening as well.
Retirees from Bowden are Bill Whitehead of Bowden Grandview School and Martha Moore-Jans in transportation services.
Olds and area elementary school retirees are Shannon Basisty, Elizabeth Carlson and Diane Waldie of École Olds Elementary School; Judith Knight of Horizon School; Julia Robinson of École Deer Meadow School; and Audrey Tompkins of Olds Koinonia Christian School.
Three retirees from École Olds High School were also honoured. They are Douglas Shaw, Neil Skaluba and Wanda Vandervelden.
Also retired is Jeanne Sali from transportation services in Olds.
Four people were honoured for at least 35 years of service in Olds.
They are Tom Christensen and Maggie Robblee of École Olds High School; Elizabeth Carlson, École Olds Elementary School; and Howard Schafer of transportation services in Olds.
Two local employees were highlighted for at least 30 years of service. They are Daryl Brown of Olds Career High School and Deborah Unger of École Olds Elementary School.
Tribute was also paid to Bailey Sisson, a new teacher at Ecole Olds High School, who was the division's nominee for the Alberta School Boards’ Association (ASBA) Edwin Parr Award. It recognizes teachers who are new to the profession who show significant promise in their first year.
For more on Sisson and her nomination, see https://www.oldsalbertan.ca/article/rookie-teacher-wins-award-for-teaching-excellence-20190430 on the Olds Albertan website.
“Our board is very grateful to our staff and we are always pleased to honour them in this way,” said board chair Allan Tarnoczi.
“We want to thank our staff for moving the division forward and for always putting students first. No matter their role, each of our staff serve students and families extremely well.”
Information for this story was provided by Sandy Bexon, an information officer with Chinook’s Edge School Division.
