By Andrew Harrington
ELLSWORTH — The Ellsworth Community School District held its annual recognition dinner May 7 at The Ridgetop, celebrating retiring staff and staff that reached years of service milestones.
Retirees: Lemoine Baker, bus driver; Marlyce Bayer, elementary teaching assistant/PKC staff; Tammy Blodgett, high school administrative assistant; Mary Edquist, elementary food service; Gale Harris, elementary occupational therapy assistant; Loni Johnson, elementary library assistant; Kari Langer, elementary teaching assistant; Nancy O’Neill, elementary fourth grade teacher; Stacie Robey, high school alternative teaching assistant; Julie Winegar, high school technology education teacher; Susan Beck, board member
Employees with 40 Years of Service: Randy Brickner, bus driver.
30 Years of Service: Michelle Mitchell, elementary third grade teacher; Lynette Winger, elementary teaching assistant.
25 Years of Service: Pam Fedie, elementary first grade teacher; Lisa Groh, elementary counselor; Kris Hines, middle school teaching assistant; Kari Jennings, elementary first grade teacher; ReAnna Magee, elementary kindergarten teacher; Tami Place, elementary teaching assistant; Daniel Unser, bus driver.
20 Years of Service: Joshua Erlandson, high school special education teacher; Lee Langer, bus driver; Drew Pechacek, middle school sixth grade math teacher; Jessica Wiskow, high school counselor.
15 Years of Service: Ryan Christenson, high school alternative education teacher; Karine Coulson, elementary 4K teacher; Jody Kirchner, elementary teaching assistant; Darren Place, bus driver; Doug Sjostrom, bus driver.
14 Years of Service: Jennifer Kieren, high school English teacher; Roy Power, bus driver; Konnie Roland, elementary teaching assistant.
13 Years of Service: Tina Hallock, elementary administrative assistant; Mandy Heitman, elementary kindergarten teacher; Kelly Kyllo, middle school counselor; Jennifer VanWatermeulen, elementary Title One teaching assistant.
12 Years of Service: Andrew Borner, high school custodian; Michael Chisholm, bus garage director; Katherine Christenson, high school ag education teacher; Suzanne Gillman, high school custodian; Jill Hutcheson, middle school physical education teacher; Marcia Jahnke, high school science teacher; Amber Kruse, district substitute teacher; Diana Lange, middle school special education teacher; Jessica Maurer, middle school teaching assistant; Rocky Minder, middle school custodian; Geoffrey Pogorelski, district technology director; Nicole Vandeberg, high school math teacher.
11 Years of Service: Sarah Ainsworth, district-wide EL education teacher; Leroy Clark, bus driver; Nicholas Foley, district-wide instructional coach; Rob Heller, high school assistant principal; Anthony Hines, van driver; Barry Hove, van driver; Rebecca Lane, high school administrative assistant; Angela Nelson, elementary teaching assistant; Bryan Olson, elementary custodian; Terry Olson, bus driver; Lindsey Paul, elementary second grade teacher; Kari Preston, food service; Robert Tharalson, bus driver.
10 Years of Service: Karen Capper, high school English teacher; Claudine Claflin, district office administrative assistant; Corey Hilden, bus garage mechanic; Michael Knudsen, bus driver; Jessica Kuske, middle school technology education teacher; Laurie Neeley, district technology technician; Katelyn Traynor, high school English teacher; Patti Unser, van driver.