30 More Teachers, Staff To Retire From Parkland

Thirty more teachers and staff plan to retire from the at the end of the school year.

Among those retiring are elementary teachers, language, math and physical education teachers, a nurse, drivers education and information technology teachers, a librarian and an administrative assistant.

and school board members on Tuesday lauded the teachers and staff for their decades of service to the district's students. Those retiring have worked at Parkland for 13 to 41 years.

Sniscak said the teachers and staff have affected many students' lives over the course of their service.

The school Board approved the following retirements:

• JoAnn G. Bush, a fourth grade teacher at Kernsville Elementary School, is retiring after 38 years of service.
• Diane M. Cortazzo, a German teacher at, is retiring after 34 years of service.
• Lynette J. Daniels, a second grade teacher at Fogelsville Elementary School, is retiring after 34 years of service.
• Robert R. Rabe, a fifth grade teacher at Kernsville Elementary School, is retiring after 41 years of service.
• Kenneth W. Koch, a fifth grade teacher at Kernsville Elementary School, is retiring after 37 years of service.
• Barbara Jo Gorman, a Spanish teacher at Parkland High School, is retiring after seven years of service in Parkland, and 41 years of total service in education.
• Margaret Stango, school nurse at Ironton Elementary School, is retiring after 16 years of service.
• Dawn W. Christman, information technology teacher at , is retiring after 37 years of service.
• Deborah L. Barrett, Spanish teacher at Parkland High School, is retiring after 26-1/2 years of service.
• Wendy L. Seagreaves, librarian at Ironton Elementary School, is retiring after 38 years of service.
• Gertrude M. Dover, family and consumer science teacher at Orefield Middle School, is retiring after 34 years of service.
• Jayne S. Miller, gifted teacher at Ironton Elementary School, is retiring after 27 years of service.
• Dianne M. Jarrell, administrative assistant II at , is retiring after 22 years of service.
• Sandra K. Solt, a third grade teacher at , is retiring after 39-1/2 years of service.
• Jean E. Zellner, a third grade teacher at Fogelsville Elementary School, is retiring after 38 years of service.
• Edwin H. Rabenold, physical education teacher at , is retiring after 36 years of service.
• Mary Farrell, school nurse at Schnecksville Elementary School, is retiring after 13 years of service in Parkland as a school nurse and 21 total years in Parkland.
• Claire A. Bried, kindergarten teacher at Kernsville Elementary School, is retiring after 24 years of service.
• Bonnie L. Bortz, health and physical education teacher, and department chair for driver education at Parkland High School, is retiring after 37 years of service.
• Cynthia A. Best, a math teacher at Parkland High School, is retiring after 35-1/2 years of service.
• Michael J. Oblas, a math teacher at Orefield Middle School, is retiring after 37 years of service.
• Peggy L. Coker, a third grade teacher at Kernsville Elementary School, is retiring after 37 years of service.
• Christine S. Hankee, a first grade teacher at Kernsville Elementary School, is retiring after 35 years of service.
• Constance J. Harakal, health and physical education teacher at Parkland High School, is retiring after 28-1/2 years of service.
• Diane L. Stover, a fifth grade teacher at Ironton Elementary School, is retiring after 31 years of service.
• Stephanie J. Szilagyi, a reading specialist at Kernsville Elementary School, is retiring after 37 years of service.
• Jane A. Bedell, a chemistry teacher at Parkland High School, is retiring after 36 years of service.
• Christine M. Beck, a second grade teacher at Parkway Manor Elementary School, is retiring after 38 years.
• Donald C. Reifinger Jr., a business education and driver education teacher at Parkland High School, is retiring after 38 years.
• Cheryl Polca, an information technology teacher at Springhouse Middle School, is retiring after 34 years.

Additional retirements have previously been announced. The school board, at meetings in October and December, approved the retirements of :

• , a math teacher at Springhouse Middle School, who will retire after 38 years of service, effective June 30, 2012.
• , art teacher at Schnecksville Elementary School and coordinator of the Blake Space Shuttle Program.
• Deborah Zohn, a music teacher at Orefield Middle School, is retiring after 35 years of service.

The teachers union is in the final year of its five-year contract with the district. Sniscak said schools tend to lose teachers to retirements at the end of a contract year.