It was a time of happiness, reminiscing and some sadness as Carbon School District bade farewell to 10 dedicated employees on the evening of May 18 at the district’s annual Retirement and Awards Banquet.
“This is one of the best times of the year for me,” said Carbon District Superintendent Steve Carlson while addressing the banquet. “I get to tell people thanks for the fine job they have done and it is a happy time.”
Retiring from from the teaching ranks of the district this year are:
• Dan Taylor, a long time Carbon High science teacher who Principal Bruce Bean said was one of the most influential teachers he had ever worked with in his educational career:
• Debra Scovill, who has been with the district since 1977 teaching at three elementary schools, including the last 24 years at Castle Heights Elementary;
• Katherine Milburn, who originally came from Minnesota and had to adjust to life in the west and consequently won the Teacher of the Year award three years in a row;
• Leigh Luddington, who is well known as the elementary teacher that taught hands on science to kids at Creekview Elementary for many years;
• Suzanne Jensen, who has worked for the district for 29 years and worked at Carbon High School as well as both middle schools (formally junior highs):
• Diane Gundlach, who said she has spent 7,723 days at school teaching and over 43 years in the classroom.
• Marilyn Ellis, who planned a short five year career as a teacher in the beginning but ended up working in the classrooms of Carbon District from the early 1990’s until this year.
The district also honored two long time classified employees that are retiring this year including:
• Beth Gotfredson, whose infectious laugh as a School Nutrition Secretary is well known across the district;
• Jolene Greenwood, who has been serving as Supt. Carlsen’s Administrative Assistant since he came to the district five years ago and has in the district since 1985 filling many different roles.
• Gloria Malstrom, the Counseling Secretary at Carbon High for 28 years who has worked with at least 10 counselors and thousands of students in her time there.
Awards
The district also gave out four Extra Mile Awards this year to Mika Salas, the Principal at Helper Middle School for Administrator-of-the-Year; Kim Williams, as the Teacher of the Year, and who works with autistic children around the district, Gloria Malstrom, the Counseling Secretary at Carbon High as Classified Employee-of-the-Year, and Leann Taylor, the Volunteer-of-the-Year, who works at Castle Heights Elementary.