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Show vcKools FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2006 • B5 Covering what matters most Boyd Hamilton Margene Nielsen Ida Slaymaker LeRoy Valenzuela Michelle Bearnson Tim Braithwaite Jay Cornaby Ted Davies Kaye Hanson Nebo District announces retirees B oyd Hamilton, an electrical maintenance foreman for the Nebo School District is retiring after 30 years of service. He said, "I have always tried to remember that who we all work for is the students. I have always felt good about a project when the students were best served." Boyd is married to Debbie Hamilton and they have four children. argene Nielsen, a preschool technictian at Salem Elementary, retires after nine years of service in the Nebo School District. She has worked in the Salem, Spanish Oaks, Brockbank and old Rees elementary schools. She describes her job 'as working with three- to fiveyear-old special needs children. Margene enjoys reading and family. She and her deceased husband Russell have eight children. She has been a foster parent for many years as well, many of them with special needs. da Kay Slaymaker, a bus driver for the Nebo School District, retires after 35 years of service. Slaymaker drives the special needs school bus and has been awarded the Utah State School Bus Driver of the Year award. She comments, "Over the years I have worked with many drivers and students. I think that I have learned something positive from most of them." She is also a member of the Spanish Fork Firemen's Auxiliary. She and her husband Jim are the proud parents of four children and have 11 grandchildren. eRoy Valenzuela, a maintenance worker for the Nebo District, retires after 25 years of service. "I've really enjoyed working here," he said. "I appreciate everyone who's helped me." Valenzuela enjoyed roofing and grounds care as the majority of his work. He also enjoys hunting, fishing and camping. He is married to Yancey Valenzuela, and they have four children. ichelle Bearnson, a librarian at Pay son Junior High, retires after 30 years 'of service. Bearnson taught seventhgrade English for 14 years at Springville Middle School before coming to Payson Junior as a librarian. "It. seems that I have had two careers," she said, "one in the classroom where I loved the students; one in the library where I collaborated with teachers and directed students to information." She described her job as maintaining an appropriate collection of books and magazines for • the staff and students' educational and recreational needs. "I have loved being involved with teaching and watching the students grasp knowledge," she said. Be.arnson is involved with a youth 4-H group and the Utah State Junior Livestock Show. She enjoys reading, quilting and helping on the family ranch. She is married to Steven Bearnson, and they have two children. im Braithwaite, currently the coordinator of student services at the M I L M T district office, is retiring after 33 years of service in the Nebo School District. He taught math . for 24 years, was the assistant principal at Spanish Fork High for five years and the principal for two years, along with his roles as coach, athletic director, and drivers' education instructor. He has excelled in all these positions earning Baseball Coach of the Year award in 1976, Athletic Director of the Year award in 1995 and the State Award of Merit from the NIAAA in 2002, as well as recently being inducted into the Utah Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame this spring. "I love being around kids," Braithwaite said. His motto is: "Always look, for the good in students; then concentrate on making them feel important." ' He loves to golf, go fourwheeling, horse riding and the outdoors. He and his wife Ann have two children. ay Cornaby, a Spanish teacher at Spanish Fork Junior High School, is retiring after 35 years of service from the Nebo School District. Cornaby taught Spanish all 35 years, life science for 20 and biojogy for 15. He describes his job as rewarding to see students acquire knowledge and move forward. 'This is not a job, it's an adventure," he said. "I teach; therefore, I touch the future." Cornaby enjoys photography, farming and being with his family. Both of his daughters hat'e been involved in the Nebo District as well. Carla has been the PTA president for two years at Park Elementary, and Tiffany taught for six years at Spanish Fork High School before moving to Texas. For the past 30 summers he has enjoyed working with his in-laws at Flaming Gorge Lodge in the tourist business. ed Davies, a curriculum specialist for the Nebo School District retires after 30 years of service. Davies has served as a school social worker for four years, a school counselor for 21 years and in the district office for five years. His job includes monitoring the health/p.e. curriculum, and he is the coordinator for the Safe and Drug Free Schools program. He also served as President of Nebo Counselor's Association. Davies personal motto while working in these capacities has been: "It is not necessary to make the other person wrong in order for you to be right." "It has been a wonderful 30 years!" he said. "I can only dream that my next 30 years are filled with the same rich and fulfilling associations with wonderful students and coworkers." Davies enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, four-wheeling, exercising and being a handyman. aye Marie Hanson, a second-grade teacher at Barnett Elementary, retires after 29 years of teaching. Hanson's service has paid back the school in many ways. She received Outstanding Teacher of the Year award from WalMart, which resulted in the school being given a $1,000 check. "I'm grateful for the many associations that I have had J T K throughout the years, and the lasting friendships that I've made," she said. "I would like to express thanks and love to all the students I have taught for letting me be a part of their education." She said the rewards of teaching are seeing a cheerful smile, hearing laughter, receiving a hug, and watching the light come on in a child's eyes. Hanson and her husband Stephen, have two children and six grandchildren. She enjoys playing the piano and spending time with her grandchildren, especially on camping trips. arbara Hassard, a fourthgrade teacher at Park Elementary, retires after teaching for-19 years in the Nebo School District and one year outside the district. She has taught first grade for four years, second for seven years, then served as a Title 1 specialist for three years and has spent the last six years as a fourthgrade teacher. She also earned a Master's in school counseling and loves to teach reading, life skills and relationship skills. *i love teaching and the wonderful people I get to work with!" she said. .^ Her motto in life is: &ive many acts of kindness and share frequent bouts of laughter." She is well rounded and is part of a CERT team, is certified in CPR and first-aide and is a cake decorating teacher for 4-H. Hassard enjoys reading, traveling, baking and working in her flower garden. She and her husband Rex have five children. ohn Wayne Hawkins, a band, music theory and guitar teacher at Spanish Fork High School, is retiring after 30 years of teaching music. He taught band for all 30 years, choir for four, AP music theory for 10 years and guitar for 15 years. "I have enjoyed my years as a music teacher, in spite of the low pay," he said, "because I love music, and love working with teenagers who love music." Hawkins has loved playing the trombone all his life. He currently plays with the Utah Valley Symphony. His trombone paid his way through college, and took him on tours of the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He has received various awards such as Teacher of the Month numerous times; he was nominated for Who's Who in Education and won the KOSY Teacher of the Year award. He enjoys spending time with his wife Rilla Hawkins and his children. Beyond music, he likes horses and boating. He looks forward to serving a mission with his wife. alph L. Hughes, a fifthgrade teacher at Salem Elementary, retires after 14 years of service in the Nebo School District. Hughes has been awarded Teacher of the Year for 2002 and 2006, as well as the Salem Elementary "Home Town Hero" award for 2006. In addition to teaching Hughes has been involved in the community. He volunteers as a fireman/EMT, a youth fishing instructor, youth and adult sports official, and has received the Silver Beaver as a member of the Boy Scouts of B J R America. He is married to Susan Hughes and they have two daughters. "Thank you, Mr. Sorensen, the districtstaff,Mr.Schollenberger, and all the faculty and staff at Salem Elementary," he said, "for the opportunity to serve our kids." atricia Loftin, a thirdgrade teacher at Park Elementary, is retiring after 29 years of teaching. She taught kindergarten, second and third grade. "I have always felt that by treating a child with the self worth they deserve, you are empowering them with the tools to become the very best they can be," she said. She enjoys scrap-booking, doing genealogy, horse showing, camping and four-wheeling. She is married to Cecil Loftin and they have three children and nine grandchildren. ancy Melander; a second-grade teacher at Park Elementary, is retiring after 31 years of teaching. She has spent those entire 31 years in the secondgrade class. "I have often been asked why I have taught just second graders for the past 31 years," she said. "Probably selfish reasons at first. Then it became an emotional and financial investment in the little darlings. Whenever I heard 'That's too hard to do with second graders,' I always smiled and did it anyway. Second grade students are incredibly smart and capable, never boring. I am thankful for a profession that I have endeared. I can still see the little faces in my grown-up second graders." P N She expresses thanks to her family for helping and sacrificing over the years, and to the many colleagues and parents who have supported her. "But most of all, 'thank you' to all my second graders at Park Elementary, past and present, for teaching me every day," Melander said. ichael Olson retires from Spanish Fork High School this year. He wishes to thank all the great students, teachers, administrators, janitors, counselors, lunch ladies and secretaries he has worked with over the course of 33 years for making his life interesting and enjoyable. 'Those 33 years of reading great literature and working with bright people have been fulfilling," he said. He will miss the classroom and Spanish Fork High and hopes to keep in touch with all those who have contributed to his happiness. an Perkins, a physical education teacheratSpanish Fork Middle School, is retiring from the Nebo School District. For the past 23 years Perkins has taught health, life skills and physical education at Springville Junior High and Spanish Fork Middle Schools. "It's been a wonderful career, the kids are terrific, the job.has been fulfilling and I have lifelong friends from among the faculties I have been on," she said. Perkins has supervised after-school intramurals yearround and also coached high school basketball and softball. M J She mentored about 30 student teachers. She is involved in community recreation programs and enjoys golf, reading, movies and biking. She is married to Ned Perkins, and they have six children. erold L. Seely, a band teacher at Spanish Fork Middle School, retires from the Nebo School District after 36 years of teaching. Prior to teaching in the Nebo District, Seely taught for 22 years. He has taught band from fourth to twelfth grades, German, chorus, social studies, seventh-grade math and science, Wyoming history, marching band, pep band and general music. "The more you practice, the more talented you become" is his motto. "Every student has potential," Seely said. "It is always interesting to see how a student grows musically as they practice and learn to play a musical instrument.'1 He is married to Shirley Seely, and they are the proud parents of five children. He enjoys gardening, fishing, camping and traveling. arylin Stirling, a second-grade teacher at Rees Elementary, retires after 21 years of service in the Nebo School District. She taught fourth grade for two years, first grade for nine years and second grade for ten years. She said her views about teaching have been shaped by various authors. "They require that the teacher get into the child's 'quality world,'" Stirling said. "The child must understand that his/her teacher really cares about them." Stirling cares about her students and improving herself to better serve them. She is involved in Kids Cause, Community School Council, Cooperating Teacher, Grade Level Leader, Peaceable Schools Committee, UEA Representative for four years, and received additional training with Slingerland, Intensive Phonics, Grant Von Harrison, Balanced Literacy and state science workshops. She has a BS and a Master's equivalency from BYU. She has two children and eight step-children. She and her husband Keith Stirling have 53 grandchildren. She enjoys traveling, collecting recipe books, children's literature, gardening and cross word puzzles. enneth G. Davis,, the head custodian at Springville High School, is retiring from the Nebo School District after 17 years of service. Davis was responsible for the supervision and maintenance of the buildings and grounds at Springville High. He also managed a Safeway store for 27 years and served in the military for six years. "My Grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit," he said. "Be in the first group — there is much less competition." .Davis is married to Sandra Davis and they have six children and 17 grandchildren. He enjoys hunting, fishing and camping. Barbara Hassard J John Hawkins Ralph Hughes M K Patricia Loftin Nancy Melander Michael Olson Jan Perkins Jerold Seely Marylin Stirling |