By Chris Spangler
The School District of Fort Atkinson has recognized 39 employees who together have provided 655 years of service.
The employee recognition event was held Tuesday at the high school IMC, with board President Kory Knickrehm and District Superintendent Rob Abbott speaking.
“We are very fortunate to be honoring 39 individuals who have invested their time and energy into educating countless students,” Knickrehm said in his opening remarks. “Having children of my own in the school district, I have witnessed the unmeasurable compassion and dedication our staff has for their students. Each day, my kids come home and show me the math problem they are now able to solve, or the word they learned how to spell.
“As a parent, this means the world. As school board members, this is why we give our time. Better futures for our children lie ahead,” he said.
The board president noted that as a 1Fort team, these employees collectively work to improve the lives of the numerous students who come through the schools’ doors.
“Our staff is the starting point of building strong schools that directly benefit our larger community. Tonight, we extend gratitude to our team members and are gathered here to celebrate their years of service to the students, staff, and community,” Knickrehm said.
Abbott presented each of the honorees with a personalized pottery mug. They included:
30 years: Steve Bakken, mathematics teacher, Fort Atkinson Middle School; Kelly Ramirez, literacy interventionist, Barrie Elementary School; and Chris Reed, physical education teacher, middle school.
25 years: Mary Baldwin, custodian, Purdy Elementary School; Kevin Diece, mathematics teacher, middle school; Jeff Jensen, physical education teacher, Purdy; Rhonda Klingman, paraprofessional, middle school; Dana Linde, English teacher, high school; Amy Oakley, director of instruction, Luther Administration Building; and Heidi Wegner, multilingual teacher, middle school.
20 years: Kaaren Adams, kindergarten teacher, Barrie; Justin Frey, chemistry teacher, Fort Atkinson High School; Kim Westby, library media specialist, Luther Elementary School; Jamie Hahn-Hammer, third-grade teacher, Purdy; Nicholas Hamele, biology teacher, high school; Denise Poeppel, special education aide, Luther; and Candice Sayre, academic advancement coordinator, Luther Administration Building.
15 years: Jason Demerath, director of business services, Luther Administration Building; David Geiger, principal, Luther; Becky Johnson, kindergarten teacher, Purdy; Shannon Lyon, agriculture teacher, high school; Sigrid Reich, cook helper, Rockwell Elementary School; and Mandy Tamblyn, fifth-grade teacher, Luther.
10 years: Megan Agnew, science and social studies teacher, middle school; Tasha Baker, careers teacher, middle school; Michelle Brown, speech-language pathologist, Purdy; Tara Burki, special education teacher, middle school; Gina Courtier, special education administrative assistant, Luther Administration Building; Nate Daniels, business education teacher, high school; Lacy Edwards, library aide, middle school; Heather Hake, special education aide, high school.
Also, Nicole Hampton, special education teacher, high school; Annette Hoye, first-grade teacher, Purdy; Kelly Opperman, special education aide, Purdy; Barry Pagel, custodian, middle school; Bobbi Recob, second-grade teacher, Barrie; Gerald Shoup, special education teacher, high school; Joshua Vincent, grounds assistant, middle school; and Alexa Wiese, data coordinator, Luther Administration Building.
Abbott congratulated the honorees, saying that their commitment to the district is one of its strengths.
“People come to our district and stay in our district — serving our goal to ever improve learning for our students — each in our own way and in our own role,” he said. “The tenure of our staff combined with those who are new to our learning community is truly our good fortune.”
He quoted American philosopher Theodore “Ted” Lasso, who stated, “You know how they say that youth is wasted on the young? Well, I say don’t let the wisdom of age be wasted on you.
“I think this, a milestone anniversary year for you, is a perfect time to commit or perhaps recommit to applying the anticipation, vigor, relentlessness and vision of earlier years to the years that lie ahead,” Abbott said.
He stated that hope lies in the future of the young, and “each of you have the ability to impact our most precious commodity day in and day out: our students.
“Your work and your service directly touches our collective future — a potential impact never to be squandered,” he continued. “The work is hard and challenging, but ultimately amazingly rewarding. The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth.”
In conclusion, Abbott again thanked the longtime employees.
“Each of you help write the history of our district, create the future of our district, and strive to demonstrate the mantra of ‘we can, we will, we must.’ That is our way,” he said.
“So, cheers to you as we work together with your experience and dedication to continuously improve our students’ learning in the spirit of collaboration. Thank you for being on our team — we are one team, we are one district and we are one community,” Abbott concluded.
School District of Fort Atkinson employee recognition event attendees select sweets created by the Nutrition Department during Tuesday’s program.
School District of Fort Atkinson Board of Education President Kory Knickrehm welcomes honorees and guests to the employee recognition program at the high school IMC.
School District of Fort Atkinson Board of Education President Kory Knickrehm presents a mug to 10-year employee Gina Courtier, special education administrative assistant.
Fort Atkinson school staff applaud honorees saluted during Tuesday’s employee recognition program.
School District of Fort Atkinson Superintendent Rob Abbott addresses honorees and guests during the recognition program.
Annette Hoye, first-grade teacher, Purdy Elementary School, seated, from left; Michelle Brown, speech-language pathologist, Purdy; Bobbi Recob, second-grade teacher, Barrie Elementary School, and Tara Burki, special education teacher, middle school, along with Barry Pagel, custodian, middle school, standing, from left; Kelly Opperman, special education aide, Purdy; Gina Courtier, special education administrative assistant, Luther Administration Building; Heather Hake, special education aide, high school; Nicole Hampton, special education teacher, high school; Gerald Shoup, special education teacher, high school, and Nate Daniels, business education teacher, high school, were each recognized Tuesday for 10 years of service within the school district. Not pictured, but also recognized for 10 years of service were Megan Agnew, science and social studies teacher, middle school; Tasha Baker, careers teacher, middle school; Lacy Edwards, library aide, middle school; Joshua Vincent, grounds assistant, middle school, and Alexa Wiese, data coordinator, Luther Administration Building. All together, 39 longtime employees were recognized providing some 655 years of service between them.
Justin Frey, chemistry teacher, Fort Atkinson High School, 20 years, seated, from left; Candice Sayre, academic advancement coordinator, Luther Administration Building, 20 years; Kim Westby, library media specialist, Luther Elementary School, 20 years, and David Geiger, principal, Luther, 15 years, along with Sigrid Reich, cook helper, Rockwell Elementary School, 15 years, standing from left; Jason Demerath, director of business services, Luther Administration Building, 15 years, and Becky Johnson, kindergarten teacher, Purdy Elementary School, 15 years, are among district employees honored for their service. Also recognized, but not pictured were 15-year employees Shannon Lyon, agriculture teacher, high school, and Mandy Tamblyn, fifth-grade teacher, Luther. Twenty-year employees, who also were honored, but not pictured, include Kaaren Adams, kindergarten teacher, Barrie; Jamie Hahn-Hammer, third-grade teacher, Purdy; Nicholas Hamele, biology teacher, high school, and Denise Poeppel, special education aide, Luther Elementary School.
Heidi Wegner, multilingual teacher, middle school, 25 years, from left; Jeff Jensen, physical education teacher, Purdy Elementary School, 25 years; Amy Oakley, director of instruction, Luther Administration Building, 25 years, and Chris Reed, physical education teacher, Fort Atkinson Middle School, 30 years, are among district employees honored for their service. Thirty-year honorees not pictured are Steve Bakken, mathematics teacher, middle school, and Kelly Ramirez, literacy interventionist, Barrie Elementary School. Twenty-five year employees not pictured are Mary Baldwin, custodian, Purdy Elementary School; Kevin Diece, mathematics teacher, middle school; Rhonda Klingman, paraprofessional, middle school, and Dana Linde, English teacher, high school.
Chris Spangler photos.
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