• Retirees honored for their longtime service to district

    retThe 13 retirees this year from the Bellefonte Area School District have a combined 318 years of service to the district.

    On May 22, a celebration was held at the high school to honor them for their longtime service to Bellefonte Area. It included an hors devours hour catered by the district’s food service department, live music from high school band and orchestra members and a moment to recognize those leaving the district this year. They were handed a customized red apple, while Superintendent Michelle Saylor read letters of commendation about the 2017-18 retirees – much which included that they were “appreciated” and “irreplaceable.”

    They are:

    • ret2Patricia Correll, kindergarten teacher, who has served the district for 30 years
    • Cheryl DeCusati, kindergarten teacher, who has served the district for 25 years
    • Barbara Duck, van driver, who has served the district for 20 years
    • Karen Fye, lead cook, who has served the district for 17 years
    • Stephanie Grieb, high school teacher, who has served the district for 24 years
    • Suzanne Krebs, para-educator, who has served the district for 17 years
    • Mary Miltenberger, sixth-grade teacher, who has served the district for 17 years
    • Anna Murphy, para-educator, who has served the district for 20 years
    • Diane Silvis, elementary orchestra teacher, who has served the district for 25 years
    • Donna Smith, eighth-grade teacher, who has served the district for 33 years
    • Karen Truesdale, school nurse, who has served the district for 18 years
    • Jay Zimmerman, high school music teacher, who has served the district for 36 years
    • Sue Zimmerman, elementary music teacher, who has served the district for 36 years

    DeCusati event took the time to thank her peers and reminisce on the past. She leaves the district as a kindergarten teacher at Marion-Walker Elementary School along with Correll, also a kindergarten teacher at Marion-Walker.

    “Especially the children are endeared to my heart,” she said. “Retirement opens up a new chapter for me, but in addition you will have your own book with pages yet to be written filled with blessings and opportunities. … I will forever be proud of this wonderful, supportive and progressive district – a district of respect and excellence.”

    *By Brit Milazzo, public relations director, BASD