The New Era
School District 55 retired one administrator, two teachers and five classified employees as of June. One administrator will continue on special contract.
Sweet Home Junior High School Principal Hal Huschka retired after a year on special contract, completing 32 years with the district. He officially retired in June 2012.
Retiring teachers include Jim Hawkins, who taught a fifth- and sixth-grade blended class at Oak Heights Elementary School. He has worked at Oak Heights since 1994.
Linda Leveque retired from the Resource Room at Hawthorne Elementary School after 24 years in education. She was a special education teacher in Sweet Home for 23 years.
Among classified employees, Foster Elementary School Media Specialist Kay Clark retired after 27 years in the district. She worked the 2012-13 school year on a special contract. Over the years, she worked as a teaching assistant, computer assistant and food services assistant. She spent the past 13 years as a media specialist at Foster.
Linda Holley retired as an alternative education assistant at Sweet Home High School. She began her career in the district in 1985 as an assistant. For the past 24 years, she was an alternative education assistant at SHHS.
Hawthorne Elementary School Media Assistant Michele King retired after 27 years. She was hired in 1986 as a special needs assistant, later working as a secretary. She officially retired last summer and worked 2012-13 on special contract, completing her 12th year as media assistant at Hawthorne.
Carollin Nothiger called it quits as print shop coordinator at the Central Office after 39 years with the district. She was hired to work in the print shop in 1974. She officially retired some years ago but had been working on a special contract.
Marilyn Richards, secretary at SHJH, worked on a special contract in 2012-13 after retiring last summer. She was hired by the district in 1989.
She worked as a teaching assistant and a special needs assistant. She was secretary at SHJH for the past 13 years.
Elena Barton, director of Student Services and principal at Holley, officially retired but will continue working on a special contract next school year. She began her career in Sweet Home as a school psychologist in 1985. She was hired as Student Services Director in 1988. In 1993, she became a part-time director and part-time elementary school principal. She has completed 28 years in the district.