School district honors retiring staff at reception


 
 

The Caņon City School District offered a thank you to nine staff members retiring after nearly 200 years of combined service.

A retirement reception was conducted Monday at the Abbey Events Center, and school board members shared with the staff and family audience a taste of each retiree’s service.

Retirees are David Chandler, seventh-grade math teacher at Harrison School, with the district for 25 years; Carol Crossley, Gifted and Talented Education coordinator, 32 years with the district; Cheryl Erickson, seventh-grade science teacher at Caņon City Middle School and district staff member for 34 years;

Sue Hitt, Caņon City High School English teacher and district employee for 12 years; Winifred Soester, seventh-grade social studies teacher with Harrison, 27 years with the school district; Vicky Murphy, library and study hall at CCHS, district employee for 12 years; Toby Tipton, paraprofessional at McKinley Elementary School, five years with the school district; Joe Trujillo, route driver in transportation, district staff member for nine years; and Marsha Wysong, building secretary at Harrison School, 20 years with the district.

“We appreciate the hard work of these staff members and wish them the best in the future,” Superintendent Robin Gooldy said.

Erickson, seventh-grade CCMS science teacher for 34 years, held the title of the most years with the district. Erickson said she looks forward to traveling and relaxing after more than a quarter century with the district.

Although Erickson said the event brought forward some solemn feelings along with the excitement.

“I was excited until tonight,” Erickson said jokingly. “I’m going to miss the district. They have been so wonderful.”

Crossley agreed with the district’s support for staff.

Crossley will continue to be involved as GATE coordinator, which she said “is very important to me.”

In the extra time she does have, Crossley will enjoy being a grandma. Her daughter soon will have a baby, and the GATE coordinator will spend a few weeks in California dedicated to her family.

“I never could have done that before,” she said.

Each retiree received an award — an engraved miniature schoolhouse and a thank you for their time well spent.

“Each one of them has contributed to the district, and we appreciate all their efforts,” Gooldy said.