PEABODY — The district is saying goodbye to 20 employees who have retired.
“Their combined years of service and the number of students they have served here in the Peabody Public Schools is amazing,” said Superintendent of Schools Josh Vadala. “Their reach and their touch extends far beyond just the students they have now, but for years and years and years to come. We want to publicly thank them for their service and wish them the best of luck as they move forward.”
Peabody Veterans Memorial High School will be losing three staff members – special education teacher Leslie Ann Entwistle, history teacher Abbie Gore and physical education teacher Kathy Pingree..
Guidance Counselor Arlene Broughton, English teacher Winona DiNitto and senior clerk Catherine Fortin are retiring from the Higgins Middle School.
Burke School grade 4 teacher Sylvia Ward, Carroll School ELL teacher Olga Chaves and Carroll School grade 2 teacher Marianne Reeves are also retiring.
The Welch School is losing English teacher Jayne Dantona, preschool teacher Mary Ingersoll and Grade1 teacher Marie Vigna-O’Neil.
Other retirees include Center School Grade 2 teacher Sharlene Shalkoski, South School kindergarten teacher Deborah Donovan, McCarthy School paraprofessionals Diane Kaeding and Kathy Maragioglio, South School ELL teacher Kelly Knizak, IEP Team Chair-Integrated Preschool Kristin Hutton Fay, district-wide health teacher Christina McCarthy and district-wide speech and language pathologist Susan Robert.
“It’s amazing when you think about how many students and families they have touched as far as teachers and educators and we can never really truly appreciate what they’ve done. They are all going to be missed very, very much by everyone,” said School Committee member Beverley Griffin Dunne, adding the district hopes to have an in-person ceremony in the fall to honor the retirees .
“They can’t get away that easily without being honored,” said Dunne.
“I wholeheartedly agree with Mrs. Dunne,” said committee member Jarrod Hochman. “Something in the fall would be very nice and appropriate. It’s important to recognize them, many of whom have started and ended their careers here. It’s a bunch of talented people.”
Hochman mentioned two other people who are retiring this year — Carroll School crossing guard Kathy Vinagro and elementary schools school resource officer Rick Cochrane.
“They too have had a significant role in the day-to-day operations of the schools,” said Hochman. “They touch our kids on a daily basis.”
Following a motion by Hochman, the committee voted unanimously to send a letter of appreciation to the Police Department in recognition of the contributions and services the department has provided to the schools.
“These are two people who have contributed greatly to our school system and city,” said School Committee Chair, Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt, Jr.
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
