San Diego Unified Commemorates the “Other Class of 2019” at Celebration for New Retirees
As schools bid farewell to the Class of 2019, it's not just students who are poised to take on a new chapter of their lives.
Following a whirlwind of commencement ceremonies throughout the San Diego Unified School District, another group of “graduates” celebrated a rite of passage.
San Diego Unified honored its 2019 retirees at the annual Retiree Celebration, which was held on the lawn at the Ed Center. Under the shade of the blooming jacaranda trees, 190 retirees celebrated with family, friends, and colleagues.
The 2019 retirees cover a diverse cross-section of district positions, including 92 certificated and 91 classified staff members, who collectively have contributed more than 4,000 years of service to students throughout San Diego Unified.
The retirees had the opportunity to introduce themselves, share where they worked, and how many years they had been with the district. Most of the retirees had more than 20 years of service; five had more than 40 years.
One of the teachers, Perry Zavala—most recently at Curie Elementary School—is retiring after nearly 25 years of service. The principal, Cara Marshall, voiced the staff's unified sentiment, “Perry will be missed by all at Curie but they are thrilled for him and all the adventures that await.”
Josefina Acevedo, retiring from Food Services after 27 years with the district, has left a mark with students at Logan Elementary School, where she is fondly known as the “snack lady” for an afterschool program.
“As many times as I've attended this annual event, I never cease to be amazed by all the talented people who have dedicated so much energy and commitment toward improving our students' education,” said Superintendent Cindy Marten.
The festivities featured refreshments from the district's Food Services department and live music from the Monroe Clark Middle School Student Jazz Band. New to this year's celebration was a wellness component during the pre-ceremony reception, with a focus on the district's commitment to health and wellness. Interactive wellness booths included “Mindfulness,” “Nutrition,” and “Physical Fitness” stations, giving honorees a taste of the retirement life. The retirees got to practice their golf game on a special putting green, aimed at encouraging retirees to stay physically active. The retiree with the winning drive gets to kick off their retirement at SeaWorld, courtesy of SeaWorld San Diego.
Board President Sharon Whitehurst-Payne and board trustees Mike McQuary and Richard Barrera also joined the celebration.
For those who were unable to attend, Certificates of Appreciation will be mailed to the home address on file.
To view photos from the event, please click here
List of 2018-19 Retirees:
| Last |
First Name |
| Acevedo |
Josefina |
| Althof |
Susie |
| Armstrong |
Teri |
| Banks |
Vicky |
| Bayacal |
Soledad |
| Behar |
Steven |
| Bellofatto |
Laura |
| Beraud |
Michael |
| Bess |
Christine |
| Bogan |
Willie |
| Bowen |
Maritza |
| Breen |
Helen |
| Brengle |
Diane |
| Burbery |
Glenda |
| Burnett |
Wendy |
| Carlos |
Elizabeth |
| Castelo |
Alberto |
| Castillo |
Ricardo |
| Castillo |
Marvin |
| Chalupsky |
Shelley |
| Chavez |
Becky |
| Christiansen |
Carol |
| Cisneros |
Rita |
| Cooper |
Steven |
| Cox |
Nancy |
| Creeden |
Kelly |
| Culley |
Erika |
| Davis |
Johnnie |
| Deppensmith |
Steven |
| DiBernardo |
Penelope |
| Dial |
Linda |
| Doerner |
Curtis |
| Dukes |
LaVirgia |
| Esparza |
Maria |
| Espinoza |
Luis |
| Evins |
Elaine |
| Fleming |
William |
| Flowers |
Steven |
| Forsythe |
Vanessa |
| Frahm |
Nancy |
| Freeman |
Nory |
| Fulke |
Patrick |
| Galindo |
Maureen |
| Garrett |
Martha |
| Gates |
Laurie |
| Gibbs |
Betty Jean |
| Gilliamson |
William |
| Gomez |
Reyna |
| Goodmar |
Wendy |
| Grano |
Robert |
| Greer |
Bobby |
| Greer |
Barbara |
| Hancock |
Lynn |
| Hansen |
Joan |
| Harrison |
Barbara |
| Hart |
Thomas |
| Hedges |
Cynthia |
| Hernandez |
Patricia |
| Hernandez |
Ana |
| Hoeger |
Jean |
| Hughes |
Monica |
| Jackson |
Jimmy |
| Jander |
Donna |
| Jenkins |
Jeffrey |
| Jennings-Mull |
Mary |
| Jimenez |
Margarita |
| Johansen |
Theresa |
| Johnson |
Estelle |
| Johnson |
Joanne |
| Johnson |
Lynda |
| Johnson |
Melody |
| Kelly |
Maria |
| King |
Sara |
| King |
Delbert |
| Knox |
Kathryn |
| Kuck |
Carole |
| Laborie |
Daniel |
| Lamarr |
Jessica |
| Larson |
Yvonne |
| Lauriano |
Barbara |
| Lewis |
Eugene |
| Lewis |
Marni |
| Lindberg |
Jeri |
| Little |
Michael |
| Locher |
Paul |
| Locke |
Marlowe |
| Loughman |
Pamela |
| Malekesmaili |
Fatemeh |
| Manimtim |
Perlita |
| Manns |
Patricia |
| Marquez |
Domingo |
| Mayorga |
Lawrance |
| Mayorga |
Lawrance |
| McCarty |
Becky |
| McCarty |
Perry |
| McCunney |
Tina |
| Mcphatter-Raspberry |
Patricia |
| Mitzman |
Marilyn |
| Moody |
Daniel |
| Morales |
Deborah |
| Mosburg-Michael |
Sharlee |
| Nailon |
Eddie |
| Nichols |
Sue |
| Niemela |
Karen |
| Norton |
Michael |
| Oconnor |
Patrick |
| Oconnor |
Patrick |
| Olson |
Kathleen |
| Olsson |
Ola |
| Oneill |
Helen |
| Ouadah |
Janet |
| Padilla |
Gloria |
| Padilla |
Prisciliano |
| Perea |
Maria |
| Perez-Garcia |
Margarita |
| Peterson |
Sharon |
| Phinney |
Jerry |
| Pierson |
Joanne |
| Platt |
Cassandra |
| Plemons |
William |
| Powell |
Sharon |
| Press |
Gerald |
| Pugh |
Daniel |
| Quinones |
Andres |
| Quitugua |
Sammie |
| Raines |
Frances |
| Ramelli |
Henry |
| Reasman |
Diane |
| Roadarmel |
Merlinda |
| Rosevear |
Joseph |
| Rucker |
William |
| Russell |
Angela |
| Saiken |
Robin |
| Sanchez |
Camelia |
| Sandoval |
Celia |
| Savary |
V |
| Seaman |
Bonnie |
| Sensenbaugh |
Kit |
| Serrano |
John |
| Shefcik |
Michael |
| Sheldon |
Michael |
| Shinn |
Gayle |
| Simpson |
Hesketh |
| Singh |
Carol |
| Smeltzer |
Steven |
| Smith |
Steven |
| Soderberg |
Loni |
| Soria |
Claudia |
| Staton |
Linda |
| Steckbeck |
Pamela |
| Swain |
Barbara |
| Sweet |
Susan |
| Swilper |
Margaret |
| Sylvester |
Katrina |
| Talley |
Dale |
| Tani |
Janis |
| Taylor |
Jackson |
| Thomas |
Kathy |
| Thomson |
Mary Ann |
| Tronerud |
Kathy |
| Udell |
Nina |
| Valdivieso |
Irazema |
| Vanderhurst |
Dianna |
| Vincent |
John |
| Vitale |
Maria |
| Wainio |
Joseph |
| Ward |
Cheryl |
| Webb |
Ann |
| Wehage |
Cherie |
| Wenham |
Teresa |
| West |
Maureen |
| Whisman |
Donald |
| Whitehurst |
Thomasine |
| Whitehurst |
Deborah |
| Williams |
Glen |
| Williams |
Sidney |
| Williamson |
Beatriz |
| Woehler |
Viki |
| Wright |
Velvet |
| Zarr |
Sara |
| Zavala |
Perry |
| Zazas Holm |
Catherine |