Keystone Retirees: They’Ll Miss the Students
By ANNE SPONHOLTZ
Eight Keystone Heights area educators with combined experience in education of 280 years, with 219 of those years in Clay County, will mark 2007 as the year they retired.
Asked what they would change in education, the most popular response was for lawmakers and district administrators to become more knowledgeable and better informed about the classroom and school environments they oversee.
When it came to what these teachers will miss most, it was the students, hands down. And the best part of life after teaching will be no alarm clocks going off, traveling and spending time with grandchildren.
Name: Marilyn Blair
School: McRae Elementary School
Present position: First grade – always
Education: BA in education
Age: 59
Family: husband, Ken; 2 children; 6 grandchildren
Years in education: 30
Years in county schools: 30
Memorable moment: Every day there seems to be one! When one of my students wrote a poem for teachers and had it framed for me. I still have it, of course.
Name: Stefan Brokas
School: Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High School
Present position: 7th grade math; 9th, 10th intensive math
Past positions: athletic director, dean of students
Education: BS University of West Florida; MPE University of Florida
Age: 57
Family: wife, Celeste; 4 children
Years in education: 35
Years in county schools: 32
Memorable moment: 1994 girls basketball team state championship
Name: Beverly Kirby
School: McRae Elementary School
Present position: Media specialist
Previous positions: grades 3-5; grades 1-6 Title 1
Education: BA education with honors; specialization educational media and instructional design, University of Florida.
Age: 53
Family: twin daughters
Years in education: 29 years
Years in county schools: 22 years
Memorable moment: Opening of McRae Elementary School in 1996
Name: Patricia Kutyna
School: Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High School
Present position: grades 10-12, algebra 2, intensive math, liberal arts math
Previous positions: Dual enrollment instructor St. Johns River Community College; senior class sponsor; national honor society advisor; environmental club sponsor
Education: BA, Marywood College, Pennsylvania; Colgate University, NY; Master’s math education, University of Florida
Age: 64
Family: 3 sons; 3 grandchildren
Years in education: 40
Years in county schools: 33
Memorable moment: Passing out diplomas to the Class of 1980
Name: Peggy Morrissey
School: Keystone Heights Elementary School
Present position: assistant principal
Previous positions: physical education, coaching
Education: BS, University of Florida; MED, University of North Florida
Age: 60
Family: sister, brother; nieces and nephews
Years in education: 37
Years in county schools: 37
Memorable moment: Many wonderful moments, but the Peggy Morrissey Day at the school was an honor I’ll never forget.
Name: Lyn Sands
School: Keystone Heights Elementary
Present position: gifted, grades K-6
Previous positions: science; music; academic excellence, gifted magnet program
Education: Bachelors of music education, Florida State University; masters in elementary education and gifted certification, Nova Southeastern University
Age: 58
Family: husband, Larry; 1 son; 2 grandchildren
Years in education: 36
Years in county schools: 18
Memorable moment: Earning National Board Certification
Name: Vina Smith
School: Keystone Heights Elementary
Present position: Job sharing 2nd grade
Previous positions: K-7th grade; high school business class. Named 2007 Who’s Who Among Professional Women
Education: Tennessee Temple University; University of Florida; Florida Atlantic University; University of South Florida
Age: 64
Family: husband, Nick; son, daughter; 3 grandsons
Years in education: 38
Years in county shools: 23
Memorable moment: The year my 5th and 6th grade students started and operated a small business. Today three of these students are company owners.
Name: Bonnie Wright
School: Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High School
Present position: English III; critical thinking; exploring teaching
Previous positions: 8-12 grade English; yearbook sponsor 33 years
Education: BA, University of Florida; MS in administration and supervision, Nova University
Age: 57
Family: husband, Bob; 2 sons; 3 grandchildren
Years in education: 35 years
Years in county schools: 24 years
Memorable moment: Hearing about the lives, families and successes of former students.
NEW CLAY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORSThe 2007-08 list of Clay principals and district administrators varies greatly from the 2006-07 list, due to retirements, resignations and promotions. Here are the newly named administrators and their positions:District administratorsDenise Adams, deputy superintendentSharon Chapman, assistant superintendent for instructionToni McCabe, assistant superintendent for human resourcesLee Oliver, director of elementary educationDiane Kornegay, director of school improvementCheryl Parrow, supervisor of transportation servicesAlice Paulk, supervisor of career/technical educationKaren Robinson, media services specialistPeggy Williams, exceptional student education specialistJane Veschio, exceptional student education gifted counselorSchool-level administratorsTheresa Roman, Argyle Elementary principal Sarah Calhoun Timm, Argyle Elementary assistant principalMichelle Harris, W.E. Cherry Elementary assistant principalDavid Nix, Coppergate Elementary principalDebra Gaynes, Coppergate Elementary assistant principalRenee Pleasant, Grove Park Elementary assistant principalDana Archibald, S. Bryan Jennings Elementary principalTiffany Myrick, S. Bryan Jennings Elementary assistant principalAngela Gentry, Keystone Heights Elementary assistant principalLaura Fogerty, Lake Asbury Elementary assistant principalAmy Kennedy, Middleburg Elementary assistant principalTracey McLaughlin, Montclair Elementary assistant principalJane Bromagen, Orange Park Elementary principalHeather Kastelz, Paterson Elementary assistant principalRuth Casias, Ridgeview Elementary principalTracy Finley, Thunderbolt Elementary assistant principalAnthony Bradley, Thunderbolt Elementary assistant principalSaryn Hatcher, Green Cove Springs Junior High principalPaul Goodier, Green Cove Springs Junior High assistant principalTracey Kendrick, OakLeaf School assistant principalDeborah Segreto, Clay High vice principalMatt Lewis, Clay High assistant principalGreg Henderson, Fleming Island High assistant principalJohn O’Brien, Middleburg High assistant principalBill Fletcher, Orange Park High assistant principalJohn Westmoreland, Ridgeview High principalBeth Powell, Ridgeview High vice principalRob Feltner. Ridgeview High assistant principalLori Ricks, Ridgeview High assistant principalAngela Johnson, Wilkinson Junior High assistant principal
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