A total of 85 Lee’s Summit R-7 staff members were recognized at the district’s annual Retirement Reception, held recently at the Stansberry Leadership Center. The honored guests included staff members retiring at the end of this school year as well as those retiring anytime after the May 2017 reception.

These 85 retiring staff members have worked for a combined total of 1,621 years within Lee’s Summit R-7 plus many also worked additional years in other school districts before joining R-7.

Congratulations to all retirees, including Beth Akins, Summit Lakes Middle School library media clerk; Janet Asher, Lee’s Summit High School teacher associate; David Baldwin, R-7 bus driver; Shari Barr, Meadow Lane Elementary custodian; Sandy Bauer, Hazel Grove Elementary and Underwood Elementary library media specialist; Irene Boylan, Pleasant Lea Elementary cafeteria production staff; Marcy Carpenter, R-7 human resources specialist; Lisa Chapman, Prairie View Elementary reading specialist; Kay Collins, Lee’s Summit Elementary teacher; Laura Dannels, Cedar Creek Elementary principal’s secretary; Marcia Deml, Westview Elementary teacher; Kristie DeSelms, Westview Elementary counselor; Chris Eisenmenger, Stansberry Leadership Center administrative assistant; Kay Farrell, R-7 human resources specialist; Lori Fender, Great Beginnings Early Education Center administrative secretary; Kirsten Fenwick, Longview Farm Elementary teacher; Michael Foland, R-7 Transportation Services bus driver; David Fox, Lee’s Summit High School teacher; Kristie Fox, Lee’s Summit North High School teacher; Michael Gerhardt, Sunset Valley Elementary teacher; Carol Germano, Hawthorn Hill Elementary principal; Colleen Gibler, Lee’s Summit West High School teacher; Linda Gilliam, Lee’s Summit High School teacher; Cheri Gutekunst, Great Beginnings Early Education Center speech/language pathologist; Stacey Hamann, Lee’s Summit North High School teacher; Jackie Harvey, Pleasant Lea Elementary teacher; Dr. Judy Hedrick, R-7 associate superintendent of business and operations; Chris Homan, Lee’s Summit High School counselor; Kendra Hutsell, R-7 director of accounting; Kris Jenkins, Bernard Campbell Middle School teacher; Nancy Joseph, Lee’s Summit Elementary reading specialist; Carol Keating, R-7 secondary math curriculum specialist; Mary Kjenaas, Miller Park Center paraprofessional specialist; Kathy Koeneman, Lee’s Summit North High School principal’s secretary; Judy Koerner, Lee’s Summit West High School paraprofessional specialist; Mary Kreikemeier, Highland Park Elementary teacher; Janet Leetch, Westview Elementary teacher; Dr. Sherri Lewis, Bernard Campbell Middle School principal; Donnie Havner Lilly, Bernard Campbell Middle School teacher; Julie Lindstrom, Richardson Elementary speech and language pathologist; Bridget Lowrie, Hazel Grove Elementary behavior interventionist; Sara Jo Martin, Underwood Elementary teacher; Sue McCanless, Pleasant Lea Middle School teacher; Nancy McCutcheon, Before- and After-School Services program specialist; Judy McWilliams, Trailridge Elementary principal’s secretary; Dr. Elaine Metcalf, Summit Technology Academy principal; Dr. Jeff Miller, R-7 associate superintendent of human resources; Keith Miller, Lee’s Summit High School teacher; Nancy Monaghan, Highland Park Elementary teacher; Paul Morales, Pleasant Lea Middle School teacher and R-7 music curriculum specialist; Ellen Morgan, Lee’s Summit West High School custodian; John Mulder, R-7 Transportation Services trainer; Jim Nazworthy, Lee’s Summit High School teacher; Frances Neal, Westview Elementary paraprofessional generalist; Beckie Oberhelman, Lee’s Summit West High School cafeteria assistant manager; Laure Paige, Great Beginnings Early Education Center teacher; Sandra Palma, R-7 bus driver; Rick Patterson, Prairie View Elementary resource aide; Marta Peck, Longview Farm Elementary Before- and After-School Services assistant site coordinator; Janice Phelan, R-7 executive director of communications; Ann Pike, Lee’s Summit North High School teacher; Charles Pitcher, R-7 bus driver; Anne Purtle, Lee’s Summit High School building clerk; Larry Rachaner, R-7 Transportation Services mechanic; Jan Richardson, Lee’s Summit North High School teacher; Janie Rohlfing, Stansberry Leadership Center administrative secretary; Beverly Rosenthal, Highland Park Elementary cafeteria manager; Sue Selby, Highland Park Elementary teacher; Nancy Shadel, R-7 bus driver; Shauna Shipman, Trailridge Elementary teacher; Myda Simonin, Trailridge Elementary cafeteria production staff; Karin Spencer, Great Beginnings Early Education Center parent educator; Mike Spotts, Lee’s Summit North High School teacher; Latricia Staley, R-7 bus monitor; Stephanie Stephenson, Lee’s Summit West High School registrar; Karla Thompson, Lee’s Summit High School teacher; Pam Upton, Lee’s Summit High School teacher; Marsha Vest, Cedar Creek Elementary teacher; Stacey Walkenhorst, Richardson Elementary teacher; Cynthia Ward, Woodland Elementary reading specialist; Christy Weber, Before- and After-School Services registered nurse; Mark Wheeler, Hawthorn Hill Elementary custodian; Dale Williamson, Miller Park Center educational therapist; Julia Wright, Lee’s Summit North High School custodian; and Joni Yager, R-7 Nutrition Services administrative assistant.