McMinnville School District retirees to be honored

Retiring teacher Sheila Lenker, who was instrumental in starting McMinnville High School’s child care and child development education program, will be guest of honor at a public retirement event Wednesday, June 14.

The event will start at 5 p.m. at the school’s Bear Hugs child care center, which is accessible from 15th Street near Ford. Some MHS graduates who were teen parents in the early days of Bear Hugs will speak.

Lenker is one of several people retiring from the McMinnville School District this year.

Others are: Karleen Booth, Newby Elementary English Learner program; Michelle Buczynski, counselor and business teacher at Mac High; Kevin Carroll, director of student services for the district; Debra Chiovaro, music at Buel Elementary; Karen Drader, Grandhaven Elementary kindergarten; Kathi Geelan, Newby library and general ed teaching assistant; Steven Helzer, district custodial supervisor; Dwight McFaddin, Mac High campus supervisor; Thomas Newton, Mac High counselor; Nancy Payne, Buel teaching assistant; Paula Roth, facility/maintenance secretary; Esther Sheffield, teaching assistant and migrant education liaison; Kathleen Ulvang, teaching assistant in the MHS alternative education program; and Jerome Verduyn, Mac High custodian.

They were honored Monday at a reception prior to the school board meeting.