We Are WDMCS
Special Staff Recognition Edition
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Thank You for an Incredible 2020-21 School Year!
Staff Appreciation Reflection from Superintendent Remy
The 2020-21 school year was full of challenge and change. It was a year like no other. Now spring is here, and with it, comes a sense of new beginnings and a hope for a return to normal.
I wonder what normal will look like moving forward? As we begin to look forward to the 2021-22 school year, three words come to mind: reflect, renew, and refocus.
REFLECT
What can we celebrate from this school year? What made us better? What will we keep? What will we discard? What will be important to remember?
I believe if we pause for just a moment, we all can find many celebrations from this past year. We’ve learned how to support each other in ways we previously may never have considered. When we could not give a hug or see a smile, we found new ways to demonstrate care and empathy: an elbow bump, a head nod, eye contact. We learned how to teach students both in-person and online at the same time while juggling many roles, including IT technician!
We recognized the importance of activities and athletics for our students and found ways to safely offer many opportunities to keep students engaged and connected outside of class.
We problem-solved, pivoted, and promised each other we would get through this year TOGETHER. Walnut Creek Campus’s mantra of “The Walrus Way” fostered unity among teachers and students. Last spring, dozens of Tigers Together yard signs filled neighborhood yards in solidarity. Whether or not the signs made it through our long winter, the sentiment remains.
RENEW
How are we taking care of ourselves? How are we reconnecting with each other? How will we connect with our students and families? Throughout this past school year, we focused on social-emotional learning for our adults and students. I know it is not always easy to take time for renewal, but I encourage each of you to find time to breathe and rejuvenate. When we take time for self-care, we are better equipped to come alongside our students, co-workers, families, and friends.
For those of you who are retiring, I wish you the best and hope you find joy in your new phase of life.
REFOCUS
Where are we headed? What will we embrace in the new school year? Let’s lift up our strategic plan, Priority Six, and Portrait of a Graduate as our focus for the 2021-22 school year. As we look forward to what the next school year will bring, it is important for us to refocus.
While we don't know what 'normal' will look like next year, I'm proud of our staff for coming through an extraordinarily difficult year together. Our circumstances forced us to shift our priorities, but we must now remind ourselves of our promise to WDMCS students. We want all of our students to be postsecondary-, career-, and life-ready. It is up to us to create a learning environment that fosters communication, collaboration, critical thinking, innovation, and continuous learning, and is culturally responsive along with supporting the social emotional needs of our students.
Again, this school year was full of challenge and change. Remember to approach each day with enthusiasm, stay positive, be thankful, learn, improve, and grow. The best is yet to come.
Lisa Remy, Ed.D.
Superintendent
WDMCS Message to Staff from Board of Education President
30, 35, 40, & 45 Years of Service
45 Years
- Sam Kranovich, Valley High School
40 Years
- Dawn Bassett, Fairmeadows Elementary
35 Years
- Sheryl Bastian, Fairmeadows Elementary
- Mary Johnson, Crestview School of Inquiry
- Kay Woods, Stilwell Junior High
30 Years
- Carey Hunerdosse, Western Hills Elementary
- Kelly Chambers, Crossroads Park Elementary
- Dr. Robert Davis, Crossroads Park Elementary
- Michelle Dodd, Crestview School of Inquiry
- Kay Eller-Campbell, Community Education
- Tony Garmoe, Westridge Elementary
- Jill Grossklaus, Crestview School of Inquiry
- Ann Jaros, Westridge Elementary
- Cheryl Miller, Clive Learning Academy
- Jackie Scieszinski, Indian Hills Junior High
- KJ Yaeger, Learning Resource Center
Bold = retirees
20 & 25 Years of Service
25 Years
- Sheri Fitz, Learning Resource Center
- Jackie Armstrong, Learning Resource Center
- Barb Bailey-Mead, Walnut Creek Campus
- Jeff Dyer, Valley High School
- Christie Engelbert, Crossroads Park Elementary
- Peggy Epstein, Learning Resource Center
- Debbie Erbes, Jordan Creek Elementary
- Julie Erickson, Valley High School
- Kim Fitzgerald, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Peri Halma, Stilwell Junior High
- George Higgins, Western Hills Elementary
- Kelly Hingl, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Patty Hon, Western Hills Elementary
- David Kobberdahl, Fairmeadows Elementary
- Pam Reynolds, Indian Hills Junior High
- Brian Rhoads, Valley High School
- Christie Wicks, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Lisa Wright, Valley High School
20 Years
- Brian Abeling, Learning Resource Center
- Tony Aunspach, Walnut Creek Campus
- Chad Barnes, Crossroads Park Elementary
- Mikhail Belikov, Community Education
- Dr. Shane Christensen, Indian Hills Junior High
- Julie Conzett, Crossroads Park Elementary
- Sara Costello, Crestview School of Inquiry
- Tim Dunn, Fairmeadows Elementary
- Carol Engelmann, Valley High School
- Katie Ernst, Stilwell Junior High
- Gretchen Fackler, Hillside Elementary
- Deb Flagg, Jordan Creek Elementary
- John Fry, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Chris Gilbertson, Valley High School
- Stacy Hansen, Valley High School
- Starr Himes, Learning Resource Center
- Cindy Hinkle, Learning Resource Center
- Karla Hocker, Valley High School
- Nic Hoover, Fairmeadows Elementary
- Beth Hoyt, Indian Hills Junior High
- Carrie Jacobs, Learning Resource Center
- Dr. Graham Jones, Hillside Elementary
- Dan Kelly, Valley High School
- Angie Loney, Learning Resource Center
- Stephanie Nelson, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Brenda Ortner, Crestview School of Inquiry
- Rosa Pagan, Valley High School
- Ray Perez, Community Education
- Susan Pinkerton, Stilwell Junior High
- Beth Ratcliff, Westridge Elementary
- Robin Rodich, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Carol Rushing, Learning Resource Center
- Kelli Steck, Indian Hills Junior High
- Ted Vandeventer, Walnut Creek Campus
- Cortney Weih, Jordan Creek Elementary
- Aaron Witt, Jordan Creek Elementary
15 Years of Service
15 Years
- Susan Allbee, Western Hills Elementary
- Betty Anderson, Jordan Creek Elementary
- Donna Beerman, Learning Resource Center
- Brenda Boots, Hillside Elementary
- Scott Brown, Indian Hills Junior High
- Susan Buising, Western Hills Elementary
- Michael Burton, Western Hills Elementary
- Georgia Campbell, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Katy Fancher, Crossroads Park Elementary
- Beth Ferguson, Valley High School
- Nancy Foley, Westridge Elementary
- Clint Gentry, Valley High School
- Megan Heslinga, Indian Hills Junior High
- Becky Hoyng, Crossroads Park Elementary
- Greg Hudson, Valley High School
- Desira Johnson, Valley High School
- Katie Kozlowski, Jordan Creek Elementary
- Mitch Kuhnert, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Robin Lawyer, Fairmeadows Elementary
- TJ Lechtenberg, Valley High School
- Ann McTaggart, Jordan Creek Elementary
- Alisa Mehmedovic, Crestview School of Inquiry
- Ann Miles, Valley Southwoods Freshman High School
- Amy Miller, Clive Learning Academy
- Peggy Minter, Clive Learning Academy
- Susan Moss, Indian Hills Junior High
- Lindsey Motsenbocker, Hillside Elementary
- Susie Palmer, Valley High School
- John Prim, Community Education
- Tonia Sandersfeld-Miller, Indian Hills Junior High
- Dr. Carol Seid, Learning Resource Center
- Greg Simmons, Valley High School
- Becky Sinram, Valley High School
- Zac Sinram, Indian Hills Junior High
- Karen Sipfle, Fairmeadows Elementary
- Terry Soto, Western Hills Elementary
- Jennifer Thomas-Bell, Westridge Elementary
- Parvin Veatch, Fairmeadows Elementary
- Ericka Weih, Valley High School
Bold = retirees
Thank You Message from Staff Recognition Committee
Honoring Our 2020-21 Retirees
Congratulations are in order to the following 68 staff members who have given of themselves, shared knowledge, and provided inspiration to thousands of students. Their contributions are rich and abundant!
Together they have served a cumulative total of 1,540 years in our district. We are thankful for these colleagues who have dedicated their lives to students in so many ways. They have played a key role in developing future citizens and leaders of the 21st century.
We honor and thank them for their service, for their caring, for their energy and vitality,
and for making a difference in students’ lives.
Retiree List (Alphabetical Order)
Deb Augspurger: Fairmeadows Elementary, 23 years
Kathleen Baldwin: Transportation, 17 years
Dawn Bassett: Fairmeadows Elementary, 40 years
Donna Beerman: Learning Resource Center, 15 years
Becky Bennett: Valley Southwoods Freshman High School, 10 years
William Bird: Indian Hills Junior High, 31 years
Dana Blom: Crestview School of Inquiry, 19 years
Dale Boeke: Transportation, 12 years
Elizabeth Bruner: Valley High School, 23 years
Kristi Cawthorn: Crossroads Park Elementary, 24 years
Denny Conner: Walnut Creek Campus, 21 years
Cheryl Cook: Jordan Creek Elementary, 17 years
Jeannie Crabbs: Valley High School, 13 years
Dr. Robert Davis: Crossroads Park Elementary, 30 years
Tammy Day: Jordan Creek Elementary, 24 years
Julie DeMicco: Indian Hills Junior High, 31 years
Lisa Demuth: Walnut Creek Campus, 26 years
Dawn Dillivan: Clive Learning Academy, 22 years
Ronald Dolan: Transportation, 10 years
David Egleston: Transportation, 13 years
Michele Frank: Valley High School, 46 years
Kim Gansemer: Fairmeadows Elementary, 32 years
Tony Garmoe: Westridge Elementary, 30 years
Kathy Gedler: Stilwell Junior High, 16 years
Donna Gibbons: Westridge Elementary, 19 years
Shelly Gordon: Valley High School, 14 years
Karen Hanson: Fairmeadows Elementary, 34 years
Sandra Henderson: Walnut Creek Campus, 21 years
Nancy Higginbottom: Fairmeadows Elementary, 29 years
AnnaMaria Jones: Crossroads Park Elementary, 20 years
Lynn Jones: Westridge Elementary, 13 years
Marilyn Josephsen: Western Hills Elementary, 26 years
Rhonda Koerselman: Fairmeadows Elementary, 32 years
Robin Lawyer: Fairmeadows Elementary, 15 years
Sandy Lienemann: Valley High School, 21 years
Kristin Maahs: Crestview School of Inquiry, 13 years
Joy Macy: Stilwell Junior High, 37 years
Rick McNew: Operations, 12 years
Karen Mendenhall: Valley High School, 32 years
Dee Mitchell: Valley High School, 14 years
Patsy Moffitt: Crestview School of Inquiry, 26 years
Carole Mougin: Indian Hills Junior High, 10 years
Paula Olson: Fairmeadows Elementary, 34 years
Tom Opperman: Transportation, 12 years
Kay Owen: Walnut Creek Campus, 13 years
Phil Peters: Valley High School, 26 years
Wendi Rague: Clive Learning Academy, 13 years
Sharlene Riche: Fairmeadows Elementary, 23 years
Dr. Carol Seid: Learning Resource Center, 15 years
Michele Senger: Valley Southwoods Freshman High School, 23 years
Jacqueline Shaffer: Crossroads Park Elementary, 22 years
Candace Sherwood: Westridge Elementary, 33 years
Marcia Sims: Learning Resource Center, 18 years
Suzie Skadburg: Indian Hills Junior High, 21 years
Sherry Stanbrough: Valley High School, 19 years
Peg Stockdale: Valley High School, 19 years
Luis Suarez: Jordan Creek Elementary, 33 years
Cherial Swart: Westridge Elementary, 13 years
Florence Taylor: Valley High School, 19 years
Diane VanWyk: Valley High School, 32 years
Martha Vukovich: Stilwell Junior High, 13 years
James Wandro: Valley High School, 24 years
Belen Warnemunde: Valley Southwoods Freshman High School, 17 years
Jessica Whitney: Operations, 46 years
Karen Wolcott: Fairmeadows Elementary, 32 years
Ed Wong: Stilwell Junior High, 39 years
Kay Woods: Stilwell Junior High, 35 years
Monty Wormuth: Transportation, 13 years
School/Community Relations
buckl@wdmcs.org
515-633-5023
Alexandra Wade
515-633-5022
Aaron Young
younga@wdmcs.org
515-633-5016
Email: scroffice@wdmcs.org
Website: www.wdmcs.org
Location: 3550 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, IA, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wdmcs/
Twitter: @WDMCS