Date:  June 12, 2001
Contact: Irene Cromer
(703) 791-8720

“Children are a blessing for me and I’m thankful for all the parents that have shared their children with me,” says Barbara Etheridge.  Etheridge who taught third, fourth and fifth grades at Westgate Elementary School for 24 years and fourth grade at Mullen Elementary School for 11 years, was one of 124 retirees honored recently at a Prince William County Public Schools School Board reception. 

Throughout her teaching years Etheridge said she has maintained her sense of humor and shown through example that when she makes a mistake, she apologizes and moves on.  She enjoys talking and mentoring to children and for many of her former students, she continues to play an active role in their lives.  Working with three generations of students, some still seek her for advice or for employment references. 

 “I have a firm belief in good children, there is no such thing as a bad child,” Etheridge says, “I try to not only educate the mind, but also educate the heart and show the children unconditional love.”  Etheridge says that her philosophy has always been that schools should provide more than academics and focus on the total child, so that student is on a positive road to learning.  A thank you note from a former student told Etheridge that she taught him unconditional love in dealing with his troubled brother.  Her did not have to grow up like his brother, rather he said, he could achieve despite challenges and even become President of the United States. After retiring, Etheridge plans to continue mentoring children by checking on their progress and substitute teach at Mullen. 

The retirees and their work location are: Peggy Anderson,Woodbine; Jon Bachman, Rippon; Dorothy Baggarly, Lake Ridge Middle; Carol Bailey, Lake Ridge Middle; Walter Bailey, Hylton; Sarah M. Baker, Springwoods; Janet Bartolotta, Henderson; Colleen H. Barton, Special Education; Joyce Bateman, Hylton; Leslie Bennett, Minnieville; Betty Bernardo, Beville; Raymond Berry, West Gate; Jean Bittner, Gar-Field; Suzanne M. Blais, Vaughan; Mary J. Blatt, Special Education; Margaret Bouton, Fred Lynn; Catherine Bovey, River Oaks.

Also, Robert M. Bowman, Mountain View; Sharon L. Bradshaw, Curriculum & Staff Development; Alice Cade, Rippon; Michael Campbell, Instruction; Geraldine Cantwell, Gar-Field; Brenda Caricofe, Montclair; Carol Carter, Osbourn Park; Frances Castle, Antietam; Mary Catabui, Beville Middle; Alice Chilton, Marumsco Hills; Sharon Closson, Saunders Middle; Mary L. Cochran, Sudley; David M. Compton, Maintenance; William Criswell, Osbourn Park High; Douglas Dean, Stonewall Jackson High; Paul DeSantis, Curriculum & Staff Development; Gwendolyn DiCroce, Rockledge; Joan Dove, Lynn Middle; Susan Doyle, Woodbridge High; Joy Durkin, Signal Hill; Mary Esper, Lake Ridge Middle; Barbara M. Etheridge, Mullen; Patricia Everton, Hylton; Michele E. Failla, Woodbine. 

Also, Marla C. Fay, Occoquan; James Frankowski, Sinclair; Otelia Frazier, Marshall; William Fulp, Gar-Fiel; Grace Gallager, Pennington; Vergie Gantt, Transportation; Patricia Geer, Neabsco; Patricia A. Gerick, Personnel; Carl M. Green, Plant Operations; Cynthia Green, Mountain View; Margaret A. Grout, Springwoods; Lynda Harding, Sinclair; Loraine S. Hart, Kilby; Willia B. Haughton, Loch Lomond; Silvia G. Hernandez, Lake Ridge Middle; Charles Edward Horne, Graham Park Middle; Charles Hornfeck, Osbourn Park; William Huber, Pattie; Norma Huffman, Saunders; Carolyn Hutcherson, Marsteller; Maryaline J. Isenberg, Woodbridge High; Tiny Jenkins, Godwin. 

Also, Betty Jensen, Lake Ridge Middle; Wesley Jones, Hylton; Jean E. Kujawa, Pattie; Sandra Kurz, Parkside; Nancy Lanza, Potomac High; Kenneth S. Lawrence, Transporation; Betty C. Leassear, Kerrydale; Donald Libeau, Stonewall Middle; Jean Lusardi, Woodbridge High; Ligia Martinez, Gar-Field; Ann-Marie Mattes, Marsteller; Nancy L. McManus, Antietam; Sam Medore, Woodbridge High; Virginia Miller, Brentsville District Middle/High; Vivian Mitchell, Woodbridge High; Robert Moore, Brentsville District Middle/High; Barbara J. Moore, Woodbridge High. 

Also, Carlton Moyer, Minnieville; Janice Moze, West Gate; Carol Murray, Occoquan; Judythe Niles, Hylton High; Hannah P. Nixon, Pattie; Ernest Nixon, Potomac High; Eugenia F. Norskog, Tyler; Karen Ormsby, Transportation; Elizabeth J. Otley, Finance; Carman Pearce, Bennett; Jane Pennell, McAuliffe; Greta Perry, Brentsville District Middle/High; Phyllis Peterson, Osbourn Park; James Petrus, Woodbridge High; Edith S. Poole, Sinclair; Cheryl Prince, Lake Ridge Middle; Howard Prince, Woodbridge High, Lois Remsberg, Instruction; Nancy L. Ritenour, Independent Hill; Jon W. Rose, Woodbridge High; Karen Ross, Lake Ridge Middle; Ruby M. Savage, Supply Services; Joan M. Schoof, Lake Ridge; Sheila School, Belmont; Harold Secord, Neabsco; Nancy E. Sickel, Records Center. 

Also, Christina C. Silber, Lynn Middle; Carol J. Sizemore, Transportation; James Sorrell, Woodbridge High; Kathleen Souder, McAuliffe; Patricia A. Sowers, Brentsville District Middle/High; Diane M. Sprouse, Featherstone; Jean Stickler, Yorkshire; Millicent Tate, Lynn Middle; Florence Taylor, Potomac High; Brenda Tychan, Saunders Middle; Diana K. Vanbroekhoven, Marsteller Middle; Suzanne Veen, Osbourn Park; Carol Weinhofer, Henderson; James N. White, Independent Hill; Richard White, Plant Operations; Jean M. Whittington, Antietam; George Wilson, Gar-Field High; Elsie Woodland, Woodbridge High; and Rebekah Yeargo, Loch Lomond .