SCHOOL BOARD TO HONOR EMPLOYEES FOR YEARS OF SERVICE
Forty-year school division employees Martha Cannon,
math teacher, and Robert Michael, bus driver, are among some 330 employees
who have worked from 20 to 40 years and are to be honored at a School
Board reception on Thursday, April 22 at Forest Park High School.
Martha Cannon, a math teacher at Osbourn Park High School, came to
Marsteller Middle School after graduating from Winthrop College with
double majors in math and English.
“I wanted to teach math because it was my favorite subject.
I taught the junior high school students, seventh, eighth, and ninth
graders, a little bit of everything,” said Cannon.
After teaching for two years, Cannon moved to South Carolina to care
for a family member, and continued to teach math. Two years later,
she returned to Prince William County and started teaching at Osbourn
High School, then a County school. After Manassas City and Manassas
Park High Schools were established in 1975, the school division re-named
the school Osbourn Park High School.
“Marsteller Principal Mr. Leo didn’t speak to me for a
long time. He wanted me to continue teaching there,” recalls
Cannon, “but I was tired of teaching decimals, percents, and
fractions.”
At Osbourn Park, Cannon has taught freshmen, sophomores, juniors,
and seniors all levels of mathematics courses. “It’s been
fun, and the kids are wonderful. Parents lend me their children for
a year or two. I feel like I’m a member of the family at Osbourn,
I’m the cornerstone,” says Cannon. She even taught math
to all of Superintendent of Schools Edward Kelly’s four children.
“All of them are wonderful kids,” she said. Over the years
Cannon has attended reunions, former students’ college graduations,
weddings, and baby christenings and has even welcomed some of her
former students as teachers at Osbourn Park.
Robert Michael has been driving a school bus since he was a sophomore
in high school. At that time, then-Superintendent of Schools Stuart
Beville had to sign for Michael to get his driver’s license.
Forty years ago, head of transportation Ray Ebhart, who was like a
second father to Michael, had difficulty hiring bus drivers, and relied
on high school students to drive buses. By the time Michael was a
senior, 23 of the County’s school bus drivers were students.
Back then, Michael and other student bus drivers had experience driving
trucks and tractors around the family farm. Michael remembers his
starting salary as $3.50 per day. Two years later, Ebhart raised his
salary two dollars an hour.
After graduating from high school, Michael continued to drive for
the County and also held a part-time job that complimented his school
bus schedule. “I really enjoy driving a school bus; I like the
kids,” he said. Michael remembers one of his students a few
years back. “He
was a holy terror on the bus. It got so bad that I turned him in,
and he was suspended from riding the bus for a while. I think it hurt
him as much as it hurt me.”
Michael had an opportunity to speak to the student’s
mother and tried to help with the student’s behavioral problems.
He made a deal with the student, telling him that for each day that
he behaved on the bus, he would receive a basketball card from Michael.
By the end of the school year, the child’s behavior had improved
greatly and Michael had given him half of the box of basketball cards.
“It’s the greatest thing in the world,” said Michael,
“To turn that child’s whole life around by treating him
right. He just needed some attention, someone who cared about him.
Later, I would see him at Osbourn Park High School, and he would always
make a point to greet me. When I asked him how he was doing, he would
always answer, ‘Great, thanks to you.”
Both Cannon’s and Michael’s loyalty, dedication, and tenacity
have been and continue to be an inspiration to generations of students.
A list of service pin recipients and their work locations is attached.
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Attachment Below
SERVICE AWARDS, ATTACHMENT
40 Years:
Martha Cannon, Osbourn Park High; Robert Michael, Transportation.
35 Years:
Rolly Corbin, Curriculum Services; Edith Covington, Lake Ridge Middle;
Brenda Dye, Transportation; Louis Gates, Woodbridge Middle; Judith
Jones, Data Processing; Elizabeth Kedzo, Coles Elementary; Patricia
Kemp, Woodbridge High; James Kiser, Beville Middle; Elizabeth Kline,
Rippon Middle; Carole Marders, Transportation; Martha McDaniel, Transportation;
Karen Poindexter, Marsteller Middle; James Qualls, C.D. Hylton Senior
High; Ray Ridgley, Brentsville District High; John Scott, Lake Ridge
Elementary; George Sisk, Supply Services; Charlotte Snyder, Transportation;
Carrie Speck, Springwoods Elementary; Anne Thaxter, Graham Park Middle;
Ronald Uhler, Transportation; Rebecca Varner, Antietam Elementary;
Barbara Woods, Rippon Middle
30 Years:
Sandra Abbott, Mullen Elementary; Cathlene Albrecht, Saunders Middle;
June Albrite, Nokesville Elementary; Stephanie Allison, Forest Park
High; James Amaral, Bennett Elementary; Janne Arceo, Mullen Elementary;
Judith Babuschak, Benton Middle; Byron Bailey, Gar-Field Senior High;
Margaret Beverly, Osbourn Park High; Lloyd Bowling, Potomac Senior
High; Madeline Brandani, Lynn Middle; William Brown, Forest Park High;
Naomi Burke, Transportation; Nella Bush, Transportation; Robin Cameron,
Bennett Elementary; Thomas Carrig, Plant Maintenance; Renee Chinn,
Godwin Middle; Arlene Colna, Dale City Elementary; Truman Combs, Plant
Maintenance; William Connelly, Student Services; Janice Cook,
Brentsville District High; Katherine Coughlin, McAuliffe Elementary;
Arlen Crabill, Plant Maintenance; Edna Crisp, Saunders Middle; Susan
Cunningham, Woodbridge High; Roger Dallek, Gar-Field Senior High;
Roxanne Dinneen, Nokesville Elementary; Geoffrey Dodge, Godwin Middle;
Gwendolyn Dolby, Marsteller Middle; Jane Eadie, Pattie Elementary;
Ralph Ensley, C.D. Hylton Senior High; Patricia Evans, Neabsco Elementary;
Lewis Forrest, Woodbridge High; William Fortenberry, C.D. Hylton Senior
High; Jannie Gaskins, Records Center; Thomas Gill, Forest Park High;
Malinda Goodwyn, Lake Ridge Middle; Jane Gumkowski, Special Education;
Nora Hall, Planning & Assessment; Lloyd Harlow, Plant Maintenance;
Shirley Harris, Parkside Middle; Samuel Harvey, Special Education;
James Herndon, Osbourn Park High; James Hileman, Stonewall High; Lee
Hollins, Bristow Run Elementary; Alvin Howard, Potomac Senior High;
Anna Hoyle, Marshall Elementary; Nancy Huff, Transportation; Jennifer
Jones, Gar-Field Senior High; Maurice Jordan, Supply Services; Scott
King, Godwin Middle; Jan Kurtz, Dale City Elementary; Karen Lawson,
Yorkshire Elementary; Johnny Ledbetter, Bel Air Elementary; Sedalia
Ledbetter, Curriculum Services; Judith Lockhart, Transportation; Lois
Lynn, Beville Middle; Jesse Mason, Forest Park High; Fred Melnichak,
Belmont Elementary; Lerita Milbert, Bel Air Elementary; Ellen Newton,
Sudley Elementary; John Outland, Plant Maintenance; Jack Parker, Battlefield
High School; Mary Pedersen, Curriculum Services; Susan Pettus, River
Oaks Elementary; James Powell, Osbourn Park High; Ronald Pugh, C.D.
Hylton Senior High; Joan Quell, Sudley Elementary; Margaret Rice,
Enterprise Elementary; Joyce Robertson, Transportation; Mary Jane
Scharf, School Board Clerk; Joyce Scott, Special Education; Raymond
Seamster, Pattie Elementary; Pauline
Stoneburner, Belmont Elementary; Ellen Strauss, Lake Ridge Middle;
Connie Sutphin, Transportation; Mary Tallent, Pattie Elementary; Patricia
Vance, Transportation; Judy Warme, Woodbridge Middle; Karen Washington,
Bull Run Middle; Christopher Wollenberg, Potomac Senior High.
25 Years:
Bridget Abler, Brentsville District High; Jeffrey Adkins, Plant Maintenance;
Christopher Aleo, Gar-Field Senior High; Laura Altholz, Antietam Elementary;
Debra Ames, Nokesville Elementary; Mark Andersen, Woodbridge Middle;
Beverly Bagley-Dunn, Rippon Middle; Nora Baird, Transportation; Donald
Baker, Supply Services; Connie Barley, Data Processing; Deborah Barnard,
Saunders Middle; Peter Bedford, C.D. Hylton Senior High; Valendia
Bohon, Osbourn Park High; Helen Bowlin, Mullen Elementary; Joyce Boyd,
Pennington Traditional School; Margaret Bozzard, Enterprise Elementary;
Barbara Brooks, Graham Park Middle; Sarah Brooks, Osbourn Park High;
Anseline Brown, Transportation; Susan Brueser, Saunders Middle; Karina
Burke, Personnel; Barbara Butler, Transportation; Helen Butler, Mullen
Elementary; Donald Carnohan, Osbourn Park High; Patricia Catalfamo,
Neabsco Elementary; Edward Chapman, Plant Maintenance; Daniel Clendaniel,
Benton Middle; Donna Cole, Mountain View Elementary; Julia Cramer,
Transportation; Sharon Crislip, Godwin Middle; John Cznadel, Saunders
Middle; Anthony Dade, Plant Maintenance; Edward DeLeonardis, Woodbridge
High; John Demarkis, Graham Park Middle; Carol Doyle, Beville Middle;
Irene Duhamel, Westridge Elementary; Sandra Dunn, Student Services;
Mary Dvoroznak, Graham Park Middle; Mary Ewell, Nokesville Elementary;
Linda Falden, Osbourn Park High; Sharon Fogarty, Bennett Elementary;
Michael Foley, Osbourn Park High; Sheila Gardner, Transportation;
Martha Garland, Gar-Field Senior High; Cynthia Gastley, Potomac View
Elementary; David Gilbert, Godwin Middle; Laurette Gillespie, Potomac
View Elementary; Sandra Groenke, Springwoods Elementary; Catherine
Hailey, Woodbridge High; Etta Hall, Student Services; Karen Harris,
Henderson Elementary; Faye Hayes, Special Education; Eugene Heflin,
Plant Maintenance; Judith Henson, Gar-Field Senior High; Barbara Herd,
Transportation; Linda Higgins, Godwin Middle; Tanis Hillegass, Bel
Air Elementary; Buddy Holmes, Plant Maintenance; Karen Houser, Marsteller
Middle; Bryan Jarrett, Plant Maintenance; David Johnson, Plant Maintenance;
Theresa Johnston, Leesylvania Elementary; Bronson King, Forest Park
High; Debra Krieger, Lake Ridge Middle; Ann Leazer, Student Services;
Linda Leibert, Benton Middle; Sara Little, Student Services; Elmer
Magyar, New Dominion Alternative School; Patrice Malloy, Woodbine
School; Hilton Martin, Stonewall High; Linda McGrath, Bel Air Elementary;
Donald Mercer, Risk Management; Roberta Merrbach, Belmont Elementary;
Francis Mervine, Plant Maintenance; Gregory Mitchell, Marumsco Hills
Elementary; Arlene Miyasato, Pattie Elementary; Haseltine Moore, Beville
Middle; Michael Mummert, Osbourn Park High; Megan Murphy, Saunders
Middle; Pamela Musolino, McAuliffe Elementary; Cynthia Neal, Nokesville
Elementary; Hilda Nelson, Transportation; Larry Nelson, Data Processing;
Diane Nothnagel, Kilby Elementary; Judith Ogden, C.D. Hylton Senior
High; Kathleen O’Neill, Tyler Elementary; Cynthia Phelan, Beville
Middle; Barbara Piotter, Lynn Middle; Steven Plitt, Bull Run Middle;
Phillip Porter, Supply Services; Dorothy Profita, Transportation;
Audrey Redd, Beville Middle; Annie Rhodes, Transportation; Sharon
Robinson, Lake Ridge Middle; Mildred Romanow, Nokesville Elementary;
Mary Roy, Woodbridge High; Frank Sanford, Saunders Middle; Mary Shetley,
Special Education; Mary Shufelt, Pattie Elementary; Susan Sisson,
Parkside Middle; Patricia Smith, Woodbridge High; Bruce Snyder, Gar-Field
Senior High; Stanley Sommerville, Stonewall Middle; Jean Starling,
Stonewall High; Jo Suter, Osbourn Park High; Kimberly Swartz, McAuliffe
Elementary; Ruby Tassi, C.D. Hylton Senior High; Vicki Taylor, Transportation;
Beverley Thomas, Springwoods Elementary; Carol Tilbury, Marumsco Hills
Elementary; Sandra Tilgner, Brentsville District High; Madeline Udell,
Kilby Elementary; Irvetta Voelkl, Transportation; Kathryn Wallace,
Cedar Point Elementary; Tommy Waters, Data Processing; Bonnie Weidner,
Transportation; Estelita Westhoff, Pattie Elementary; Faye White,
Battlefield High School; Shirley White, Plant Operations; Josephine
Williams, Transportation; Lorna Williams, Independent Hill School;
Marsha Williams, Osbourn Park High; Sandra Williams, Woodbridge Middle;
Linda Wince, Pattie Elementary; Loretta Wittusen, Construction; Penny
Woodberry, Graham Park Middle; Bonnie Woolston, Special Education;
Paula Wright, Sudley Elementary.
20 Year:
Donald Allen, Plant Maintenance; Karen Anspach, Mountain View Elementary;
Diane Baldel, Transportation; Virginia Barrett, Marumsco Hills Elementary;
Joseph Bengier, Beville Middle; Anne Benson, Stonewall High; Lisa
Beverly, Osbourn Park High; Lucinda Burch, Osbourn Park High; Janet
Burnett, Marumsco Hills Elementary; John Campbell, Plant Maintenance;
Carol Carpenter, Woodbridge High; Jane Carr, Woodbridge Middle; Barbara
Cavalier, Gar-Field Senior High; Mark Chmelko, Woodbridge High; Barbara
Clark, Parkside Middle; Carolyn Davis, C.D. Hylton Senior High; Stephanie
Detwiler, Transportation; Magda Donahue, Graham Park Middle; Barbara
Dragos, C.D. Hylton Senior High; Richard Embrey, Plant Maintenance;
Rachel English, Ann Ludwig School; Dianne Ferree, Potomac Senior High;
Linda Finley, Transportation; Margaret Fischer, Nokesville Elementary;
Jo Fitzgerald, Lake Ridge Middle; Rebecca Fitzgibbon, Food Services;
Dawn French-Jones, Woodbridge High; Elizabeth Gamino, Saunders Middle;
Pamela Gauch, Executive Administration; Ann Golliday, Gar-Field Senior
High; Cheryl Grimm, Food Services; Cheryl Hancock, Special Education;
Gary Harris, Marumsco Hills Elementary; Mary Helmer, Saunders Middle;
William Hurst, Woodbridge High; Rodney Jamerson, Plant Maintenance;
Margaret Jennings, Kerrydale Elementary; Linda Kettner, Stonewall
Middle; Irene King, Benton Middle; Carol Knight, Curriculum Services;
Jean Kyles, Transportation; Irene Latham, Woodbridge High; Marguerite
Lee, Stonewall High; Margaret Lenk, Stonewall Middle; Deborah Lewis,
Bel Air Elementary; Diane Liebman, Osbourn Park High; Cheryl Lorson,
Curriculum Services; Madre Mack, Woodbridge Middle; Cynthia Mandigo,
Special Education; Patrice Martin, Featherstone Elementary; Marsha
Massack, West Gate Elementary; Betty Matthews, Featherstone Elementary;
Mary May, Special Education; Ann Miller, Beville Middle; Denise Miller,
Bel Air Elementary; Gretchen Miller, Woodbridge High; Mary Moss, Godwin
Middle; Carol Owens, Lynn Middle; Lisa Peters, Bel Air Elementary;
Paul Phillips, Supply Services; Cathryn Piccoli, Henderson Elementary;
Theodore Poindexter, Stonewall High; Elizabeth Potente, Springwoods
Elementary; Laura Queen, Stonewall Middle; Patricia Quick, Swans Creek
Elementary; Mary
Rahim, Food Services; Dianna Raymond, Saunders Middle; Doreen Raymond,
Bull Run Middle; Dwight Reynolds, Special Education; Judith Rogers,
Transportation; Karen Roth, Sinclair Elementary; Marlene Ruth, Lake
Ridge Middle; Lorraine Sadler, Potomac Senior High; Debra Shirt, Graham
Park Middle; Margaret Siegenthaler, Special Education; Regina Sigler,
Kerrydale Elementary; Kathleen Simcox, Lake Ridge Middle; J Snarr,
Plant Maintenance; William Sprouse, Supply Services; Ruth Spruill,
Neabsco Elementary; Mickie Sullivan, Gar-Field Senior High; Barbara
Sykes, Transportation; Shirlee Teets, Coles Elementary; Margaret Tholen,
Transportation; Kathryn Voehl, Woodbridge High; Josephine Volzer,
Woodbridge High; Muriel Walburn, Independent Hill School; Lee Walsh,
Penn Elementary; Juanna Ward, Saunders Middle; Clayton Wark, Godwin
Middle; Lynn West, Ann Ludwig School; Elizabeth Whitacre, West Gate
Elementary; Daisy Williams, Minnieville Elementary; Susan Wurmbrand,
Woodbridge High; Linda Zborofsky, Curriculum Services.
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