After spending a combined 676 years in education, more than 30 Academy District 20 (ASD20) retirees were celebrated at the 2023 Retiree Banquet.
Every year, staff members retiring at the end of the school year can attend a formal dinner hosted by the ASD20 Board of Education. Retirees spend the evening catching up with old colleagues, mingling among other retirees and reminiscing on their time in education.
After dinner, each retiree is invited to accept a token of appreciation from ASD20, while highlights of their career are announced to the crowd, including experiences in the classroom and advice they’d pass along to other educators.
This year, retirees’ reflections echoed a common theme; relationships and connection are the two most important pieces of the education puzzle.
Tammy Pavlica, a math teacher at Rampart High School said, “Building relationships with students, in the classroom and through activities, and helping them grow into young adults has made my job something special.”
“I will miss the people. All of them. No two days are ever the same. I made lifelong friends and relationships that will stay with me forever,” explained Leslie Hicks, an assistant principal at Timberview Middle School.
