School Board Cites Retiring Veteran Teachers

By Susan Coney

Superintendent Evan Pitkoff was full of praise and thanks for the teachers who are retiring from Newtown schools this year. At a recent Board of Education meeting the teachers were given a hearty round of applause by the superintendent and board members for the years of dedicated service to Newtown Schools.

Dr Pitkoff said that the combined total years of experience of the retiring staff added up to 288.5 years of teaching in Newtown alone.

Dr Pitkoff presented each teacher with an apple-shaped paperweight as a token of appreciation for their years of service.

The following are the names of the teachers retiring, the school they are retiring from and the number of years of service in the Newtown School system: Janice Bernard from Head O’ Meadow, 21 years; Jan Brookes from Newtown High School, 20 years; Liz Cook from Newtown Middle School, 18 years; Anthony Gaudioso from Newtown High School, 30 years; Arline Lathrop from Reed/Middle School, 36 years; Carol Lucas from Newtown High/Middle School, 31 years, Alcyne Lyon from Sandy Hook Elementary, five years; Carol Napolitano from Newtown High School, 20 years, Margitta Savo from Reed/Middle School, 35.5 years, Jane Vouros from Reed/Middle School, 35 years; and Dorothy Wenblad from Middle Gate/Sandy Hook, 37 years.