The Pattonville School District recognized staff and volunteers for their service and named its Teacher and Support Staff of the Year during District Appreciation Night on May 2. Take a look at this year’s honorees.

District Teacher and Support Staff of the Year

Leslie Jones, left, a first grade teacher at Bridgeway Elementary School, was named Pattonville Teacher of the Year, and Erica Abowitz, a social worker at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center, was named district Support Staff of the Year. The announcements were made during Pattonville’s virtual District Appreciation Night on May 2.

Pride of Pattonville 

Ten individuals were chosen to receive the prestigious Pride of Pattonville award. The honor recognizes staff, parents and volunteers for outstanding service to the district. The 2021-2022 Pride of Pattonville honorees are, from left, front row, Amanda Jo Fields, districtwide lead nurse, Heidi Lanham, nurse at Pattonville High School, Lynda Sotolar, kindergarten teacher at Remington Traditional School, Kendra Worsham, counselor at Parkwood Elementary School, and Beth Moritz, English teacher at the high school; and back row, Jim Usry, fire chief of the Pattonville Fire Protection District and parent volunteer, Dr. Sarah Moran, principal at Holman Middle School, Kelley Villinger, volunteer and photographer, and Jason Van Beers, principal at Drummond Elementary School. Scott Wagner, Scott Wagner, district technology specialist at Holman, was also awarded Pride of Pattonville. 

Rookies of the Year

Tomi Benney, a secretary at the high school, left, was chosen for Support Staff Rookie of the Year, and Kyle Schaper, a physical education teacher at Parkwood Elementary School, was honored with the certified staff Rookie of the Year award. Rookie of the Year honors those in their first or second year of service in the district. 

Finalists for Teacher and Support Staff of the Year

Finalists for Pattonville Teacher of the Year were, from left, Chris Cheatham, third grade teacher at Willow Brook Elementary School, Lara Corvera, speech and theater teacher at Pattonville High School, and Leslie Jones, first grade teacher at Bridgeway Elementary School. 

Finalists for Pattonville Support Staff of the Year were, from left, Amy Reese, library and technology aide at Rose Acres Elementary School, Erica Abowitz, social worker at the Pattonville Early Childhood Center, and Jennifer Reidelberger, paraprofessional at Drummond Elementary School. 

Semi-finalists for Teacher and Support Staff of the Year

District honorees and finalists for Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year were building-level honorees for the respective awards. Other building-level honorees/semifinalists for Teacher of the Year were: Amy Bopp, early childhood special education teacher, Christine Behlmann, math academic interventionist at Drummond, Amanda Castile, kindergarten teacher at Parkwood, Jamie Hundley, first grade teacher at Rose Acres, Lindsey Cottingham, Special School District (SSD) teacher at Remington Traditional School, Maegan Bowersox, Pirate Academy teacher at Holman Middle School, and Mike Burgio, science teacher at Pattonville Heights Middle School. Shown above are, from left, Bopp, Behlmann, Castile, Hundley and Cottingham. 

Other building-level honorees/semifinalists for Support Staff of the Year were: Loresa Shaw, custodian at Bridgeway, Deborah Boshans, nurse at Parkwood, Erin Jepsen, paraprofessional at Willow Brook, Shannon Hill, custodian at Holman, Laura Bruhy, secretary at Pattonville Heights, Michelle Miletic, SSD social worker at the high school, and Chester Samples, maintenance journeyman for the district services group. Shown above are Boshans, left, and Shaw.

School Bell Awards

Each year, Pattonville recognizes staff members (Pattonville and SSD staff who work in Pattonville) who retire between each year’s District Appreciation festivities. All retirees have the option to receive an engraved School Bell Award recognizing their service. This year, 75 staff members were honored as retirees and thanked for their service in Pattonville. View a copy of the District Appreciation Night program featuring bios of all the retirees: bit.ly/DANProgram2022.

School board recognition

Two board members who recently left the board of education were honored for their service. Ruth Petrov, shown above, was honored for her 18 years of service, including serving as president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and director. Mindy Ridings was recognized for serving five years. While on the board, she served in the positions of secretary and director. 

30 Years of Service

Employees honored for 30 years of service include, from left, Holly Martinez, high school career instructional specialist, Kimberly Walsh, SSD teacher at Bridgeway, Tracey Robinson, teacher at Rose Acres, and Brian Keomongkhoun, custodian at Pattonville Heights. 

25 Years of Service

Employees honored for 25 years of service include, from left, front row, Shirley Newman, early childhood custodian, Julie Linck, Remington teacher, Amy Powell, Drummond teacher, and  Mickey Schoonover, director of school-community relations; middle row, Laura Lancaster, counselor at Pattonville Heights, Tracy Hilgenbrink, SSD teacher at Bridgeway, Cynthia Rolfe, Remington paraprofessional, Tracy Carlton, Rose Acres teacher, and Ramona Earnest, lead custodian at Pattonville Heights; and back row, Dr. Barry Nelson, assistant superintendent for human resources, and Scott Robinson, AV network specialist, high school. 

20 Years of Service

Employees honored for 20 years of service include, from left, front row, Irena Goren-Scheer, teacher, Holman; Stephanie McCreary, district technology specialist; Kara Crismon, nurse, Bridgeway; Joanne Lax, bus driver; and Julie Harder, librarian, Pattonville Heights; middle row, Christopher Cheatham, teacher, Willow Brook; Susan Peroutka, SSD speech language pathologist, Bridgeway; Deborah Franklin, bus driver; and David Besgrove, director of human resources, Learning Center; and back row, Lara Corvera, teacher, high school; Sharon Wood, early childhood teacher; and Michelle Dirks, food service specialist. 

15 Years of Service

Employees honored for 15 years of service include, from left, front row, Claudia Benbow, teacher, Pattonville Heights; Joann Greenwell, community programs supervisor, Learning Center; Christine Young, teacher, Willow Brook; Laura Herrod, teacher, Drummond; and Amber Wilson, teacher, Drummond; and back row, Jane McGuire, teacher, Holman; Yolanda Pickett, custodian, high school; and Amanda Starwalt, teacher, Drummond.

10 Years of Service

Employees honored for 10 years of service include, from left, front row, Tamika Duncan, secretary, Learning Center; Cynthia Brooks, paraprofessional at the Early Childhood Center; Julie Hilker, parent educator, Parents as Teachers; Jennifer Lipscomb, paraprofessional, Early Childhood Center; and Dr. Sarah Moran, principal of Holman; and back row, Shannon Fleming, early childhood teacher; Travis Harder, iLearn service manager at the high school; Jodi Schrumpf, early childhood paraprofessional; and Jennifer Reidelberger, Drummond paraprofessional. 

Five Years of Service

Employees honored for five years of service include, from left, front row, Michelle Crocker, permanent substitute, Pattonville Heights; Kimberly Butts, director of purchasing, Pattonville Learning Center; Jill Antrobus, counselor, Pattonville Heights; Kendra Worsham, counselor, Parkwood; and Christine Behlmann, teacher, Drummond; and back row, Brittany Stevens, paraprofessional, Early Childhood Center; Laura Wick, secretary, Early Childhood Center; Khalida Wukawitz, paraprofessional, Early Childhood Center; Erica Abowitz, social worker, Early Childhood Center; Sandra Wacker, paraprofessional, Early Childhood Center; Sierra Dertinger, teacher, Drummond; and David Hebron, paraprofessional, Bridgeway.

Above, Misty Smith, a cook at the high school, also was honored for five years of service. 

Support Organization officers

Pattonville honors parents and community members who volunteer their time to lead support organizations for Pattonville schools. Honored during district appreciation night were, from left, front row, Christopher Benbow, vice president of the Pattonville Heights PTO, Donette Green, vice president of the Pattonville Retirees Association, Laura Wick, treasurer for Early Childhood PTO and Band Boosters, Kristi Stroud, president of the Pattonville Orchestra Parent Student organization (POPS), Kamarrah Killion, vice president of POPS; and Pollyana Appleton, treasurer of the high school PTO; second row, Dean Lindhardt, vice president of the Pattonville Alumni Association; Laura Forst, vice president of the Willow Brook PTO; Jennifer Lipscomb, president of the Early Childhood PTO; Sarah Ruth, president of the Drummond PTO; Tamara Westbrook, fundraising chair for the high school PTO and Jessi Hawkins, treasurer of the Holman PTA and volunteer coordinator for the high school PTO; third row, Paula Schneider, president of the Alumni Association; Gabriella Knize, assistant secretary of the Willow Brook PTO, Cheryl Sprengel, president of the Pattonville Education Foundation, Sarah Barth, treasurer of the Remington PTO, Kristin Kintz, vice president of the Remington PTO, and Jim Usry, president of the Holman PTA; and back row, Shelli Greenblatt, president of the Pattonville Heights PTO, Jessica Sumner, secretary of the Rose Acres PTO, Alycia Lancaster, president of the Rose Acres PTO, Angie Meyer, vice president of the early childhood and Rose Acres PTOs, Jaime Wasser, president of the Bridgeway PTO, Anise Braggs, vice president of the Bridgeway PTO, and Casey Jewett, president of the Pattonville Association of Gifted Education.