Pine-Richland recognizes 15 retiring employees

Pine-Richland has recognized 15 retiring employees who together have more than 400 years of service to the school district.

The group includes teachers, paraprofessionals, a librarian and a custodian who will retire at the end of the current school year.

“The annual retiree recognition program always comes with mixed emotions,” Superintendent Brian Miller said. “Across a variety of positions, we know the impact these individuals have had on students, other staff, families and the entire community.

“The Pine-Richland School District has grown and evolved in remarkable ways over the past four decades. It is always incredible to hear stories from members of our staff who have experienced that growth. On behalf of the entire district, we wish them well in their retirement.”

The employees are:

• Rosemary Bartoszewicz, a chemistry teacher at Pine-Richland High School, has worked for Pine-Richland since 2004. She has sponsored Health Occupations Students of America for the past two years.

• William Brim, custodian, Pine-Richland High School, has been with the district since 1993 and is its longest tenured custodian.

• Mark Cadamore, technology education teacher, Pine-Richland Middle School, has been with the district for 26 years.

• Kathy Deal, gifted teacher, Pine-Richland Middle School, has been the gifted and talented education teacher and sponsor of the Odyssey of the Mind club for 24 years and coached the dance team for 14 years. Before coming to Pine-Richland, she taught science and biology at North Hills.

• Derek Eshbaugh, fifth grade teacher, Eden Hall Upper Elementary, has spent 35 years with the district, mainly in the elementary grades. He started with a year teaching fourth grade math at Washington, Hance and Wexford elementary schools, then eight years teaching third grade and nine years teaching fourth grade, both at Hance. He has been a fifth grade teacher at Eden Hall for the past 17 years. He was varsity basketball coach for four years and an assistant varsity tennis couch for boys and girls for five years.

• Danielle Kcehowski, fourth grade teacher, Eden Hall Upper Elementary, has been with Pine-Richland for 37 years, primarily as a fourth grade teacher at Wexford Elementary for 20 years and Eden Hall Upper Elementary for 16 years. Her career began with a year teaching third grade at Washington Elementary. She led intramurals at Hance and Eden Hall and coached seventh and eighth grade girls basketball at the middle school for four years. She served the Pine-Richland Education Association as a building representative, a meet-and-discuss representative, president and elementary vice president for about 30 years combined.

• Deanna C. Kunes, learning support teacher, Eden Hall Upper Elementary, has worked for Pine-Richland since 1999. She taught fourth and fifth grade before moving to learning support for fourth through sixth grade.

• Diann Metal, learning support teacher, Pine-Richland High School, has been with the district for 32 years and taught for 35 years. Her career at the district spanned multiple schools including Washington, Wexford, Hance, Eden Hall and the high school. In her first year teaching, she was a full-time special education teacher in the same building she attended as an elementary student.

• Jeffrey T. Nicodemus, band director, Eden Hall Upper Elementary, has served the band program for 19 years. He has worked as band director for the high school marching band, at Pine-Richland Middle School and most recently at Eden Hall Upper Elementary.

• Mary Perko, paraprofessional, Pine-Richland High School, has served the district as an instructional assistant for 25 years. Before Pine-Richland, she taught at the secondary level in her home state of Minnesota.

• Marilyn Pesanka, paraprofessional, Pine-Richland High School, has worked for the district for 26 years as a paraprofessional, beginning at Richland Elementary and moving to the high school in 2004.

• Jeff Reisinger, fourth grade teacher, Eden Hall Upper Elementary, has been with the district since 1990. His career includes two years of teaching in Virginia, from 1987-89, and a year of substitute teaching from 1989-90. He coached ninth grade football and basketball and varsity basketball and coached football and baseball in Virginia. He also was a Subway franchisee for 23 years.

• M.E. Shenefiel, library media specialist, Eden Hall Upper Elementary, started with Pine-Richland in 2008, opening the Eden Hall library and developing its program. She served as the library department chairperson and a building-level technology coach.

• John Slepak, science teacher, Pine-Richland Middle School, has been with the district for 32 years, teaching sixth grade for 12 years and seventh grade science for 21 years. He coached middle school football for 25 years, served as the middle school science department chair for 15 years and coached middle school softball for one year.

• Jessica Walker, English teacher, Pine-Richland High School, has taught at the high school since 2007. She sponsored several student organizations, including student government, Key Club and Inkwell, and was instrumental in establishing the Film Studies Club.