PTAs honor excellent service

May 7, 2003 5:00 pm

Last week people in Oak Harbor School District were recognized as volunteers, teachers, employees and administrator of the year for 2002-2003.

Each school selected through their PTAs an outstanding person in each category. Wednesday, April 23, Oak Harbor Excellence in Education held a Recognition Night Out to honor recipients. From these selectees and other nominations from the community, one person was honored in each category as winner of the year.

This year’s recipients are:

Teacher of the Year: Frank Ashley-Chase from Oak Harbor Elementary.

Employee of the Year: Linda Berka from Broad View Elementary.

Volunteer of the Year: Darlene Buss from Oak Harbor High School.

Administrator of the Year: Claude Harvey from North Whidbey Middle School.

The Excellence in Education Committee was born from the Educational Summit several years ago in the Oak Harbor School District. The sole purpose of this group is to recognize teachers, staff, students, parents or any person who achieves outstanding success and merit in the school district.

In 1996, the committee selected Martha Wallin as Employee of the Year. Since that time, the honorees have grown to recognize people in four areas of education. Following are the 2002-2003 nominees from the various schools.

Oak Harbor Elementary School

Frank Ashley-Chase – Teacher

Dorice Thibeault – Volunteer

Rita Heltsley – Employee

Broadview Elementary School

Teresa Sionson – Volunteer

Linda Berka – Employee

North Whidbey

Middle School

Karol Buckhalter – Teacher

Vic Rikard – Volunteer

Linda Wehrell – Employee

Olympic View Elementary School

Duane Dillard – Teacher

Dave Gann – Teacher

Cathy Vanderzicht – Teacher

Maria Bigelow – Volunteer

Andra Shelly – Employee

Clover Valley Elementary School

Renee Smith – Teacher

Barbara Leahy – Teacher

Dot Newberry -Teacher

Crescent Harbor Elementary School

Kelly Clearly – Teacher

Juliet Dugin – Volunteer

Meg Wolcott – Employee

Oak Harbor

High School

Eric Peterson – Teacher

Darlene Buss – Volunteer

Avis Berney – Employee

Home Connections

Gene Koorn – Volunteer