Superintendent Rundle Recognizes Employees of the Year, Retiring Staff, Retiring SROs, and Service Milestones at Ceremony in MIHS Library

Mercer Island, WA, May 30, 2024 – Mercer Island School District Superintendent Dr. Fred Rundle recognized the District’s Employees of the Year, Retiring Staff, teachers earning National Board certification, Former School Resource Officers (SRO) who are retiring from the Mercer Island Police Department, and MISD staff with a years of service milestone in a ceremony Wednesday evening in the MIHS Library.

 The 2023-24 MISD Certificated Employees of the Year are:

Jordan Balhorn, Social Studies, IMS
Leslie Scheurich, Third Grade, West Mercer
Leslie Seelye, English, MIHS

The 2023-24 MISD Classified Employees of the Year are:

Steve Baird, Engineer, Maintenance
Cody Layton, Paraeducator, West Mercer
Stephanie Samuels, Paraeducator, Island Park

The MISD Employees of the Year were presented a Red Marble Apple by Superintendent Rundle as symbol of recognition for their award.

Eight MISD staff members are retiring after the 2023-24 school year. They include:

Vanessa Adams
Chris Cocklin-Ray
Lisa Elefson
Bob Hanson
Dana Levy
Stephanie Samuels
Kathy Shaner
Dan Stednick

Retiring staff were presented a Crystal Apple by Rundle in recognition of their years of service to the district.  

Two former School Resource Officers are retiring from the Mercer Island Police Department this year. Ed Holmes, the current Mercer Island Police Chief, was the District’s first School Resource Officer, serving in this role in the 1996-97 and 1997-98 school years. Officer Art Munoz was MISD’s School Resource Officer from the 2004-2005 school year through the 2010-2011 school year and then from the 2014-2015 school year through the 2020-2021 school year. The District is very appreciative of the work Holmes and Munoz did with the district and for students and families.

Both Holmes and Munoz were presented with a Certificate of Appreciation for their service to the district as School Resource Officers.

Five MISD teachers earned National Board certification this year. The teachers are:

Katherine Kuszak
Katherine McConn
Emily Mills
Cary Spitz
Tonya VanOrden

All five teachers earning National Board certification were presented a Certificate recognizing their achievement by Rundle and the principal of their school.

The District recognizes years of service by staff in five year increments. This year Rundle recognized the staff members listed below for their continuous contributions to the District. Each staff member reaching a year of service milestone was presented with a certificate recognizing their achievement.

40-Year Service Recognition
Josephs Gonzalez
David Irish

35-Year Service Recognition
Vanessa Adams
Anthony Kuhn
Kerida Millison

30-Year Service Recognition
Lawrence Bencivengo
Douglas Davis
Stephanie John-Lewis
Timothy Taylor

25-Year Service Recognition
Casey Alin
Karin Hummel
Kelly John-Lewis
Edward Puchalla
Canh Ta
Tonya VanOrden

20-Year Service Recognition
Kristin Brintnall
Andrew Hamp
Bruce Harrington
Deepali Malik
Claire Philips
Scott Sisk

15-Year Service Recognition
Shannon Allen
Hannah Bolivar
Alice Chang
Tammora Hackett
Patrick Rigby
Fred Rundle
Patricia Weston

10-Year Service Recognition
Miguel Arevalo
Victor Breene
Janna Call
Kelsey Cochran
Lori Emery
Janet Goldstein
Litza Griffin-Johnson
Trenton Jaime
Clay Laughary
Katherine Lepp
Julie Newcomer
Juan Ngo
Lisa Pezzella
Greta Stednick
Nancy Ulrich
Jessica Warnick

5-Year Service Recognition
Christina Altvater
Jordan Balhorn
Robert Blasich
Brook Bowers
Sue Ann Bube
Suzanne Canino
May Fang Chang
Connor Combs
Taylor Gall
Lori Grata
Bridget Haba
Janelle Honeycutt
Jin Fang Huang
Vinh Le
Jordana Lucas
Weston Lucas
Alison Monen
Bernard Morris
Sophia Murrey
Jenny Ng
Suzana Nguyen
Thach Nguyen
Mary Orr
Dana Pasquali
Alvin Reyes
Haley Smith
Rachael Sterrett
Hilleri West
Jennifer Wytaske
Chantel Zettel
Kathleen Zurawski