Central House was the setting on May 25 for the Wayne Highlands Education Association Retirement Celebration. Eight employees were recognized during the celebration: Colette Ballew, Deborah Crosby, William Gibney, Deborah Henderson, Judy Kich, Stella Macey, Mary Marichak, and Nancy Wood. Also retiring but unable to attend were Todd D. Miller, Debra Schroeder, and Nancy Wood.

WHEA Vice-President Christopher Piasecki served as Master of Ceremonies and Toastmaster. Gregory Frigoletto, Wayne Highlands School District Superintendent, also made remarks regarding the dedication and professionalism of the retirees and presented them with a plaque from the District. WHEA presented the honored guests with a WHEA gift and a framed certificate. District retiring staff who are not members of WHEA were acknowledged during the evening: Paula Brennan, Arlene Bauer, Jean Manganello, Jackie Curtis, and Janine Smith.

Mrs. Linda Forlenza was presented with a Friend of Education Award for the support and kindness she shows to special needs students at Wayne Highlands Middle School. Her assistance is not only in academic areas but in providing snacks, clothing, and gifts for students in need.

Colette Ballew, a graduate of Marywood and Wilkes Universities, has taught French and Spanish for fifteen years and has run a service-learning trip to Costa Rica for students of Spanish. She initiated the Interact Club for the Rotarians of Honesdale.

Deb Crosby spent her entire career at the Wayne Highlands Middle School, mainly teaching eighth grade math, including Algebra. She has been at WHMS for a little over forty-one years. She is a lifetime member of the Equinunk Historical Society and has volunteered for many years at the EHS Annual Car Show.

Paul Dudrich, a graduate of East Stroudsburg University, has taught Special Education, interrupted by a 22-year career with the US Postal Service. He taught in the Wayne Highlands Acute Partial Hospitalization Program involving all area schools. He has an extensive coaching career, and is a musician, actor, and stand-up comedian.

Bill Gibney received his B.S. degree from King’s College and his M.S. from the University of Scranton. Bill has taught Biology, Honors Biology, and Physics at Honesdale High School from 1986 through 2017. Additionally, he has been the boys and girls Tennis Coach, Cross-Country Coach, Envirothon Team Advisor, Class Advisor, Ski Club Advisor, National Honor Society Advisor, and Science Department Chair. Bill serves as an adjunct faculty member at LCCC (Biology), Misericordia University (Physics), Northampton CC (Astronomy), and Thomas Edison State University (Astronomy).

Deb Henderson holds a BSN from Marywood University and a School Nurse Certification from East Stroudsburg University. She has been employed by Wayne Highlands since 1998, in Wayne Highlands Middle School, Preston, Damascus, and Lakeside Schools. She has been a camp nurse and camp bus driver for Dyberry Day Camp as well.

Judy Kich graduated from Marywood in 1978 with a B.S. in Library Science. She had a brief career in hospital libraries, then was an elementary librarian in the Old Forge School District. She has been the Honesdale High School Librarian since 1989.

Stella Macey is a 1975 graduate of Millersville State College, and a 1985 graduate of East Stroudsburg University. Her career has included teaching T.E.L.L.S. Reading in Preston and Damascus Schools for seventh and eighth grades; teaching Chapter 1 Math in Stourbridge Primary, Lincoln Elementary, Lakeside Elementary, and St. Vincent Schools for third through eighth grades; teaching third grade at Lakeside Elementary; and teaching third and fifth grade Title 1 Reading in Lakeside Elementary.

Mary Marichak earned a BA in Elementary Education with a minor in mathematics from Marywood in 1978 and Mathematics degree from the University of Scranton in 2002. She has taught high school mathematics for Wayne Highlands for 35 years. She has taught every type of basic math that was offered at the high school: Algebra, Geometry, Honors Geometry, Algebra II, Honors Algebra II, and Algebra III.

Deb Schroeder received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from East Stroudsburg University. She also did her graduate work there, earning a Master of Education in Reading. She taught Kindergarten and First Grade at Preston Area and Stourbridge Primary for twenty-eight years and has served on several Reading Curriculum Committees during her career.

Nancy Wood is a Bloomsburg graduate who has taught at Wayne Highlands since 1983. She taught seventh and eighth grade reading at Damascus before switching to science. She has been involved in gardening with the students, Trout in the Classroom, and the Positive Reward Program as well as being the yearbook advisor.