Grand Junction, CO - Mesa County Valley School District 51 celebrated its employees at the first Salute to Staff event since 2019 on Monday, April 25, 2022, at the Grand Junction Convention Center.
Salute to Staff takes place annually to celebrate 80 2021-22 retirees and hundreds of employees hitting years of service milestones. The event was not able to take place in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic, but schools were encouraged to recognize their honorees at the building level. This year, District 51 is excited to celebrate the event again in person.
Members of the media are invited to join us in celebrating our 2021-22 retirees and the many employees who are hitting a 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, 30-, or 35-year anniversary working for District 51 this year.
2021-22 Retirees
Eugene Adams Jr. (Warehouse)
Florence Alcaide (Broadway)
Pete Apodaca (Custodial)
Lynnette Baughman (Lincoln OM)
Tracy Berg (Pomona)
Jami Bernhardt-Jones (FMHS/Fruita 8/9)
Todd Bishop (Fruita Middle)
Matthew Boelke (Dos Rios)
Jennifer Brahmsteadt (Broadway)
David Carlo (Palisade)
Paul Chojnacki (Mesa View)
Karla Coleman (Rocky Mt.)
Angela Colman (Mesa View)
Patricia Corduban (DIA)
Tamara Crist (Fruita Middle)
Cindy Dann McCracken (GJHS)
Dawn Dillon (MGMS)
Bruce Engel (Grounds)
Laurie Fenske (FMHS)
Curt Fischer (BTK)
Joanne Florian (OMMS)
Steve Friedly (Chatfield)
Mark Garske (FMHS)
Daniel Gonzales (Central High)
Brenda Goodwin (Mesa View)
Richard Green (Shelledy)
Meredith Grenfell-Bird (West)
John Harper (Plumber)
Monica Heptner (Dual Immersion)
Kwan Hern (Fruitvale)
Linda Hill (Purchasing)
Donald Hysell (Appleton)
Thomas Kassales (Grounds)
Pamela Kem (Chatfield)
Frani Kerr (Appleton)
Stephen Kolarik (Summit)
Deborah Lamb (Loma/Tope)
Peggy Lawyer (Nisley)
Judy Livingston (Fruitvale)
Tanya Marvin (Nursing)
Charles Mattson (Print Shop)
Sonya McGee (Emerson)
Raymond Mclennan (FMHS)
Debra Menger (Dual Immersion)
Rachael Messerich (Rocky Mt.)
Gary Metras (Appleton)
Shanna Miller (FMHS)
Robin Mitchum (Bookcliff)
Deborah Neill (Career Center)
Larry Padgett (East)
Dana Palmer (Bookcliff)
Nina Parentice (FMHS)
Molly Pixler (Grand Mesa)
Elise Prinster (Fruita 8/9)
Susan Rankin (Pomona)
Troy Raper (Palisade)
Elizabeth Rauch (Mt. Garfield)
William Retallack (Bookcliff)
Silvia Rodriguez (Orchard Ave./Tope)
Carol Sams (GJHS)
Ernie Sanchez (Operator)
Julie Seitter (BTK)
Jackie Shoptaugh (Shelledy)
Cynthia Skalla (Shelledy)
Jennifer Smyth (Rocky Mountain)
Kelly Sparks (Lincoln OM)
Penny Spomer (Orchard Mesa)
Kerrie Strasser (Fruitvale)
Cheryl Tennant (FMHS)
Vicky Tinkle (Dos Rios)
Daniel Vanhoose (Fruita 8/9)
Debra VanLandingham (Shelledy)
Jose Velasco (GMMS)
Stacy Wiemer (Emerson)
Carol Wilder (GJHS)
Sandra Williams (Fiscal Services)
Nancy Wissler (Lincoln OM)
Denise Wright (Mt. Garfield)
Lenor Zamudio (Tope/BTK)
Rosa Zamudio (GJHS/Scenic)