Sixteen classified employees received special recognition at Tuesday night’s school board meeting in honor of Classified Public School Employees Week.

Classified Public School Employees Week was declared by Governor Jay Inslee to recognize the nearly 50,000 classified school employees working with and helping students in Washington’s public schools and universities.

“Classified school employees are involved in nearly every aspect of education – maintaining buildings and grounds, preparing and serving meals, keeping school facilities clean and orderly, assisting in the classroom, performing and conducting research activities, providing information technology and media services, administrative support functions, safe transportation, a secure and healthy environment and many other specialized services,” the proclamation signed by Inslee says.

Among the sixteen employees recognized on Tuesday is Cindy Bartlette, the office manager of Edmonds Elementary School. She also received the Outstanding Classified Employee award for the Edmonds region, which comes with a nomination for the statewide Classified School Employee of the Year award. In mid-April, she will attend a lunch and award ceremony with Inslee. At the lunch, the state superintendent will announce the winner.

Edmonds Elementary School principal Brett Hagen was excited to recognize her.

“I appreciate her problem solving  skills,” Hagen said. “She is an amazing staff member and our school would be at a loss without her.”

Paraeuducator Lori Cullinan and office assistant Janet Keehr were also nominated from Edmonds Elementary. Hagen described Cullinan as an active member of the school’s culture and climate team and says students “really like her.” As for Keehr, Hagen says she takes organization “to the next level.”

Glenn Sheehan, head custodian of Spruce Elementary, was honored for his tireless, meticulous work as the school works to add 10 new classrooms. In the meantime, the gym is used all day, every day as a learning space.

“Without his orchestration of the lunchroom, well, there is no ‘without,’ because there would be no lunchroom,” assistant principal Jimmy Nguyen said.

Paraeducator Richard Hollingshead was recognized for his work at Mountlake Terrace Elementary.

“Richard is the person I go to when I have an outside of the box idea,” principal Doug Johnson said. He then explained an interactive recess program Hollingshead helped create.

Some of those recognized, like Carol Bowman, office manager at Scriber Lake High School, and Sara Conroy, operations manager of food services, are retiring at the end of the school year after decades of service. Bowman has worked in the district for more than 25 years. Conroy has spent 29 years in food service.

“Carol is the glue that has held our administration together in many ways,” Scriber Lake principal Andrea Hillman said.

“Sara is the best of the best in her field,” food service director Barbra Lloyd said.

Several stories were told about each of the 16 employees recognized on Tuesday, and some gave comments recognizing other members of their teams or thanking the district for the recognition. Below is a full list of the classified employees honored at Tuesday night’s meeting:

-Glenn Sheehan, Head Custodian, Spruce Elementary
-Carol Bowman, Office Manager, Scriber Lake High School
-Lori Held, PC Support Specialist, Technology
-Joyce Chester, Paraeducator, Alderwood Middle School
-Patty Schultz, K-12 Support Specialist, Student Learning
-Cherroll Minshall, Office Manager, Lynnwood High School
-Sara Conroy, Operations Manager, Food Services
-Thawin Choulaphan, Paraeducator, Madrona K-8
-Leslie Anderson, BEECA Program Assistant, Diversity, Equity and Outreach
-Victoria Alunni, Program Support Specialist Elementary Learning Support
-Anne Kemp, Behavior/Emotional Support Specialist Elementary Learning Support
-Cindy Bartlette, Ofc. Mgr., Edmonds Elem.
-Janet Keehr, Ofc. Assistant, Edmonds Elem.
-Lori Cullinan, Para Ed III, Edmonds Elem.
-Johnny Chavez, Head Custodian, EWH
-Richard Hollingshead, Paraed, Mountlake Terrace Elem.

–By Natalie Covate