Thank you, RPS 205 Retirees!

I want to wish a heartfelt congratulations to our retirees.

I have truly enjoyed visiting this year’s retirees the past several weeks. I am inspired by their stories and am grateful for their decades of service to Rockford Public Schools, its students and our community. Among that group includes nearly 80 staff members – including longtime principals and teachers, office professionals and support staff who serve as the backbone of their schools, and even my former high school calculus teacher. 

Rockford Public Schools is a special place to learn, work and grow, and it’s special because of the people. I feel fortunate to have been able to congratulate each of you in-person with my sincere thanks for your service to Rockford Public Schools.

As this school year closes, I want to thank each of our retirees again for their years of dedication to the craft of teaching and supporting students, for leading by example, and for continuously putting students first.

Thank you, and I wish each of you well in retirement! 

• Patricia Arevalo, Nashold
• Kristine Beckland, Whitehead 
• Darlene Berger, McIntosh
• Katherine Berschneider, West View
• Jeri Bontjes, Jefferson 
• Helga Brady, Guilford
• Alex Brewington, Administration
• Elizabeth Christensen, Sterling Holley 
• Ann DeLang, Facilities
• Pamela Easton, Nashold
• Jan Forsgren, Fairview 
• Lidia Gonzalez, Nashold
• Jodi Gravunder, Rolling Green 
• Sybil Hawkins, Summerdale
• Michele Johnson, Administration
• Floria Jones, Auburn
• Stanley Jones, Sterling Holley 
• Mary Kaull, Administration
• Fanny Lamb, Whitehead
• Rhonda Madison, Brookview
• Marlise Maurer, Nashold
• Debra McLain, Sterling Holley 
• Steve Meyer, Operations
• Dawn Miller, Administration
• Cynthia Nelson, Facilities
• Lisa Nyberg, Auburn
• Stacy Owens, Sterling Holley 
• Tina Perez, Whitehead
• Amanda Powers, Sterling Holley 
• Lisa Rewerts Burkhard, RESA
• Lee Sago, Sterling Holley 
• Emily Sanders, Sterling Holley 
• Frances Sargent, Guilford
• Denise Scanlan, Sterling Holley 
• Roxane Sinclair, Page Park
• Vincent Sheely, Sterling Holley 
• Judy Stover, Sterling Holley 
• Sherry Taylor, Gregory
• Lisa Thomas, Sterling Holley 
• Carlos Arroyo, Lathrop
• Frances Aylward-Allen, Jefferson
• Michael Baar, Jefferson
• Calvin Carlson, Bloom & Brookview 
• Greg Effler, East
• Susan Freiburger, Thurgood Marshall
• Jill Greenig, Special Education
• Christine Halloran, Roosevelt
• Ed Hayden, Montessori
• Penny El-Azhari, Lathrop
• Kathy Janusevic, Johnson & Brookview 
• Marcia Hite, Cherry Valley
• Polly Keller, Fairview
• Sharon Keena, Washington
• Karin Koonmen, Special Education
• Lesya Kozlovsky, Fairview 
• Bruce Kramer, East 
• Melanie Larson, Carlson
• Carrie Lee, West
• Susan Leombruni, Special Education & Auburn
• Karen Locarno, Administration
• Dave Molck, Cherry Valley 
• Ray Owens, Spring Creek
• Joanne Randall, RESA
• Nancy Rauch, Montessori
• Joanne Robertson, McIntosh 
• Linda Schreiner, West
• Lee Ann Sluiter, Flinn
• Karli Smith, Conklin
• Paul Smith, Thurgood Marshall
• Elizabeth Squire-Delaney, Guilford
• Elizabeth Strey, Rolling Green 
• Mary Tarraf, Thurgood Marshall
• Debra Wagner, Flinn
• Evelyn Wales, West View
• Patricia Whitlow, Lewis Lemon
• John Zuba, East

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Superintendent Dr. Ehren Jarrett

Dr. Ehren Jarrett is in his ninth academic year leading the Rockford Public Schools. The Board of Education appointed him superintendent in July 2013. Jarrett joined the district's leadership team in June 2011 as an assistant superintendent. He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northern Illinois University. NIU's College of Education has honored him as Alumni of the Year. He is a member of the Alignment Rockford Governing Board, the Discovery Center Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council. He is a member of the Ford NGL Leadership Council and its Superintendent's Council. In addition, Dr. Jarrett is the immediate past president of the Large Unit District Association, which represents school districts in Illinois that serve at least 3,500 students. He lives in Rockford with his wife, Christie, and their two children.