MOUNT VERNON — There were 32 employees of the Knox Educational Service Center recognized Monday for service ranging from 10 to 45 years.
Superintendent Dr. Timm Mackley honored the award recipients during the ESC’s annual breakfast staff meeting to mark the start of the school year.
“You have challenging jobs and I appreciate everything you do,” Mackley said. “Perhaps you feel under-appreciated at times, but certainly not by me.”
The ESC employs staff for the two programs it operates – the Knox ESC Preschool on the New Hope campus and the Knox Learning Center, an alternative school located in the former Mount Vernon West Elementary.
The ESC also hires educational aides for the county’s five public school districts — Mount Vernon, Centerburg, Danville, East Knox and Fredericktown – as well as Clear Fork. All total, the ESC’s semi-monthly payroll ranges between 250 and 300.
The districts reimburse the ESC for the cost of the aides.
The ESC’s longest-serving employee is office manager Carla Douglas, who started in September 1978 soon after graduating from Fredericktown High School.
Others honored
Others honored Monday include:
10-14 years — Joy Ross 10 , Christi Grogg 10 , Adrianna Trace 10, Stephanie Furnis 10, Darci
Untied 10, Heather Payne 10, Kim Aritonovich 11, Susan Langdon 11, Erin Minton 12.
15-19 years — Jenny Briggs 15, Bonny Buffington 16, Kim Echelberger 15, Jackie Nutt 15, Julie David 16, Karen Kreps 16, Suzanne Murphy 16, April Stoler 16, Barbara Waite 16, Lynn Marcum 17, Kelly Wilcox 17, Cordelia Williams 18, Laura Baughman 19, Delaine Haywood 19.
20-24 years — Tara Clark 21, Sherry Edwards 21, Kelly Davis 22. Kelly Freeman 22, Lanna Staats 22.
In addition to Douglas, three others were recognized for 25 years or more: Candy Crawford, Knox Learning Center teacher, 25; Amy Calkins, preschool teacher assistant, 27, and Barbara Holdren, Mount Vernon City Schools educational aide, 30.