51 district employees recognized by school board for collective 1,232 years of service

Several retiring teachers attended Monday night’s Board of School Committee meeting for a recognition ceremony, among them, Mary Tessier, left, receiving congratulations from Mayor Joyce Craig. Tessier is retiring from Webster School after 33½ years of service. Photo/Andrew Toland

MANCHESTER, NH – The Board of School Committee on Monday night recognized more than 50 retiring District employees. Some of the employees have already completed their service, while others will finish up at the end of this school year.

The retiring employees have served Manchester School District for a combined 1,232 years, an average of more than 23 years of service per employee. This includes three employees – Sandra Chapman, Diane Spaulding, and Jane Bright – who have worked in the district for at least 45 years.

“We are grateful and proud of each of these employees, who have shown their dedication to our students and community through their years of service,” said Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Gillis. “I want to offer my congratulations to these employees and wish them the best in retirement – they have certainly earned it.”

Just over half of the retiring employees are teachers, and the group includes paraprofessionals, administrative assistants, food service workers, psychologists, a principal, and a handful of other positions. Nearly half of the employees are retiring from elementary schools, although employees represent all levels of schools.

Among those recognized during the meeting were Assistant Superintendent Amy Allen, who announced her departure from the school district effective July 1 to serve as Superintendent of Lebanon School District.


Full list of retirees: 

  • Sandra Chapman, Teacher – FACS, Central High School, 47 years
  • Diane Spaulding, Occupational Therapist, Beech Street School/District-Wide, 45.5 years
  • Jane Bright, Teacher- Special Education, Manchester School of Technology, 45 years
  • Kathleen Martell, Teacher- Grade 2, Smyth Road School, 34.25 years
  • Madeleine Prince, Teacher- Grade 1, Northwest Elementary School, 34 years
  • Mary Tessier, Teacher- Grade 5, Webster School, 33.5 years
  • Gerard Gagnon Sr., Teacher- STEAM Design Build (Science), McLaughlin Middle School, 31 years
  • Cheryl Gamble, Psychologist, McDonough Elementary School, 30 years
  • Lizabeth MacDonald, Principal, Weston Elementary School, 30 years
  • Kathy Soulios, Teacher – Spanish, Memorial High School, 30 years
  • Meghan O’Neil-Fisher, Teacher- Social Studies, Hillside Middle School, 29.17 years
  • Patricia Auger, Teacher- Grade 1, Jewett Street School, 29 years
  • Diane Phaneuf, Accounting Technician, Manchester School of Technology, 28.1 years
  • Mary Roukey, Administrative Services Manager I, West High School, 28 years
  • Barbara Fischer, Para-Educator II, Gossler Park Elementary School, 27 years
  • Helen Guilmette, Food Service Manager I, Southside Middle School, 27 years
  • Susan Keddie, Teacher – ESOL, Southside Middle School, 26 years
  • Colette Field, Para-Educator II, McLaughlin Middle School, 25.75 years
  • Deborah Burke, Para-Educator II, Weston Elementary School, 25 years
  • Anita Kuniegel, Teacher- Grade 2, Webster School, 25 years
  • Daniel Scheinman, Teacher- ESOL, Beech Street School, 25 years
  • Robin Foley, Guidance Counselor, Jewett Street School, 24 years
  • Maureen Madden, Teacher- School Wide Student Support, Parker-Varney School, 24 years
  • Mark Wentz, Teacher- English, Memorial High School, 23.9 years
  • Valerie Caruso, School Psychologist, Beech Street School, 23.2 years
  • Cynthia Bannon, Teacher- Special Education, Jewett Street School, 23 years
  • Dawn MacKechnie, Teacher- English, Grade 5, Southside Middle School, 23 years
  • Sheila MacDonald, Administrative Assistant II, Central High School, 22.66 years
  • Adele Blais, Food Service Manager II, Memorial High School, 22.5 years
  • Susan Danico, Administrative Assistant II, Memorial High School, 22.42 years
  • Carole Demers, Para-Educator II, West High School, 21.25 years
  • Forrest Dampier, Teacher- Special Education, District-Wide/Parkside Middle School, 21 years
  • Michele Golden, Math Curriculum Specialist – Elementary, District-Wide, 21 years
  • Kathleen Landroche, Teacher- Social Studies, Southside Middle School, 21 years
  • Donna Boucher, Administrative Assistant III, Jewett Street School, 20.83 years
  • Karen Braz, Interpreter/Tutor- DHH, McLaughlin Middle School, 20.5 years
  • Stephen Koziatek, Teacher- Voc Ed (Drafting), Manchester School of Technology, 20.3 years
  • Christina Allen, Teacher-  Physical Education, Parkside Middle School, 20 years
  • Joyce Miller, Teacher – Special Education, Hillside Middle School, 20 years
  • Susanna Minard, Speech and Language Pathologist, Jewett Street School, 20 years
  • Susan Newton, Para-Educator II, Webster School, 20 years
  • Cheryl Davidson, Teacher- Special Education, McLaughlin Middle School, 18.1 years
  • Kathryn Anibal, Teacher- Kindergarten, Jewett Street School, 18 years
  • Debra Malynn, Teacher- Science, McLaughlin Middle School, 18 years
  • Joanne Sacco, Teacher- Grade 6  Math, Southside Middle School, 18 years
  • Susan Leiter, Para-Educator BST, Highland-Goffe’s Falls Elementary School, 16.66 years
  • Jennifer Moore, Interpreter/Tutor- DHH, Green Acres Elementary School, 13.9 years
  • Robin Brun, Library Media Specialist, Weston Elementary School, 7 years
  • Antonia Earley, Teacher- Spanish, Parkside Middle School, 7 years
  • Antoinina Kirouac, Food Service Worker I, Memorial High School, 6.25 years
  • Sandra Marchwicz, Food Service Worker I, Smyth Road School, 5.83 years