As she prepares to wrap up 40 years with Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS), Shirley Bourne admits she has no definite plans for how she’ll spend her retirement. “I’ll definitely travel,” said Bourne, who has been a teacher assistant at Windy Hill Elementary School (WHES) the past 10 years.
The lifelong county resident, born in Port Republic and currently a resident of Dares Beach, Bourne began her employment with CCPS after graduating from Brooks High School.
“I didn’t think kids were getting sufficient guidance, so I decided to go into education,” said Bourne.
On Feb. 14, Bourne returned to the building that once housed her alma mater, now CCPS’s central office, as school administrators and the Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) honored 122 school system employees who have reached milestone years in their careers.
In Calvert, the professionals are recognized for 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service in education. All of those years do not have to be spent in Calvert’s system.
Another 40-year employee, Mary Bridget Kluwin, started her career in Wisconsin, continued it in California, then arrived in Calvert 30 years ago. Now a teacher specialist in CCPS’s Department of Instruction, Kluwin previously taught English at Northern High School (NHS).
“I like to read. I like literature a lot,” said Kluwin, who indicated she preferred English works by Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Her favorite are the works of 17th century writer John Milton, “even though I never taught much of it.”
Prior to her transfer to WHES, Bourne worked at Mutual Elementary School and also served as Title I assistant at Island Creek Elementary School. In addition to her work in classrooms, Bourne also was a school secretary.
“She’s a great employee,” said Phil Ledgerwood, WHES principal. “She’s hard-working, great with the kids. The teachers absolutely rely on her. We hate to lose her.”
“The job I’m doing now is very exciting,” said Kluwin, who added her job is “talent development.” She plans to return in August for her 41st year in the profession.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity to move forward,” she said.
“She motivated kids,” said NHS Principal George Miller. “She was very helpful with administrators since she had a nice perspective on kids, a real valuable staff member.”
Miller stated that he not only worked with Kluwin on the NHS staff, she taught one of the principal’s children, giving him an added perspective as a parent. “She was good to work with in both capacities,” said Miller.
Both Bourne and Kluwin indicated they run into many former students when they are out in the community.
“I’m always pleased when I meet a former student who’s now a teacher,” said Kluwin.
Bourne stated that when she goes grocery shopping she often encounters past students who now have children who she instructs at WHES.
The service award ceremony has been held by CCPS for the past 33 years. The employees—teachers and support staff—feted at the Feb. 14 event received the gift of time, engraved clocks.
Assistant Director of Human Resources Dr. Victoria Karol, who presided over the ceremony, pointed out the combined time served of the 122 honored employees totals 3,260 years.
“For being an innovator, being a high-flyer, we salute you,” said BOE President Frank Parish. “Doing this job every day is tough.”
In addition to Bourne and Kluwin, this year’s honorees were:
20 years
Sandra Bowles, Lydia Brooks, Linda Burns, Katherine Cleary, Gary Clites, Elizabeth D’Agostino, Shari Eakin, Linda Evans, Veronica Kushda Fealy, Dennis Gibson, Patricia Gilbert, David Gilman, Kristine Gutherie, Carolyn Harcum, Teresa Haynes, Laurie Haynie, Catherine Hogenson, Earl Johnson, Kathleen Martin, Lisa Merriman, Rolinda Mesowski, Donna Miller, Caren Milliken, Renee Neff, Donna Neri, Donna L. Nusser, Sherry Owens, Alice Plater, Renee Roper, Michele Shedd, Dolores Simonds, Eileen Snowden, Jennifer Stawinski, Marvin Stewart, Pamela Storms, Leigh Ann Tabor, Julia Thames, Melinda Thayer, Karleen Trost, William Turner, Tracey Vernon and Kay Weber
25 years
Christine Allen, Chester Bourne, Robin Clites, Jane Cooper, Linda Curry, Mary Friedman, Janet Gross, Nancy Highsmith, Jo Ann Hill, Kathleen Jackson, Linda King, Joan Mattingly, Beth Morton, Maureen Nehl, Diane Ramsey, Emma Scott, Bernadette Stephenson and Sharon Wells
30 years
Pauline Bishop, Gertrude Bowen, Elaine Bradley, Gwendolyn Brooks, Douglas M. Brooks Sr., Daniel Brown, Angela Burbank, Barbara Carey, Diane Chaney, Mary Alice Chase, Nancy Cox, Sharon Damalouji, Sandy Derr, Mary Dindino, Myra Esch, Merry Ellen Fallica, Walter Fenwick, Joseph Fisher, Robert Gross, Debora Harris, Patricia Jarboe, Margaret Jenkins, Celesta Jones, Victoria Karol, Linda Katz, Geraldine G. Lee, Pamela Vanessa Mackall, Pamelia K. Moore, Karen Neal, Dorothy Pohlod, Beverly Poole, Sylvia Pope, Keith Roberts, Leanne Spicer, Kathleen Suthard, Marianne Terrell, Janice Williams, Deborah B. Wilson, Catherine Windsor, Nancy Wolf-Fisher, Cheryl Yates and Donna Young
35 years
Mary Bannerman, Dorothy Campbell, Marion Coates, Ramona E. Crowley, Lloyd S. Donaldson, Amy Gibson, Lamar Giles, Michael Henshaw, Karen Hunter, Louis E. James, Lula M. McDonald, George Miller III, Alta G. Mitchell, Glen Moulton, Julie Roehm, Stephen West, Irene Williams and Helen R. Wills.
E-mail Marty Madden at editorial@calvertindependent.com.
