Grant Wood AEA honors area educators, citizens and staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Grant Wood AEA honors area educators, citizens and staff)

Cedar Rapids…Grant Wood Area Education Agency honored area educational partners and agency staff during its annual Staff Recognition and Partnerships Banquet, held
Tuesday, April 29, at the Holiday Inn & Conference Center in Coralville.

Educational Partner Awards were presented to the following:

John Bacon, principal, Lemme Elementary, Iowa City School District

Angela Fletcher, job coach, Jefferson High School, Cedar Rapids School District

John Krumbholz, principal, Mount Vernon Middle School, Mount Vernon School District

The Friend of Education Awards were presented to the following:

Rev. Jeffrey Borgwardt, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Ely

LaDonna Mathis, volunteer, Pierce Elementary, Cedar Rapids School District

Amanda Zhorne, merchandise manager, and Regina Langhurst, assistant store manager, Barnes & Noble, Cedar Rapids.

Caring Colleague Awards were presented to GWAEA employees Karen Horak, special education consultant, Tim Reiners, custodian, and Erlene Spicer, Cedar Rapids region secretary.

The Iowa City City High School String Quartet provided the evening’s entertainment.

In addition, 66 Grant Wood AEA staff and board members received recognition for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 40 years of service. Also honored were 17 agency retirees representing a total of more than 406 years of service to Grant Wood AEA.

This is the 20^th year for the awards ceremony, which was established as a way for agency staff to show appreciation for local schools and citizens who provide exemplary educational leadership for children, and who demonstrate a partnering attitude in all they do. Honorees were nominated and chosen by agency staff.

Funds for the banquet are provided through proceeds from agency vending machines and this year through sponsorships from Hills Bank, Profound Knowledge Resources, Inc. and Technology Staff Development, Inc.

Grant Wood AEA provides educational services for 33 public school districts and 22 approved nonpublic schools in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington counties.

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