Students traded school for summer on Friday, and four Park County School District 1 staff are wrapping up their time in the district. They are taking with them a total of 89 years of experience in the district.

The school board recognized each retiree individually on May 13, shaking their hand, presenting them with a gift and posing for a photo.

Tracey Wichman

Wichman, who  has been in the district for 34 years, retired from her position as a first grade teacher at Southside Elementary School.

“Tracey … has been here for 34 years. If you do the math, that's no less than about 800 kids, probably closer to 2,000 kids she's had an impact on over her time at Southside,” Principal Scott Schiller said.

Wichman worked hard on behalf of the students, treating her final year as if it was her first, Schiller added.

Darwin Rowton

Rowton has been in the district for 27 years in a variety of roles; he ended his career in the district as Parkside Elementary School’s social worker, where Prinicipal Jason Hillman described him as “a man of few words but big actions.”

“You can always count on Darwin to be the positive man in any kid's life. He is that at our school and our kids know,” Hillman said. “And they know they can go to him, whether he's reading a story book to a little kid, when the little kid sitting on his lap crying because that's what they needed that day, or doing a counseling session, and kids sitting on the couch and they're talking about whatever they talk about in there — and the kid’s feeling better.”

Suzanne Patterson

Patterson has been in PCSD1 for the past 15 years and at Powell Middle School for 11-and-a-half as an administrative assistant.

“Her caring nature has been evident every single day, whether it was comforting a nervous student, supporting a staff member through a tough day or remembering the little things that made people feel seen and valued,” Principal Kyle Rohrer said.

He added that she is detail oriented and was positive even when things were hectic.

“Suzanne, you've been my anchor, my right hand and my reality check. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you,” Rohrer said. 

Anne Lovett

Lovett retired with a total of 26 years of experience as a special education teacher, half of those at Powell Middle School. 

“Her teaching career has been defined with a few powerful traits, traits that don't just make a great teacher, but an exceptional human being,” Rohrer said. “She is positive no matter the challenge, and brings light to every room she enters, and her optimism has been a steady guide for students, families and colleagues alike.”

Lovett is able to see where a child is on a given day but also who they can become, Rohrer said.

(A longer profile on Tracey Wichman and Darwin Rowton, the two employees with the longest tenure in the district, will be in a future issue of the Tribune.)