Downey Unified celebrates dozens of retirees as school year ends
Courtesy Downey Unified School District
DOWNEY — The close of the 2025-26 school year marks the end of an era for Downey Unified School District as more than 100 employees retire after collectively contributing 3,397 years of service to students, families and schools.
The district recently honored both certificated (teaching) and classified (non-teaching) employees during separate retirement celebrations recognizing decades of dedication across campuses and departments.
On May 22, the Downey Education Association and Downey Unified celebrated certificated staff members entering retirement. Students and colleagues gathered to express their appreciation for educators and other certificated employees whose careers have helped shape generations of students:
Alameda Elementary School – Reina Chaidez, Paula Dodson, Andrea Griffin, Maureen Sary, Jennifer Weed, Maria Williams
Adult School – Christina Ciatti, David Holcombe, Randolph Leaf, Melinda Nelson, Blanca Rochin
Columbus High School – Matthew Sary
Downey High School – Josette Bean, Terri Curiel, Lawrence Duckworth, Wayne Evans, Leroy (Tom) Houts, Alan Jamka, Micah Karzen, Corrine Meade, Dolores Neria, Jason Redfox, Keith Russell, Shari Steinberg, Frida Vadgama, Carrie Voulgaris, Zachary Zakour
Gallatin Elementary School – Melissa Simon, Patricia Skelly
Garcia Elementary School – Susan Joachim, Anne Russell
Griffiths Middle School – Shelly Bland-Reisch, Dulce Franco, Jennifer Legg
Lewis Elementary School – Julia Ortega, Callie Winters
Old River Elementary School – Griselda Garcia
Price Elementary School – Melissa Finn, Melissa Meza, Tamara Ramsey
Rio Hondo Elementary School – Shirley Castellanos, Colleen Fenrich, Naomi Griswold, Melissa Lord
Rio San Gabriel Elementary School – Raymond Friedrich
Stauffer Middle School – Kathleen Clark, Josie Greer, John Kang, Regina Munoz
Unsworth Elementary School – Dianne Edge, Barbara Geffre, Ana Jones, Carla Shull
Ward Elementary School – Lisa Giunchini, Cheryl Shellenbargar
Williams Elementary School – Billie Barrios, Sheila Canlas, Heather Thompkins, Kathryn Wilson
Warren High School – Joshua Buell, Conrad Del Rosario, Padmaparna Haldar, Erin Lavelle, Kaye Lord II, Carol Lords, Cynthia Miyada, Amy Salazar, Eric Watts
Doty Middle School – Kevin Dodge, Loren Driscoll, Thomas Dyer, Teresa Gillette, Andrea Keen, David Minahan
District Office / Special Assignments – Angelica Benedic, Christopher Bowen, Joan Cafferty, Praxedes Dangla Cruz, Mary Edge-Guerra, Amber Johnson, Kevin Kendall, James Mogan, Vicky Sciacca, Terry (Wayne) Shannon
On May 21, the Downey Unified Personnel Commission honored classified retirees during its annual pinning ceremony.
The ceremony recognized employees from school sites and district departments, including educational services, business services, maintenance and operations, transportation, special education and programs serving students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Adult School – Elizabeth Banos
Alameda Elementary School – Kimberly Buss, Guillermina Robles
Carpenter – Mira Olivarez
Columbus High School – Debbie Jordan, Elisa Lopez
Downey High School – Abner Carrera, Shawn Kirklin, Catherine Pingel, Evelyn Saavedra, Tamara Shilling, Maria Tinoco
Gallatin Elementary School – Melissa Long
Old River Elementary School – Tracy Kline, Stephanie Van Horn
Rio Hondo Elementary School – Linda Tovar Garza
Rio San Gabriel Elementary School – Mareea Phillips
Stauffer Middle School – Guadalupe Vazquez
Sussman Middle School – Patty Trejo
Unsworth Elementary School – Lynne Corapi
Ward Elementary School – Vicky Davis
Warren High School – Elizabeth Fimbres de Gonzalez, Angelica Perez
District Departments and Services – Susan Austin (Financial Services), Angel Kellogg (Business Services), Luz Perez (Educational Services), John Shook (Maintenance, Operations & Transportation), Geri Townsend (SELPA), Christy Marilo (Special Education), Wendy Johnson (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Anne Hansell (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Corinna Miller (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Patricia O’Haver (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Diana Duperron Flores (Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
Maintenance and Operations / Custodial – Wojciech Dondalski, Florentino Guzman, Manuel Luna, Otto Mendizabal, Jorge Negrete, Robert Pecka
Transportation – Juana Cisneros, Victoriano Cisneros, Sandra Escobar, Treenitta Harber
Together, the retirees represent 3,397 years of service to Downey Unified students.
“On behalf of the Board of Education, we extend our deepest gratitude to each of our retirees for their years of dedicated service,” Board President Jose Rodriguez said. “Each of you has made a meaningful impact on the lives of our students and contributed to the strength of our school community. We wish you all the very best in this next chapter. You will be greatly missed.”