MISD superintendent recognizes employees and staff members at ceremony

Published 2:30 pm Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Mercer Island School District (MISD) Superintendent Dr. Fred Rundle recognized the district’s employees of the year, retiring staff, teachers earning National Board Certification and MISD staff with a years-of-service milestone in a ceremony on May 27 at Northwood Elementary.

The 2025-26 MISD Certificated Employees of the Year are:

Michelle Hayes, Math, Mercer Island High School (MIHS)

Denise Thomas, Language Arts, Islander Middle School (IMS)

Kris McBurney, Learning Support Teacher, Island Park Elementary

The 2025-26 MISD Classified Employees of the Year are:

Dawn Schiller, Paraprofessional, Pathways

Le-Minh Ha, Custodian, MIHS

Marcy Berejka, Registrar, IMS

Six MISD staff members who are retiring after the 2025-26 school year are:

Tanya Goodman-Sylvester

Karin Hummel

Ka Wai Li

Shelley Sage

John Sutherin

Patti Williams

Three MISD teachers receiving National Board Certification are:

Angela Carey

Lori deStwolinski

Sarah Hart

30-Year Service Recognition:

Parker Bixby

Jacquie Garcia-Fauver

Diane Nielsen

25-Year Service Recognition:

Angela Carey

Patri Collins

Kara Millsap

Jamie Prescott

Kay Walker

20-Year Service Recognition:

David Baxter

Meredith Carlson

Maria Fontana

Sharon Jarnigan

Heather McLyman

Mike Neff

Shannon Sue

John Sutherin

Grant Weed

Cornelius Williams

Nicki Winder

15-Year Service Recognition:

Kerri Goldner

Rebecca Hedlund

Donna Johnston

Daniela Melgar

Dana Parkey

Andreeves Ronser

Leslie Scheurich

Dawn Schiller

Crystal Taitague

10-Year Service Recognition:

Lindzie Adamson

Carly Adams

Erin Battersby

Jennifer Blaser

Mana Chun

Giang Dang

Lisa Deen

Mike Diamond

Yan Fatien

Janel Foss

Sabine Friedman

Kate Halter

Miranda Hayes

Melissa Hersey

Tara Hutschreider

Hillary Johnson

Noel Kalthoff

Dani King

Tri Lam

Becky LeMaster

Ka Wai Li

May Look

Kati McConn

Cuong Ngo

Loan Nguyen

Danielle Orr-Bement

Rebecca Reid

Rochelle Robinson

Selamawit Shiferaw

Nick Stafford

Julie Ulrich

Five-Year Service Recognition:

Claudia Allard

Lindsey Blaine

Yanping Cai

Roxane Chan

Emily Curtiss

Chelsea Cvitkovic

Jacob Ellig

Elysse Forester

Linda Geffen

William Gerdes

Ian Henry

Lance Kinsey

Misuk Lee

Zachary McCauley

Katy Ramsey

Linda Strike

Canada Trieu

Austin Ward

Lukas Widtfeldt

Jen Williamson

Mary Woodgate

Chunan Zheng