Left to right, Jo Wise, Karla Eames, Karen Goy, Erin Heiman, Leann O’Brien, and Terri Kelly attend their last teacher institute, May 26 at Northbrook School. Not pictured are Suzanne Taylor and Karen Hince. (Reporter photo by Jennifer Sommer)

MENDOTA – Elementary School District 289 says goodbye to eight retirees, this year. Jo Wise, Karla Eames, Karen Goy, Erin Heiman, Leann O’Brien, and Terri Kelly attend their last teacher institute, May 26 at Northbrook School. Suzanne Taylor and Karen Hince, not in attendance, are also retiring.

Jo Wise, 24 years, and Leann O’Brien, 27 years, were both secretaries at Northbrook Middle School; Karla Eames, 25 years, and Karen Hince, 18 years, served the district as paraprofessionals; Karen Goy is retiring after 33 years as a speech language therapist; Erin Heiman, 30 years, and Terri Kelly, 37 years, both served as special education teachers; and eighth Language Arts teacher, Suzanne Taylor is retiring after 17 years with the district.

The retirees were recognized for their years of service to the district at the year-end teacher institute.