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Winter 2008

Armelda Brack, Everett, (M.A.E. '76); a veteran teacher for the Everett School District, has been a participant in the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Choir for more than 20 years. She is now retired, but during her years as a teacher, she also organized events celebrating the life of Dr. King.

Kaycee Brumfield, Issaquah, (B.A.E.); is in her second year teaching kindergarten at Grand Ridge Elementary in Issaquah.  She is shown at left in a summer practicum for her post-baccalaureate class prior to getting her certificate in 2006.

Jenn Haase, Renton, (B.A. '98); was named one of the Teachers of the Month by the Rotary Club of Renton. She volunteered with AmeriCorps and taught environmental education before joining the Renton School District, where she is in her third year.

Marjorie Johnston (Human Services –’92) was ordained at Westminster Congregational United Church in Spokane in November, 2007.  She is believed to be the first declared lesbian to lead a mainline Protestant church in Spokane.  Her story of faith was published in the Spokesman Review: http://redorbit.com/news/technology/1129995/out_lesbian_set_to_be_ordained_at_westminster_united/index.html

Laura Marie Mallahan (B.A.E. and Cert '79), teaches eighth grade English and is the school librarian at St. Mary Magdalen School in Everett, Wash.  She and her husband Michael have two sons attending WWU and a third who is planning to attend in the fall.

Clark Moore (B.A.E. '64); spent the winter months of the past 27 years in Haiti in search of a small fort built by Christopher Columbus. During his quest, he has located more than 980 former native sites.

Linda Quinn, Seattle, (M.Ed. '80); is the current principal of Ghidotti Early College High School in Grass Valley, Calif. She was born and raised in Seattle and was previously the director of development for the Puyallup School District as well as previously serving as principal of various high schools for nearly 20 years prior to moving to California.

IN MEMORIAM

Janice Louree Barnes, Mount Vernon, (B.A.E.); passed away on January 5, 2008 at the age of eighty. After earning her teaching degree from WWU, she went on to teach in Mount Vernon schools for almost 30 years until she retired in 1993.

James C. Norris, Bellingham, (B.A.E. '49); passed away on February 4, 2008. After earning his teaching degree from WWU, James taught for several years before serving as principals and director of curriculum in the Mount Vernon School District until 1966.

William J. O'Neil, Bellingham, (B.A.E. '46 and M.Ed '53); passed away this February, 2008. During his undergraduate work at WCE, he left temporarily for military service. Upon his return, he completed his bachelor's degree and continued on to achieve his master's in education. He taught in Lynden for two years before accepting the position of Whatcom County Superintendent of Schools. He later joined the WCE staff, serving in a variety of administrative roles until his retirement in 1978. O'Neil was also very involved in his community and enjoyed traveling.

Gordon Edwin "Coachie" Robertson, Tenino, (B.A.E. '59); passed away on January 27, 2008. During his 40 year career as a teacher, he taught at Coupeville High School, Pe Ell in South Umpqua, Ore. and Sultan High School before moving to Tenino. Robertson also coached football, basketball, cross country and track and field. He was inducted into the the State Coaches Hall of Fame for cross country and track and field.

Mary Lucile Teller, Seattle, (B.A.E.); passed away on January 4, 2008 of a stroke. She served as a teacher at the Highlands preschool in Shoreline for 35 years, until she was 75 years old. She was also actively involved with the Camp Fire organization and helped create the first Camp Fire museum in the country. She also received the Camp Fire Spirit Award in 1999, a lifetime-achievement award recognizing her 40 years of service.

Doreen V. Underhill, Seattle, (B.A.); passed away on December 17, 2007. She taught ice skating at Ballard, Highland and Sno-King ice arenas for many years.

Fall 2007

Steve Adams (M.Ed. '90); is returning to the Lopez School District after his retirement last spring to teach Physics and Physical Science part time.

Anthony Brown (B.S. and M.Ed); has been named the new principal of Mill Creek Middle School. He has previous experience in Kent, Edmonds, as well as Mill Creek.

Pat Burleson (B.A. Eled '73); has been hired by the Lopez School District to coordinate the Parent Partner Program in the district. Burleson is a retire-rehire employee, formerly employed by the Anacortes School District.

Carri Ellis Campbell (Art – Eled ’99) is now the Seattle Public School district’s visual and performing arts manager.  As such, she will head a leadership team, hired over the next five years, to represent the visual arts, music, dance and theater.  No other district in the state is as committed to arts education.  To read the full article on-line: http://www.seattleschild.com/1007-2.htm

Merrilee Carey (M.Ed. '98); is the principal of the new Kent Phoenix Academy, an institution with new, non-traditional programs. She brings a diverse background to the academy, with experience in retail management and alternative schools.

Phyllis Carney, Seattle, (Eled Cert '85); has retired from her position as children's librarian at the Orcas Island public library after 16 years. After 25 years on the island, she and her husband are moving to Seattle. She earned her elementary teaching certificate from WWU.

Sinead Fitzpatrick, Mount Vernon, (B.A.E. '03); married Colby Plagge on September 15. She is currently finishing her graduate work in continuing and college education at WWU, and is director of the WorkFirst Program at Skagit Valley College.

Rev. Dan Hallgrimson, Corvallis, OR (B.A.E. '64); retired at the end of the year after thirteen years with Grace Lutheran Church and over three decades as a pastor. After graduating from WWU, Hallgrimson joined the Peace Corps and taught in Malaysia. Upon his return, he taught in inner Seattle and then Hawaii before becoming a pastor.

Amarantha (Mara) Handy, Oaksdale, (Teaching Cert. '07); has been hired by the Oaksdale School District to teach kindergarten and Spanish.

April (ICD-Eled '05) and Rodney Jennings (PE & Health P-12 '06) are living in Seoul, Korea, where April is teaching 4th grade at the Seoul American Elementary School.  She was one of 47 teachers to receive the 2007 General Bell award, which recognizes educators and staff at Department of Defense schools who provide high quality educational services in South Korea. 

Pictured at left is the April and Rodney Jennings family.

Tom Keegan, Port Angeles, (M.Ed. '84); helped welcome elected officials and tribal representatives as well as young Native Americans attending the ceremony at the Peninsula College commemorating the first longhouse on a community college campus in the nation.

Lynne Munoz, Mukilteo, (B.A.E. '94 & M.Ed. '96); is the new director of Everett Community College's School of Business Design. She has taught business courses for the past 23 years and has worked at Everett Community College since 1996, earning tenure in 2000.

Don Olcott Jr., Burlington, (B.A.E. '81 and M.Ed. '86); has been appointed chief executive officer of The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education with the Association of Commonwealth Universities in London. He was previously the president of the United States Distance Learning Association, as well as an educator and consultant to institutions from the U.S. and Canada to Australia, Greece, and the U.K.

Lisa Patrick (B.A.E. '88); has been welcomed as a new faculty member of Ohio Wesleyan University. She holds teaching certificates and has taught at the pre-school and secondary levels in two states. She has also held adjunct and part-time teaching positions at Ashland University and Ohio Wesleyan University.

Sarah Pritchett, Seattle, (M.Ed. '99); is the new principal of McClure Middle School in Queen Anne. She was previously the vice principal at Lake Washington High School, where she served for seven years.

Jennifer Reinig, Tacoma, (Principal Cert. '07); is the new principal at Stevens Elementary School in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. She previously taught fourth grade at the Hilltop Elementary School in the Highline School District, as well as serving as an assistant principal within the district.

Brian Ward, Federal Way, (B.A. '80); assisted in flood relief efforts in December of 2007 in Pierce County. He is currently a sheriff Sgt. with Pierce County.

 IN MEMORIAM

Helen Aamot, Mount Vernon, (B.A.); passed away on August 4, 2007 of this year. She earned her degree in education from WWU, while she pursued a long and distinguished teaching career with Sedro-Woolley school district, where she stayed until her retirement in 1976.

Lilly (Nelson) Brossard, Napavine, passed away on December 21, 2007.

Mary Louise Burke, Seattle, (B.A.); passed away this August, 2007 after a long fight with cancer. She taught for many years at both the Shoreline and Lake Washington School District.

Ethel Boynton Crook, Bellingham, (B.A. and Teaching Cert. '62); passed away on August 29, 2007. She retired after a forty year career teaching in the Bellingham, Ferndale, and Lynden School Districts. One of her greatest passions in life was her music.

Francis LeMont Dawson, Bellingham, (B.A.E. '67); passed away in December of 2007 at the age of 94. He taught various subjects in Sedro-Woolley and Nova Scotia until moving to Anacortes where he was employed for almost ten years with the Anacortes Post Office.

Frances Scheffler Jackson passed away on December 6, 2007. She taught and supervised students at WWU.

Joyce Laramore, Santa Rosa/Bellingham, (B.A. & Teaching Cred.); passed away in October of 2007. She taught