Orange Peal - Retirement Issue 2024

An Orange County Public Schools Employee Publication June 2024 Vol. 49, Issue 8

RETIREMENT EDITION

Inspiring OCPS’ Top Talent

As OCPS careers come to a close, there are many ‘best moments’ to remember. For those who work directly with students, there are often stories and memories of how lives have been changed and talents unleashed.

The Orange Peal asked the winners of the OCPS Foundation’s Top Talent competition to share about an educator who inspired them. The three named below are a reminder of the impact that every OCPS employee can make at any stage in their career.

Here’s what they shared with us:

OCPS inspiration:

Scott Evans Senior Director, Visual & Performing Arts

Scott Evans' genuine focus, kindness and care extend to everyone, cultivating an environment where I felt empowered to pursue my goals wholeheartedly.

From providing performance opportunities to offering guidance and encouragement, Mr. Evans has been pivotal in shaping my journey, fostering growth and inspiration. I am deeply grateful for his leadership and the profound impact he has had on my life.

OCPS inspiration:

Geraldine Barazarte Music Teacher, Windy Ridge K-8

What I will remember most about Mrs. B is how she encourages me to focus on my passion for music – in both singing, as well as instruments and musicals. She is always there for me and even came to see me at my first Top Talent contest.

She inspires me by helping me to work harder and helps me to reach my goals. I have been able to be in a 4th/5th grade ensemble, ORFF, as well as a musical, “Annie Jr.,” this year. This is all after school hours, and because she gives her time and dedication.

Evan Sutherland

Windy Ridge K-8

People’s Choice Winner

Gail Chase

Theatre Teacher/Director, Lake Nona High

I will remember how much she has gotten me out of my shell throughout my high school career, especially during my senior year.

She has inspired me by encouraging me to be a part of our one-act play and spring musical. She was able to see that I have talents that I could not see in myself. She also encouraged me to be proud of my talents and accomplishments.

Barbara Acevedo Avalon Middle

Marvin Alls Lockhart Middle

Basdai Appadu Food and Nutrition Services

Yvonne Arrington Employment Services

Gita Bahadori Employment Services

Maria Batista Deerwood Elementary

Edna Bertrand Howard Middle

Linda Boot Horizon High

Michael Braxton Millennia Elementary

Donna Bryant Acceleration East

CONGRATULATIONS, 2023-24 RETIREES!

Susan Adams HR and Executive Services

Doris Andersen Transportation Student Services

Paula Arias Roberto Clemente Middle

Stephen Atwood Winter Park High

Kimberly Baker Ocoee High

Toya Bell Johnson Orange Technical College West Campus

Jean Bivins BETA

Jimmy Booth Maintenance Northwest

Michael Bridges Custodial Services

Benita Bryant Glover Transportation Student Services

Ilia Adorno Wetherbee Elementary

Wanda Anderson Walker Middle

Patricia Arida Winegard Elementary

Gloria Baez Facilities Services Construction

Nellie Basulto Spring Lake Elementary

Tomas Bennett Freedom High

David Bloom Windermere High

Eva Braxton Dommerich Elementary

Nancy Bromhead Windermere Elementary

Sandra Burgos-Garcia Psychological & Social Services

15 Dec. 2024

11 OCT. 2024

Karen Butler Curriculum and Instruction

Eric Cantrell Timber Springs Middle

Magdalena Castro Forsyth Woods Elementary

Barbara Chambers Lake Silver Elementary

Susan Childs Windy Ridge K-8

Linda Cochran Winter Park High

Judy Cory Waterford Elementary

Olga Cruz Food and Nutrition Services

Diana Denhard Food and Nutrition Services

Carmen Donato Oakshire Elementary

Lisa Cameron Winter Park High

Myrna Caraballo Stonewyck Elementary

Gesina Castro Alonso Walker Middle

Dawn Chaney Rosemont Elementary

Eleine Civil Food and Nutrition Services

Ana Colon-Sosa Elementary Schools

Helen Coye Transportation Student Services

Vickie Cruz Rock Springs Elementary

Laura Dietz College Park Middle

Catherine Driscoll Magnolia School

Laura Cantell Lancaster Elementary

Hilda Carpio Killarney Elementary

Lynette Chamberlin Lancaster Elementary

Vivian Channel Oak Ridge High

Pamela Cobb Orange Technical College Main Campus

Kathleen Condrey Facilities Services Real Estate Mgmt

Lucia Cruz Meadow Woods Elementary

Albert Davies BETA

Joan Dipaola-Schwehm Lovell Elementary

Randall Durkee District Police

Rosa Ellis Garcia John Young Elementary

Marc-Andre Fleurimond Ridgewood Park Elementary

George Frazier Colonial High

Lovlania Gallon Transportation Student Services

Denise Gilcrease Positive Pathways Transition Center

Antonia Gonzalez Multilingual Services

Leslee Green Thornebrooke Elementary

Caroll Grimando Zellwood Elementary

Gloria Hanna Gotha Middle

Troy Harris Carver Middle

Cheryl Hobbs Food and Nutrition Services

Chantelle Holt Dover Shores Elementary

Deborah Hudson Boone High

Albert Hutchinson Freedom High

Capildeo Jadonath Orange Technical College East Campus

Sharon Jenkins Hiawassee Elementary

Lynden Johnson Building Code Compliance Office

Tammi Jones Colonial High

William Kelly Piedmont Lakes Middle

Pamela Kortas Lakeville Elementary

Lisa Evans Ocoee Elementary

Barbara Fonseca ITS Customer Care

Stephen Fulmer Piedmont Lakes Middle

Yolanda Garcia Forsyth Woods Elementary

Hilda Gomez Vista Lakes Elementary

Natalia Gonzalez Food and Nutrition Services

Noel Green Freedom Middle

Jacqueline Hamann Wetherbee Elementary

Constance Hardin Lake George Elementary

Robert Hedrick Dr. Phillips High

Elizabeth Hobson College Park Middle

Susan Homer Hunter’s Creek Middle

Lisa Hunter Facilities Svc Maintenance

Mary Inman Audubon Park School

Beverly Jameson Andover Elementary

Diane Johnson Vocational Technical Education

Sara Johnson Meadowbrook Middle

Marie Joseph Freedom High

Bonita Kirkpatrick Gotha Middle

Thomas Larkin Hunter’s Creek Middle

Rita Faulkner Castle Creek Elementary

Diane Fray ESE Instructional Support

Pamela Furman Discovery Middle

Mary Gaskill ESE Instructional Support

Jairo Gomez Lake George Elementary

Gary Green Food and Nutrition Services

Willis Green Tildenville Elementary

Karen Handley Orlando Gifted Academy

Bryan Harper Apopka High

Lisa Hewitt Westbrooke Elementary

Mary Holman Waterford Elementary

Kevin Houck Freedom High

Stacy Huntzinger Spring Lake Elementary

Doretha Jackson Transportation Student Services

Lydia Jenkins Lawton Chiles Elementary

Frank Johnson Maintenance Northwest

Brenda Jones Food and Nutrition Services

Debra Judd Food and Nutrition Services

Francine Kniel Brookshire Elementary

Patricia Leichering Food and Nutrition Services

Xuehua Lew Food and Nutrition Services

Janet Ludwig Rock Lake Elementary

Doris Malave Psychological & Social Services

Jairam Maraj Pine Hills Elementary

K Scott Martin Brookshire Elementary

Renae Medley-Powell Lake Silver Elementary

Jennifer Miller Food and Nutrition Services

Wanda Mitchell Howard Middle

Michael Moore Custodial Services

Teresa Mosquera Transportation Student Services

Rosemary Lipman Sunshine Elementary

Daisy Lugo Boone High

Max Mallebranche Transportation Student Services

Marisol Marrero Lake Nona High

Alison McCormick Orange Technical College South Campus

Stella Menacho Orange Technical College West Campus

Shari Milligan Apopka Elementary

Cheryl Moore Lockhart Middle

Gayle Mooring Acceleration West

Zoraida Moure Food and Nutrition Services

Raul Lopez Transportation Support Services

Gloria Lugo Chickasaw Elementary

Sandra Manalo University High

Victor Marrero Maintenance South

Maureen McCoy Food and Nutrition Services

Rebecca Millan Multilingual Services

Elaine Mitchell Transportation Student Services

Marlene Moore Apopka High

Alvin Morrison Custodial Services

Iris Myers-Simmons Shingle Creek Elementary

Carlos Navarro Montanez Transportation Support Services

Roberta Nyffeler Stone Lakes Elementary

Evelyn Odell Wyndham Lakes Elementary

Timothy O’Malley Maintenance Northwest

Susan Packer Windy Ridge K-8

Linda Parsons Arbor Ridge K-8

Ivette Perez Camelot Elementary

Juan Pinero Custodial Services

Jill Pitchford-Dunn Bridgewater Middle

Cynthia Powers Waterford Elementary

Belinda Ratliff Sadler Elementary

Elizabeth Renzulli Lake Whitney Elementary

Wanda Rivera Dillard Street Elementary

Lila Romero Psychological & Social Services

Gabrielle Saintus Lake Gem Elementary

Marie Schwarz Employment Services

Juan Serge Transportation Student Services

Derese Shackleford-France Boone High

Suzanne Shuman McCoy Elementary

Bradley Smith South Creek Middle

Charles Negron Cypress Creek High

Kathy O’Brien Lake Nona High

Mary O’Dell Ocoee Elementary

Mary Osteen Davies Wedgefield School

Beverly Page ESE Pol & Pro & Sup Svc Nonpub

Yvonne Patten Ocoee High

Rafael Perez Waterford Elementary

Marta Pinner Lakemont Elementary

Margarita Portillo Shenandoah Elementary

Monique Prysock Transportation Student Services

Parie Register Washington Shores Elementary

Marlene Rivera Oakshire Elementary

Jose Rodriguez Lopez Transportation Student Services

Gregory Ross Custodial Services

Jose Sanchez Chicas Hillcrest Elementary

Janet Seelig Ocoee Middle

Carla Setaram Windermere Elementary

Valerie Shepard Transportation Student Services

Angeles Silva-Johnson Orange Technical College West Campus

Inga Smith ESTEEM Academy

Amy Noegel Deerwood Elementary

Migdalia Ocasio Luna Food and Nutrition Services

Maria Ojeda Camelot Elementary

Marion Owens Juvenile Offenders Program

Savatry Paguandas Oak Hill Elementary

Ellen Patterson Hunter’s Creek Elementary

Suzanne Pickell ESE Instructional Support

Deborah Pirolli Chain of Lakes Middle

Rose Powell University High

Maria Ramos Glenridge Middle

Christie Reid Employment Services

Sally Rivera OCVS Virtual Franchise

Adrienne Rollins Retirement Services

Idabel Ruiz-Perez Transportation Student Services

Rebecca Scanlon Food and Nutrition Services

Lynn Sellers McCoy Elementary

Barbara Shackelford College Park Middle

Laverne Showers Food and Nutrition Services

Beatriz Smith Odyssey Middle

Linda Smith OCVS Virtual Instruction Course Offering

Patrick Smith Office of Management and Budget

Kenneth Stees Custodial Services

Wanda Swanigan Thornebrooke Elementary

Nichelle Thomas Lake George Elementary

Pilar Torres Silver Pines Academy K-12 Learning Cntr

Jill Trimble Southwest Middle

Ana Vega Chickasaw Elementary

Damaris Viruet Oakshire Elementary

James Watson Maintenance Northeast

Yin Wong Horizon High

Teresa Yates West Orange High

Erick Somwaru

Orange Technical College South Campus

Eileen Strickland Chain of Lakes Middle

Lynnette Tait Food and Nutrition Services

Carol Togno Pineloch Elementary

Lynda Touchton Apopka High

Frederick Turner Liberty Middle

Ruth Velazquez Castle Creek Elementary

Elizabeth Walton Food and Nutrition Services

Janet White Summerlake Elementary

Stanley Wood East Lake Elementary

Raymond Yockel Southwest Middle

Evelyn Sosa Transportation Student Services

Beverley Suah ESE Supplemental Services

Lori Taylor Shenandoah Elementary

Helen Tookes-Tyree Glenridge Middle

Sherry Tough University High

Maritza Vazquez Navarro Food and Nutrition Services

Diana Vilchez Employment Services

Carol-Anne Warren Palm Lake Elementary

Vicky Wise Windermere Elementary

Mamie Woods Food and Nutrition Services

Amy Ziev ESE Instructional Support

Updated through May 14, 2024

Teacher Broke the Language Barrier for ELL Students

By Sandra Carr

In more than three decades teaching Englishlanguage learners, it’s the students Janet Ludwig remembers the most.

At Rock Lake Elementary, where Ludwig spent most of her career, it’s a student who arrived with his family from Mexico that stands out. She took the Spanish speaker under her wing and taught him English.

She also supported the student in other ways by accompanying the boy and his mom to UCF Celebrates the Arts events, which sparked his interest in playing a musical instrument.

She continued to assist the student, whose English improved by leaps and bounds, by getting him enrolled at the Howard Middle Academy of Arts. There, he flourished. He played the guitar, piano and violin in the school orchestra.

Ludwig’s colleagues recognized her amazing teaching efforts and selected her as Teacher of the Year twice - when she taught ELLs at Hillcrest Elementary during the 1991-1992 school year and again at Rock Lake in 2015-2016.

The hardworking Rock Lake Beaver has also held other positions at the school, including resource

teacher, exceptional student education staffing specialist and coordinator for ADDitions School Volunteers and Partners in Education.

Another stint included teaching English to local hotel employees at Orange Technical College –South Campus, then known as Mid-Florida Tech.

Ludwig also inspired a former Rock Lake student to become a teacher and use his language skills to help others learn English.

““I’m inspired by my students and their families who, while living in difficult economic circumstances, exhibit compassion and generosity toward others in similar situations,” said Ludwig, who has a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Valparaiso University and a Master of Science in Elementary Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from University of Houston - Clear Lake.

Connecting with her students and their families, along with providing them with a Thanksgiving meal, has brought Ludwig much joy over the years.

She enjoyed all her students and still loves hearing from them.

Other fond memories include attending the Spirit of Excellence ceremonies and organizing fall and international festivals at Rock Lake.

Retiree: Janet Ludwig

Title: Resource Teacher

Years with OCPS: 34

OCPS Retirement Date: Sept. 1, 2023

During retirement, Ludwig plans to take care of her mom, who is suffering from dementia. She plans to teach English to adult speakers of other languages, assist her church with its food pantry and spend quality time with family.

The Orange Peal is a publication by OCPS employees and for OCPS employees. It launched in April 1974 as a newsletter for all OCPS employees “from principals to custodians.” With a name encompassing the symbols of the orange and the school bell, the Orange Peal was intended for “the good news of this school system [to be] ‘rung out’” -in other words, to peal.

Editor: LAUREN ROTH

Designer:

KIMBERLY BOULNOIS

Contributor: SANDRA CARR