Riverhead School District

Photos: Riverhead school board honors 12 retirees

The Riverhead Board of Education honored 12 retiring employees at Tuesday’s meeting.

Board president Susan Koukounas shared information about each retiree and presented them with a plaque after they enjoyed caked.

The retirees include elementary teacher Dee Martin; school bus driver Adele Abrahamsen; elementary teacher Claire Belmonte; mathematics teacher Theresa Carr; elementary teacher Ilene Chafetz; clerk typist Kathleen Hamilton; teaching assistant Diane Janos; speech teacher Janet Kantor; graphics materials designer Sandra Kolbo; high school business teacher Mary Lee Olsen; mathematics teacher Patricia Passanante; and school bus monitor Joseph Spano.

Ms. Koukounas described Ms. Chafetz as “an incredibly passionate teacher, [who] throughout her career has established positive relationships with students, parents and staff.”

Ms. Chafetz and Ms. Janos are the two retirees who served the longest in the district, both having worked in Riverhead for 34 years.

Ms. Janos was described as having “a calm, kind-hearted and patient demeanor that permeates throughout the classrooms,” which helps motivate her students to succeed, Ms. Koukounas said.

The retirees agreed they’ll miss everyone they worked with in district and are looking forward to beginning the next chapter of their lives.

“I’ll miss the people and the students the most,” Ms. Belmonte said.

Photo credit: Nicole Smith

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Retiring elementary teachers Dee Martin and Claire Belmonte.
Retiring school bus driver Adele Abrahamsen (center) with her family.
Speech teacher Janet Kantor is retiring after 29 years.
Dee Martin hugs superintendent Nancy Carney, who is also retiring in August.