Northville board and community honor retiring educators and staff

The Northville Public Schools Board of Education honored more than a dozen retiring employees at a ceremony during the meeting and approved retirement resolutions recognizing their service.

The board adopted motion 116 to approve retirement resolutions honoring retiring staff members for their years of service; the vote was conducted by roll call and recorded as unanimous. District leaders and colleagues spoke at length about individual retirees’ careers, contributions and personal qualities at the event.

Speakers at the podium highlighted long tenures and examples of service: remarks praised early‑literacy instruction, food‑service leadership, custodial and finance contributions, creativity in classrooms and decades of classroom teaching. Several retirees were recognized for 25 years or more; one teacher was noted for nearly 40 years of service.

Specific names honored during the program included Julie (last name in record), Michael Zoff (finance/operations leader), Frances Garcia (Cook School staff), Danielle (billing specialist), Mary Bafone (food service), Deb (Moraine Elementary staff), Janice (administrative staff), Laura (language teacher), Anne Labadee (Silver Springs Elementary), Kim Nicholas (Winchester), and others. The Mothers Club of Northville life members presented a legacy gift — a framed photo collage of high‑school composites dating back to 1901 — to be displayed in district buildings.

Board members and administrators emphasized the retirees’ impact on students and the district’s long institutional memory, and the ceremony included testimonials from colleagues and family. The board then approved the retirement resolutions by roll call, with all trustees voting yes.

Administrators asked the public to recognize the families who supported those staff over the years. The meeting then continued to other agenda items.