The Elwood Union Free School District Board of Education held a year-end recognition ceremony to honor staff granted tenure and to celebrate retirees and employees marking 25 years of service.

District presenters called staff by name across elementary, middle and high schools and described their contributions before each honoree joined the stage. Tenure recipients included special education teachers, classroom teachers, speech and language staff, technology assistants and administrators; presenters highlighted individualized instruction, collaboration with families, leadership in extracurriculars and support for English language and Spanish-speaking families.

Speakers singled out several long-serving employees for retirement and 25-year awards, praising classroom leadership, program-building, student advocacy, and daily contributions such as cafeteria service. Mr. McNamara, an assistant principal, received recognition for eight years of leadership and was thanked publicly as he prepares to leave the district at the end of the school year. Speakers repeatedly noted the collective total of “over 500 years of collective service” among those honored.

The board and administrators described the recognitions as an opportunity to celebrate staff impact on student success and school culture; presenters encouraged the community to remember the retirees’ contributions and wished them well in retirement.