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Middletown Area SD honors retirees, introduces new hires and candidates
Summary
The board recognized a large group of retirees representing a reported 248 years of service, including high‑school leader Mr. Fry and long‑time CFO David Franklin. The district introduced candidates for school psychologist, learning‑support teacher and occupational therapist for possible hire next school year.
The Middletown Area School District Board of School Directors opened its meeting with an extended recognitions segment honoring district employees who are retiring this year. The administration said the retiring group collectively represents more than 248 years of service to the district.
Mr. Fry, a recently retiring high‑school leader who spent two years at Fin Elementary and three years at the high school, accepted recognition and thanked the district for "giving me a chance," saying he was proud of the trajectory of the high school and the staff he worked with. The board also recognized long‑serving staff across multiple roles, including Robin Peterson (speech‑language pathologist, 17 years), Michelle Refe/Reich (elementary library clerk, 21 years), Kathy Ser (high‑school math teacher, 22 years), Earl Bright (longtime educator) and David Franklin, who was identified in the meeting as the district’s chief financial officer with 25 years of service.
Following recognitions, the board introduced candidates for employment: Emily Strawbball (candidate for school psychologist), Kaylee Piper (candidate for Reed Elementary learning support teacher), Anna Moller (candidate for occupational therapist) and noted that Mora Azat (candidate for autism support paraprofessional at Reed) was not present.
Why it matters: The retirements represent a significant loss of institutional experience; the candidate introductions signal staffing plans ahead of the new school year.
What was said: Mr. Fry said, "Middletown gave me a chance," and thanked the superintendent, administrative team and community. Dr. Hunter and other board members praised staff teamwork and construction‑project support from maintenance and operations personnel.
Next steps: Candidates introduced will be considered for appointment as outlined on the agenda and in subsequent personnel actions.
