Havre teachers, staff honored at Pride Celebration

Monday night's Havre Public Schools annual employee recognition Pride Celebration honored 56 teachers, saying goodbye to nine of them, and applauded four seniors who sang in harmony, over an accompanying piano, a rendition of "If You Only Got a Moustache."

Eighteen teachers were recognized for teaching in the district five years, 11 teachers for 10 years, six teachers for 15 years, five teachers for 20 years and another five for 25 years.

In between, a student quartet - Chris Steinmetz, Eagan Phillips, Thomas Keith and Trenton Parrotte - dressed in black and white formal wear capped with black bowler hats, serenaded the crowd with a Stephen Collins Foster 19th century parlor hit.

Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson told the audience Havre teachers were good because they value what students value and that is evidenced in the success of the students.

He introduced the category of retiring teachers by prefacing that there is 237 years of teaching experience between the nine of them.

"Two-hundred and thirty-seven," he repeated.

Of the nine, four of the teachers spoke: Marjory Leeds, Shirlee Perrodin, Mary Wagner and Karla Bolken.

Perrodin shared a short picture book her daughter had written about a librarian, about her; Wagner shared a story about when, during her younger teaching days, she went out on a school night, fell asleep in a seventh period study hall the next day and woke up with her students gone; and Bolken tried, but failed, not to tear up during her short speech.

Last year's recipient of the employee of the year award, Melony Steckel, presented Toby Schlotfeldt with this year's award. Steckel said Schlotfeldt was hardworking and reliable and had a caring nature.

The crowd demanded a speech as Schlotfeldt took her award and quietly, and quickly, went back to her seat.

As for teacher of the tear, departing music teacher and last year's winner David Johnke described this year's winner as a teacher with a big heart who is able to recognize students who need "a little more TLC." This teacher, "he or she - whoever this teacher may be," has a student-first mentality and is described by other teachers as simply "amazing."

Johnke finally revealed the teacher.

Rebecca Reno won the Teacher of the Year Award. Like Schlotfeldt before her, she accepted her award, smiled graciously and went back to her seat.