The Retirement Recognition Ceremony for USD 475 was a chance for those whom worked countless hours to be honored by their friends and colleagues.

The program honored five retirees:  Anna Haffner from Morris Hill Elementary School, Gilbert Hall from Junction City High School, Sharon Houston from Junction City Middle School, Jan Pabitzky of the Devin Center, and Susan Zimmerman of Junction City Middle School.

Combined experience between the five honorees was approximately 158 years.

Board of Education President Brian Field said, “It’s a bittersweet moment a lot of times because we want to congratulate them and we’re very happy for them and their retirement, but at the same time we’re losing an awful lot of experience and some really good people.”

The night was filled with laughs and warm sentiments, but one of the most touching presentations was from presenter Lindsay Murphy to her colleague and former teacher Sharon Houston.

“Twelve years after having Mrs. Houston as a teacher in sixth grade, I became a teacher at Junction City Middle School and I was placed on her team; how surreal and wonderful it is then to become a colleague of a former teacher that played a huge role in me wanting to become a teacher,” said Murphy.

Anna Hafner, Morris Hill Elementary school teacher said it was an easy answer for her when asked what she would miss the most – “the hugs” she replied.

Gilbert Hall, whom has said that he is not “retiring, he is simply moving on” was paid an enormous compliment by presenter Mike Gross.

Gross stated, “When I recruited Gil [to teach] the first time, Greg Springstein was the principal and I said, ‘Greg, I’m the second best auto teacher in the state, and I want to recruit number one’ and so I called Gil.”

The retirement ceremony was Tuesday evening at Junction City Middle School.