District #7 Honors Employees During Annual Awards Banquet

Edwardsville, IL - Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 honored several of its outstanding employees, recognized the contributions of those employees with 25 years of service, and bid farewell with a salute to its retirees on May 14, 2026, during its annual District Awards Banquet. The event was held at the SIUE Meridian Ballroom.  

22 employees were recognized for 25 years, while 21 employees were honored for their upcoming retirement.  

Honorees included teachers, principals, custodians, cooks, paraprofessionals, and so many others who help make District #7 an outstanding place for adults to work and students to learn. 

Individual award winners included:  

• Lisa Allen (Leclaire Elementary Reading Teacher), Equity Advocate Award | Video 

• Joey Birrittier (Edwardsville High School Ag Teacher), Rookie of the Year | Video 

• Hannah Darden (Lincoln Middle School Secretary), Educator of the Year (classified staff) | Video 

• Alicia Sadaka (Glen Carbon Elementary 1st Grade Teacher), Educator of the Year (certified staff) | Video 

• Donny Gunter (Leclaire Elementary principal), Administrator of the Year | Video 
   

25-Year Honorees 

• Jamie Anderson, Assistant Principal, Lincoln Middle School 

• Melissa Beck, Foreign Language Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Ellen Bridgewater, PE Teacher, Leclaire Elementary 

• Angie Bullard, Administrative Assistant/DEI Department, Central Office 

• Lori Compton, Special Education Coordinator, Central Office 

• Shanyra Cox, K-5 Elementary Instructional Technology  

• Julie Dean, Administrative Assistant/Curriculum Department 

• Eric Decker, Special Education Teacher, Liberty Middle School 

• Kristi Dickens, Art Teacher, Nelson Elementary 

• Troy Dinkheller, Kindergarten Teacher, Goshen Elementary 

• Ryan Followell, PE/Health Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Jenny Guetterman, Science Teacher, Liberty Middle School 

• Vickie Hellmann, PE Teacher, Goshen Elementary 

• Stacy Laurent-Smith, Vocational Business Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Adrienne Malone, Special Education Teacher, Lincoln Middle School 

• Bill Miener, Director of Special Projects, Central Office 

• Kim Moran, Language Arts Teacher, Liberty Middle School 

• Tricie Mueller, Special Education Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Ronna Renken, English Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Stacy Snead, Fine Arts Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Rachel Symanski, Foreign Language Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Todd Zude, PE/Health Teacher, Liberty Middle School 
   

Retiree Honorees 

• Scot Ambuel, School Safety Officer, Nelson Elementary 

• Suzanne Bogner, 5th Grade Teacher, Columbus Elementary 

• Art Byrd, School Safety Officer, Hamel Elementary 

• Steve Chapman, Social Science Teacher, Liberty Middle School 

• Heather Chapman, 3rd Grade Teacher, Albert Cassens Elementary 

• Lori Compton, Special Education Coordinator, Central Office 

• Anna Coultas, Cafeteria Worker, Leclaire Elementary 

• Cynthia Craft-Mueller, EC Special Education Teacher, Glen Carbon Elementary 

• Michelle Goebel, Special Education Teacher, Lincoln Middle School 

• Nell Harris, Evening Custodian, Glen Carbon Elementary 

• Lynne Kusnerick, School Nurse, Goshen Elementary 

• Karen McDonald, Preschool Academy Teacher, Goshen Elementary 

• Bill Miener, Director of Special Projects, Central Office 

• Gladys Nelson, School Nurse, Hamel Elementary 

• Brenda Ohm, Secretary, Edwardsville High School 

• Dawn Plegge, Head Cook, Leclaire Elementary 

• Lesley Roderick, RTI Teacher, Albert Cassens Elementary 

• Valarie Skaggs, English Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Dr. Cornelia Smith, Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Central Office 

• Dr. Steve Stuart, Executive Director of EGHM Foundation, Central Office 

• Sheila Wagner, 2nd Grade Teacher, Goshen Elementary 
   

Building Educators of the Year (Classified) 

• Albert Cassens Elementary: Constance White, School Safety Officer 

• Columbus Elementary: Tabi Young, Secretary 

• Edwardsville High School: Amy Wachowski, Secretary 

• Glen Carbon Elementary: Lubna Baig, Preschool Assistant 

• Goshen Elementary: Suzanne Tatlici, Secretary 

• Hamel Elementary: Cheryl Barbee, Monitor/Secretary 

• Leclaire Elementary: Samantha Lehnert, Assistant 

• Liberty Middle School: Allie McBrien, Assistant 

• Lincoln Middle School: Hannah Darden, Secretary 

• Midway Elementary: Jen Holland, Assistant 

• Nelson Elementary: Danielle Grisolano, Secretary 

• Woodland Elementary: Tim Conner, Assistant 

• Worden Elementary: Katie Carnahan, Assistant 

 

Educator of the Year (Certified) 

• Albert Cassens Elementary: Rob Nunn, 5th Grade Teacher 

• Columbus Elementary: Abbi Carlson, 3rd Grade Teacher 

• Edwardsville High School: Autumn Cole, Social Worker 

• Glen Carbon Elementary: Alicia Sadaka, 1st Grade Teacher 

• Goshen Elementary: Jen Bryan, FLS Teacher 

• Hamel Elementary: Abby Trask, Preschool For All Teacher 

• Leclaire Elementary: Jessie Buehnerkemper, Kindergarten Teacher 

• Liberty Middle School: Alyssa Smith, FLS Teacher 

• Lincoln Middle School: Tanya Holler, Physical Education Teacher 

• Midway Elementary: Ed English, Art Teacher 

• Nelson Elementary: Debbie Samoska, Kindergarten Teacher 

• Woodland Elementary: Samantha Friedman, 3rd Grade Teacher 

• Worden Elementary: Cari Feco, 5th Grade Teacher 

 

Equity Advocate Nominees 

• Lisa Allen, Reading Teacher, Leclaire Elementary 

• Shanyra Cox, K-5 Elementary Instructional Technology 

• Melissa Unger, Special Education Teacher, Columbus Elementary 

 

Rookie of the Year Nominees 

• Joey Birrittier, Ag Teacher, Edwardsville High School 

• Abbi Carlson, 3rd Grade Teacher, Columbus Teacher 

• Jenna Fenton, 3rd Grade Teacher, Woodland Elementary 

• Rachel Krakos, Special Education Teacher, Nelson Elementary