Compiled by Aaron McColloch
SUSAN ADAMS
Mrs. Adams has been the Cafeteria Manager at Sapulpa Middle School since 1996 and a district employee since 1985.
She said that what she will miss most after all these years are the wonderful ladies she works with and being able to see and greet the students each day with a GOOD MORNING or HAVE A GREAT DAY!
Mrs. Adams hopes her legacy is that she helped nourish the students and let them know that they are important and can make a difference.
She looks forward to spending more time with her husband and family, especially her great grandbabies. She also plans on reading and traveling.
LYN BINGMAN
Lyn Bingman has been a Certified School Nurse with us since 2010. Prior to being here, she spent a few years as the nurse at Allen Bowden.
Mrs. Bingman said that health education and disease prevention have always been her passion whether it’s been working with children or adults. Her fondest memories of her time at SPS will be leading hygiene and puberty talks to elementary students. “You never know what questions will be asked,” she said. I bet you don’t!
She hopes that staff and students found her to be helpful in keeping everyone healthy in school.
As she moves on into retirement, Mrs. Bingman looks forward to spending time with her grandchildren and tending to her garden.
BOB EHRLE
Mr. Ehrle has been in education for 28 years. He has been a counselor at Sapulpa Junior High School since 2016.
Prior to his time here, he taught at both Madison and Lewis & Clark in Tulsa before getting into counseling at Carver Middle School also at TPS.
Mr. Ehrle is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
According to Principal Dru Dixon, Mrs. Ehrle was always present in the hallways for the students and he did a good job making sure the students were holding themselves accountable.
MICHAEL GOODE
Michael Goode was the 2020 Sapulpa Middle School Teacher of the Year. Before teaching 6th-grade math, he spent time at Tulsa, Broken Arrow, and Jenks school districts.
Mr. Goode cites working with a great supportive staff toward a common goal as the thing he will miss most about his time at the middle school.
The one thing he said he has learned over the years is that building relationships has to come before lessons. Students have to know their teacher cares for them and are interested in who they are before they build trust and learn from you.
Mr. Goode is looking forward to being OPA (grandfather) and building a Millennial Falcon bed for his grandson and building a Puzzle Table for his daughter. He will also spend time working on the farm and traveling.
KAPPY HIGGS
After 50 years in education, Kappy said her legacy begins with teaching young kids to read and hoping they grow into adults who love to read. Her fondest memory is of the kids who went through her classroom, some of whom are here today.
“I wanted each individual to come into the classroom feeling happy to be there and leave feeling like they had a successful day. Teaching has been my calling–my dream job,” she said.
As for retirement, Kappy plans to read, golf, declutter her house, and spend time with her six grandchildren who live in three different states. Kappy was the Director of the district’s Latchkey program.
REESA LIERLY
Reesa Lierly just completed her 15th year at Sapulpa Public Schools teaching science and math to 5th graders at Jefferson Heights. Prior to her time here, Mrs. Lierly was at Lone Star for 11 years and Jenks for five.
She hopes she helped her students by expecting a lot academically, being consistent in helping them to become disciplined, and being unconditionally in love with each and every one of them. She hopes parents remember that she was strict, but fair. She wants her colleagues to remember her as a willing teammate and loyal friend. Above all, she hopes they remember that for her, it’s Jesus first to help her through.
In retirement, Mrs. Lierly will continue training and competing on her barrel horses. Her goal, she said, is to become a world champion and that age is just a number. Mrs. Lierly said she is blessed with good health, good horses, and a wonderful family and friends who support her.
SUZANNE MOSS
Suzanne Moss taught at Liberty for 19 years, Holmes Park for two, and Freedom for the last 17 for a total of 38 years. Her nearly 40 years have been spent entirely in the hallways of Sapulpa Public Schools.
“Teach them to read and they will succeed,” she said. She built her career on the belief that reading is the foundation for all education, and she hopes that is her legacy. Teaching students the most important step in their educational journey – learning to read.
Mrs. Moss said her fondest memories revolve around seeing the excitement on her students’ faces when they finish reading that first sentence, that first book.
During the first few months of retirement, she said she has a lengthy “to-do” list around the house, but she hopes to squeeze in a few trips, visit with family and friends, and just enjoy life.
RICK PATTERSON
Coach Patterson has been at the college level, junior high, and High School for the past 45 years. Since 2013 he has taught U.S. History just down the hall.
Mr. Patterson is most proud of his time as the Head Football Coach of two state champion teams and one state runner-up. His fondest memory is of working with so many dedicated teachers and administration. “I will miss the students, teachers, and administration,” he said.
Mr. Patterson hopes his legacy will include that he helped students be successful in life through education and a good work ethic.
His retirement will include time with his family, especially the grandkids, and also watching his son coach at the University of Minnesota.
CINDY PARKER
Cindy Parker has been a paraprofessional at Sapulpa Middle School since 2001.
She said her fondest memory will be of working with our students who have special needs. Mrs. Parker said, and I’m quoting here, “I hoped to teach them, but in fact they taught me acceptance, patience, understanding, and complete unconditional love.”
She hopes that the way she helped public education during her career was to be a voice for all those students who felt they had none, to make them feel important, included, and most of all, loved for who they are.
In retirement, Mrs. Parker plans to spend her time making memories with her five grandsons while relaxing with her family at the lake house.
NANCY SITLER
Ms. Sitler has led our Child Nutrition department for 29 years. Prior to coming to Sapulpa, she had stints in food service at schools in the states of Washington and Virginia.
Ms. Sitler said she will miss the wonderful women she has worked in our cafeterias for three decades. One of her favorite memories is of the training she and the staff did for a summer camp they dubbed – Camp Wegottafeedem. The managers were troop leaders and each employee received a merit badge for each section of training they completed.
She leaves SPS with the hope that she impressed upon the staff and teachers how important meals are to our children. For some, she said, the meals at school are the only well-rounded meals they might eat each day.
Ms. Sitler is headed to the Alpha Delta Pi sorority at Oklahoma State University where she will be the house mom. She also plans to continue traveling with her children and granddaughter.
DEBBIE TODD
Debbie had been with the district since 1998 until she retired in December.
Custodial Supervisor Edward Gonzalez said Mrs. Todd was always willing to go above and beyond and she took great pride in her work as a custodian. She mentioned that she had worked in several positions during her time, even in the cafeteria.
She’s been gone since earlier this year, Debbie has been missed and we wish her the best in her retirement.
DEBBIE VAN HORN
Mrs. Van Horn retired after 12 years of serving the district as an Intervention Specialist, Secondary Instructional Coach, and most recently, the EL Coordinator. Prior to those roles, she taught at Sapulpa Middle School, Woodlawn Elementary, Tulsa, and Kiefer. In total, she has been in education for 41 years.
Mrs. Van Horn said she without a doubt will miss the people she worked with and that ending her career with EL has allowed her to give a voice to others that may not have had the opportunity.
She said Sapulpa Public Schools allowed her to get out of her comfort zone and to grow both personally and professionally. Her greatest honor, she said, was to serve the students, parents, and staff of Sapulpa.
Retirement plans? Mrs. Van Horn said she now has the freedom to do whatever she wants.
