ACS recognized and thanked volunteers, faculty, and staff for their commitment and service over the past school year at our school’s annual Thank-You Lunch on Tuesday, June 12 in the Multi-Purpose Room. Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen said that over the past year ACS was blessed to have more than 60 parents, grandparents, and friends in the community give generously of their time and talents as volunteers. Some of the volunteers who attended the luncheon (pictured above) served in the lunch room, on the Parent Teacher Fellowship board, with our Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle, selling concessions in the Cougar Den, and on the Legacy Gala Committee.
ACS also gave a warm send-off to eleven faculty/staff members who are leaving ACS to pursue other endeavors, several moving out of the area, and two taking new positions as pastors. “We love you and want you to know how much we appreciate all you have sacrificed to do God’s work here at ACS,” said Oblen, who presented the departing employees with personalized ACS sweat-shirts as one of their parting gifts. Oblen also gave special recognition to preschool teacher Karan Erlandson, who is retiring after 15 years of service. Earlier that day during the Early Education Promotion Program, Early and Elementary Education Director Gail Alford (pictured at right) also thanked and recognized Erlandson for “how she poured the love of Jesus into each of her students.”
The faculty/staff members to whom we say “farewell ’til we meet again” pictured below are: First row, from left — Upper School Vice Principal and High School history teacher Gregg Laskow; Spanish teacher Anne Dice; PreK2 teacher Ciara Altieri; PreK 2A teacher Joelle Howard; Middle School teacher Casey Hopwood; Middle School teacher Deanna Bailey; Band Director Shirlene Perini; and PreK3A teacher Karan Erlanson; Second row, from left: High School Bible teacher Charlie Moore; Computer teacher Matt McKinnon. Also not returning is High School Language Arts teacher Ariel Richvalsky, who missed the group photo, but arrived later with her newborn baby boy Everett. Ariel, with Everett, her 2-year-old daughter Eden, and husband Tim Richvalsky, an ACS alumnus (’03), are pictured below left. Faculty member Laskow and his wife Caitlin, a former ACS faculty member, also recently welcomed a new addition to the family in May, son Hudson, who joins 2-year-old sister Madison (pictured below right).
