Ahead of the Mid-Prairie school board meeting, a retirement ceremony was held Monday night for three long-time Mid-Prairie staff members: Mo Gingerich, Julie Frieden, and Jodi Kahler.

While Gingerich was unable to attend the ceremony, Frieden and Kahler were each awarded with plaques signifying their service to the district.

Frieden, a special education paraprofessional at East Elementary who spent 29.5 years with the district, described what her time at Mid-Prairie has meant to her, “Mid-Prairie has felt like a family. I’ve made friendships with a lot of staff and students. It’s always an adventure when you work with students, it’s rewarding in it’s own way. You learn as much from them as they do from you.”

Kahler, also a special education paraprofessional at the Middle School, shared similar sentiments on her 15 years with the district, calling Mid-Prairie a family and a place to call home.

Several teachers and staff members spoke at the ceremony, highlighting the joy which Frieden and Kahler brought to their students, as well as their commitment to the students of Mid-Prairie.

Gingerich, a fourth grade teacher at West Elementary, retired after 17 years with the district.