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4J Retirees: Class of 2024

Join us in honoring Eugene School District 4J’s 2024 retirees! Though we are sad to say goodbye to these amazing 4J staff, we are happy they soon will have more time for family, friends and adventures.

We would like to thank our 30-plus retirees for their hard work through the years. There are few careers that have as great an impact on our world as those involved in the care and education of our young people.

To our retirees, we wish you good health and lots of fun in retirement!

Alicia Newton-Hamill | Molly Nord | Setsumi Suemeatsu | Kathy Tagwerker | Denisa Taylor | Lynette Williams

Please Note: This is only a partial list of this year’s 4J retirees. Some retirees have asked that their names not be listed. 

newton-hamil photo

Alicia Newton-Hamill

Alicia Newton-Hamill is retiring after a 29-year career in K-12 education, including 23 years working at 4J as a Spanish teacher and teacher on special assignment for world languages.

Her most cherished memories crystallized each May when her students signed their names on the mural painted by students on her classroom walls to celebrate the coming end of the school year. She insprired her students with the work of The Royal Chicano Air Force, the influential art collective, and other important contemporary artists.  “A lovely bit of serendipity happened [one year] when, unbeknownst to me, the granddaughter of one of the original members of The Royal Chicano Air Force was my student!”

In retirement, the retiree whom colleagues called “summer Alicia,” plans to spend lots of time outdoors, volunteering, travelling and engaging other exciting pursuits. “Now, I get to be that rested, relaxed, and fun-loving person all year! Woot!”

“I will miss helping a student go from ‘I can't’ to ‘I did it!’ and encouraging students to speak out and stand up for injustice, whenever and wherever it presented itself.”

Alicia Newton-Hamill, 4J Retiree, Class of 2024 

Molly Nord

Congratulations to Molly Nord, who is retiring after a 30-year career in public education, half of which was spent working at 4J.

Suemeatsu, who retires as the music teacher at Chávez Elementary Schooll, said she will most miss the caring people and great kids. “The constant learning was the best and hardest part,” she said. 

Molly Nord

Congratulations to Molly Nord, who is retiring after a 30-year career in public education, half of which was spent working at 4J.

Suemeatsu, who retires as the music teacher at Chávez Elementary Schooll, said she will most miss the caring people and great kids. “The constant learning was the best and hardest part,” she said.

Setsumi Suemeatsu

Congratulations to Setsumi Suemeatsu, who is retiring after a 39-year career in public education, all but six of those spent with 4J.

Suemeatsu, who retires as a fourth-grade teacher at Yujin Gakuen Japanese Immersion Elementary School, said she will most miss her students’ smiling faces. In retirement, she plans to move to the city where my dauther's family lives. She also plans to visit her mother in Japan and make good memories with her and other family members. 

Portrait of retiree Kathy Tagwerker

Kathy Tagwerker

Happy retirement to Kathy Tagwerker after spending 36 years at 4J preparing and serving healthy meals and delivering daily doses to joy to 4J students. 

Joining the district in 1987, she worked in the kitchen at several schools before moving to Spring Creek in 2009, where she retires as a food service coordinator. She also worked as a Life Skills educational assistant during the summer for more than than 20 years. She is well known to students and staff alike for her humor, warmth and empathy.

“She brings joy, humor and love to serving our students,” said Sebastian Bolden, then-principal of Spring Creek when Tagwerker was recognized as the Oregon School Employees Association’s employee of the year two years ago. “There isn’t a single person in our school community who doesn’t love, adore and respect her.”

Looking ahead to retirement, she plans to embark on the adventure of learning to enjoy the present moment and live spontaneously. “I will take pride in the fact that I have no set plans and look forward to what lies ahead.”

“A tradition of mine is to wish each child happy birthday during lunch time on their special day. I will miss the laughter, joy and wonder that the students bring me each and every day.”

Kathy Tagwerker, 4J Retiree, Class of 2024 

Denisa Taylor

Denisa Taylor

Denisa Taylor is retiring after a 39-year career in K-12 education, including 28 years at 4J. She began her career at our district as a a special education teacher at McCornack Elementary School and ends it as principal of Twin Oaks Elementary School. 

Taylor couldn’t pick a favorite among the many remarkable memories she had as a teacher and administrator, which included “challenging opportunites and rewarding experiences” during her combined 17 years as principal at Chávez and Twin Oaks elementary schools. A favorite project was the creation of the Family Photo Wall at Chávez to honor a colleague who died unexpectedly. “Photographs capture treasured moments in our lives,” she said.

Taylor’s husband, Dan, joins her in retirement, and they look forward to the “limitless time” they will spend with their three children and their families, including adventuring with their three grandchildren.

“Most of all, I will miss the students. Their academic growth, spunky curiosity, and lively interactions made my job incredibly rewarding.”

Denisa Taylor, 4J Retiree, Class of 2024 

Lynette Williams

Lynette Williams

Congratulations to Lynette Williams, who is retiring after a 33-year career in public education, all but about three of those spent with 4J.

Williams focused her work on helping 4J students learn about the languages of the world, starting as a World Language Spanish teacher at North Eugene High School and concluding as a teacher on special assignment leading the adoption and distribution of new learning materials for foreign languages.

She will must miss seeing and interacting with her smiling students on a daily basis. In retirement, she looks forward to her consulting work and traveling with her husband.

“I just wish to thank all my colleagues and students over the years. You've enriched my life immensely; helping made me a better teacher and person. I am forever appreciative.”

Lynette Williams, 4J Retiree, Class of 2024