District announces retirements of FPS educators

Fremont Public Schools has announced the retirement of eight certified teachers in the district, following the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year. 
 
Doug Doescher, who served as an industrial technology teacher at Fremont Middle School, is the longest-tenured educator of the group. He spent his entire 32-year teaching career at Fremont Public Schools. 
 
He said he will miss working with students. 
 
“I looked forward to going to work every morning for the last 32 years,” he said. 
 
Diane Stevens, principal at Washington Elementary, is retiring after 30 years of service to FPS. 
 
Stevens began her career as a second-grade teacher in 1990 and has served the district in various roles, including ELL teacher, reading specialist and district elementary literacy coordinator.
 
“I want to express my sincere gratitude and thanks to FPS,” Stevens said. “I have had an amazing career, one that I reflect on with joy and pride.” 
 
Angela Halstead, social worker, is retiring after 27 years of service to FPS. 
 
Halstead said her fondest memory of her time in Fremont was receiving the School Social Worker of the Year for the State of Nebraska. She was selected for the award by her peers in the School Social Work Association Nebraska for her advocacy work at the state level.
 
Tamara Zentic, coding teacher at Fremont Middle School, put in 20 years of service to the district. 
 
Zentic taught grade school for five years in Lawrence, Kansas. In Fremont, she taught seventh-grade science, sixth-grade FCS, eighth-grade science and Coding Your Business. 
 
Jack Denker taught journalism for 12 years at Fremont High. He spent 15 years at Nebraska City High School teaching journalism and also worked in the newspaper business before teaching at FHS. 
 
“It has been my distinct honor and pleasure to serve the students at Fremont High School,” he said. 
 
Patricia Sulu taught Spanish for four years at FHS. Prior to coming to Fremont, Sulu taught at Kimball High School and Scottsbluff High School 
 
“I restarted the Spanish Club at FHS and the members were very active playing Loteria (Mexican bingo) singing, doing crafts and visiting colleges to plan for the future.”
 
Also retiring are Amy Graver and Jane Tracy. 
 
Graver served as a guidance counselor at FHS and spent 16 years in the FPS system. 
 
Prior to working at FPS, Graver also worked at Wisner-Pilger Public Schools (second grade), Beatrice Public Schools (K-5 counselor), Yutan and Mead Public Schools (K-6 counselor). 
 
Graver said her most endearing moments were “the many memories of seeing students succeed.” 
 
Tracy was a fifth-grade social studies teacher at Johnson Crossing Academic Center. She also had 16 years of service to FPS.