For 43 years, Debbie Stone has dedicated her career to serving children, families, and communities through public education. Before joining the Pullman School District, she taught for 13 years in Georgia and 2 years in California, building a strong foundation of excellence and care that would become the hallmark of her career.

Debbie began her service to Pullman School District as a substitute teacher in October 1998 and quickly stepped into a long-term Kindergarten position before being hired as a Kindergarten/1st Grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School for the 1999–2000 school year. Since that time, she has devoted every year of her Pullman career to teaching Kindergarten, helping generations of young learners take their very first steps into education. With more than 27 years of service to Pullman schools and over 42 years as a certificated educator, Debbie has touched countless lives through her unwavering commitment to student success, her belief in the potential of every child, and her partnership with families.

Her kindness, patience, and dedication have left a lasting legacy in our schools and community, and we are deeply grateful for her extraordinary service and lifelong commitment to the children and families she has served.

Throughout his career, Marlin Mangels has made a lasting difference in the lives of students, families, and colleagues through his unwavering commitment to education, his genuine care for children, and his ability to build meaningful connections wherever he serves. Marlin began his journey with the Pullman School District as a substitute teacher in September 2001, serving through October 2004, and later returned in January 2016.

Following service as a substitute in Pullman, as well as in the Colton and Colfax School Districts, he was hired as a long-term 3rd grade substitute teacher at Franklin Elementary School during the 2017–2018 school year before joining the district full-time as a 4th grade teacher in 2018.

Over the years, Marlin taught 3rd grade, 4th grade, and Kindergarten at Franklin Elementary before transferring to Jefferson Elementary, where he spent his final two years teaching 3rd grade. With 8 years of service to Pullman schools and over 11 years as a certificated educator, Marlin has left his mark on both Franklin and Jefferson Elementary. No matter where he worked, he was a culture builder—someone who brought people together, fostered positive relationships, and made schools better places for students and staff alike.

Known for his sense of humor, memorable stories, and frequent references to classic rock songs, Marlin brought joy and authenticity to every interaction. Most importantly, he deeply cared about kids, especially those facing challenges, and embraced the opportunity to help them find success. His compassion, dedication, and ability to connect with others have created a legacy that will be remembered long after his retirement. We are grateful for his service and wish him all the best in the next chapter of his journey.

Jim has been a custodian at Kamiak for as long as I can remember. In fact, one of his roles was cleaning my fourth-grade classroom as the night custodian. Over the years, Jim has shown a genuine passion and dedication to keeping our school clean, safe, and welcoming for all students, staff, and community members.

This school year, Kamiak was lucky enough to have Jim as our day custodian. In that role, he built even stronger connections with students and staff while ensuring our school was always shining. His presence made a difference in ways both big and small.

When Jim isn’t at school, he enjoys riding his motorcycle and tinkering with projects in his shed, well-deserved time spent doing what he loves.

We will miss him so much at Kamiak and can’t thank him enough for the foundation he has helped build for all of us to follow. Thank you, Jim, for caring for and loving our school and everyone in it. You will be deeply missed, and we hope to see you embracing retirement with many adventures out on the open road.

It is hard to put into words just how much Kay Ailor has meant to Lincoln Middle School over the years.

After 30 years in education, Kay has decided to retire, and while we are incredibly happy for her, it is difficult to imagine our school without her. For many years, Kay has served as our Learning Assistance Program (LAP) teacher, working with students who needed additional support in math. Time and time again, she has helped students build not only their academic skills but also their confidence and belief in themselves.

What has always stood out most about Kay is her ability to build genuine relationships with students and families. She has a way of making people feel seen, valued, and supported. Students know she cares about them, families trust her, and colleagues appreciate her wisdom, compassion, and steady presence. She has always been willing to do whatever it takes to help a student succeed.

On a personal level, I have been fortunate to call Kay both a colleague and a friend. She brings kindness, humor, and authenticity to everything she does. Her dedication to students has never wavered, and she has made a lasting difference in the lives of countless young people and families throughout her career.

Kay leaves behind a tremendous legacy at Lincoln Middle School. While we will miss seeing her each day, we are grateful for the years she has given to our students and our school community. The impact she has had here will continue long after she leaves.

Congratulations, Kay. We will miss you more than words can say.

After many years of dedicated service to the students and staff of Lincoln Middle School, Laura Silflow has announced her retirement.

Laura has been a constant and caring presence in our school kitchen for years, serving far more than meals. Every day, she greets students and staff with a warm smile, a kind word, and a genuine interest in how they are doing. Her positive relationships with students are evident in the way they light up when they see her and the respect they have for her throughout the building.

One of Laura's greatest gifts is her kindness. She has a way of making every student feel seen and valued, whether through a simple greeting, a conversation during lunch, or her daily encouragement. The impact she has had on our middle schoolers extends well beyond the cafeteria. She has helped create the welcoming and supportive environment that makes Lincoln Middle School such a special place.

Laura's dedication, compassion, and positive spirit have touched countless lives over the years. While we are excited for her as she begins this new chapter, she will be deeply missed by students, staff, and families alike.

Please join me in congratulating Laura on her well-deserved retirement and thanking her for the many years she has devoted to serving the Lincoln Middle School community.

Over the last almost 10 years, Gary has worn a lot of hats around here. From mowing grass and plowing snow all night, to carpentry and everything in between. He helped keep this place running in numerous ways. We appreciate the hard work, dedication, and willingness to do whatever needed to be done. He fixed a lot of things around here over the years, although, one thing none of us ever figured out how to fix was how to get him to stop talking. But those conversations became part of what made him who he is, and part of what made this workplace feel like a community.

Thank you for 10 years of service, countless hours of hard work, and many memorable conversations. We wish you good health, happiness, and plenty of time to enjoy life with your family and the next chapter ahead. 

Since joining the district in September 1993 Diane's career has been defined by continuous growth, exceptional expertise, and a commitment to serving our students, staff, and community. Over the past three decades, she has held numerous roles including Payroll Specialist, Payroll/Benefits Specialist, Assistant Business Manager, Fiscal Manager, and most recently, Finance Director.

While many people see the programs, opportunities, and successes that happen in our schools, Diane has spent her career ensuring the financial foundation behind those successes remained strong.

Over the course of 33 years, Diane helped steward millions of taxpayer dollars, supported multiple successful levy and bond measures, and guided the district through historic changes in school funding. She also helped the district navigate one of the most challenging periods in public education history, the COVID-19 pandemic, and earned statewide recognition for financial stewardship while helping Pullman School District achieve a decade of clean audits (with no findings!). Her work may have happened behind the scenes, but the impact can be seen in every classroom, every program, and every opportunity provided to students.

The true measure of Diane's legacy is not found in budgets, audits, or financial reports, but in the confidence others have had knowing that our district's finances were in capable hands. Her work has helped shape the systems and supports that make it possible for our staff to focus on teaching, learning, and serving students well, while also helping position Pullman School District for continued success.

Diane, thank you for your 33 years of service, leadership, professionalism, and dedication. Your contributions to Pullman School District have been immeasurable, and your impact will be felt long after your retirement. We are deeply grateful for everything you’ve given to our district, our staff, and our students. Please join us in congratulating Diane on a well-earned retirement and thanking her for an incredible career of service to our district!