After 30 Years, Golden Hill still shines

Florida - It turned out to be quite a party. The administrators, faculty and staff at Golden Hill Elementary School in Florida took time out the morning of June 6 to celebrate the 30th year of their school’s founding. Golden Hill Elementary actually opened for grades K-6 early in 1976. The official dedication, however, took place on June 6, 1976. After being apprised of that date, Principal Ronald DePace managed to contact several past school board members and members of the original advisory board, several of whom came up to reminisce and recall that day 30 years ago. William P. Pillmeier Jr. was on the school board in 1976. He was one who made it back. His father, the late William Pillmeier Sr., was on the advisory board. John Seekamp and James Pawliczek also returned for the party. They were both members of that advisory board. Seekamp, ever the life of the party, even provided the music with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” on his trusty harmonica. And Pawliczek returned as the Mayor of the Village of Florida and proudly greeted his grandson Michael, a fourth-grader at Golden Hill. The impetus for the celebration (there were 20 birthday cakes) was an original architect’s color drawing of the school that first principal Richard J. Warner found in his collection and decided to present it to the school. That drawing, together with an original dedication program dated June 6, 1976, set off the very timely, and for some, a rather emotional reunion. Especially emotional for current first-grade teacher Lynn Willemse who taught kindergarten there in 1976. The only other teacher still teaching there is Kathy Weslowski who now teaches third grade. She didn’t make the original program, however, because she was on maternity leave. And “Believe it or Not,” the “Kitchen Ladies” are still there. Rita Nowak was the original cafeteria manager and Rose Nowak was her assistant. Even though they are both retired, they still appear there daily as volunteers. Thomas Andryshak, a third-grader when the school first opened, is now the head of the school district’s maintenance department. He began his career at Golden Hill and still plays a major role in seeing that the shine continues on the well-maintained school that has undergone two major additions. The school now house grades K-5. The view looking out over the Black Dirt area remains as beautiful as it was 30 years ago - truly a “Golden Hill.”