SOUTH WHITLEY – In August 1996, two young teachers started their Whitko careers at the middle school. Rochelle Leininger taught math there for many years and Laura Thong-Umphai taught science. Receiving word of their employment on the same day, they toured the Whitko Middle School facility together, a tour led by then-middle school secretary Georgia Tenney.
Evidently, teachers could pick their subjects back in the day because both remember asking each other what subject they wanted to teach. Leininger said math and Thong-Umphai said science. Today, Leininger is a Whitko Junior High math teacher and Thong-Umphai teaches fourth graders at Pierceton Elementary School.
Both were recognized for 30 years of service at Whitko’s end of year celebration Wednesday morning, June 3, at Whitko Junior Senior High School. Along with Dr. Amy Korus, superintendent, JD Maurer, junior high principal, recognized Leininger and Liz Riggers, Pierceton Elementary School principal, recognized Thong-Umphai…