Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Next week I’ll be attending my final business meetings as a Board of Education member. I have mixed feelings about that. 

On the one hand, there is a certain readiness and relief. I’m eight years older than I was at the beginning and that much less energetic. I’m ready to enjoy real retirement even though I retired from teaching almost fifteen years ago. Since then I have continued to work part-time, first as a church secretary and adjunct college professor, and then as a board member. 

Additionally, my family is in the midst of big transitions that I can now devote more time to. My mother just moved to LaGrange to be closer to my brother and me. There is still much work to be done in clearing out her house in Atlanta while trying to make sure she is happy and settled here. My younger daughter is getting married in March. My older daughter and her husband are expecting a baby in April. Yes, I can finally announce with great gladness that I’m going to be a grandmother!

And, admittedly, there is a stress factor that I’m ready to release. After two challenging election campaigns, I was anxious not to have to go through that again. I won’t miss angry emails, people wanting me to do things for them that are not within a board member’s purview, trying to put out fires of misinformation, or enduring slights from people who used to be friendly acquaintances but decided that my becoming a board member somehow made me suspect. Having my integrity and intelligence criticized by both people who have known me for a long time and people who don’t know me at all has often been difficult.

On the other hand, it has been a real joy to get to know and work with many amazing folks whom I may never have met if it hadn’t been for my school board service. It has been wonderful to be able to visit and support so many different schools and witness all the good work being done in a system in which I’ve been invested for decades. It has felt good to add the voice of a former (Troup County) teacher to the discussion. I have to believe that my input has been valuable. 

I will no longer have such close contact with some individuals who have become like family. Brandon Brooks and Joe Franklin, who started with me eight years ago, also decided not to run for reelection. The late Kirk Hancock came in with us too, and we sorely miss our friend. Allen Simpson, Ferrell Blair, Anne O’Brien, and Kevin Dunn will remain on the board, and it feels good to leave things in their capable hands. Many visitors have commented on the cohesiveness and cooperation and compassion of our board. Too many school boards are embroiled in constant conflict and controversy. That kind of thing is destructive for the culture of the whole system.

I am grateful for the many, many friends, family members, and community members who have supported me/us and come through with uplifting words of encouragement when they have been most needed. Thank you.

I’ve enjoyed writing this column for the last four years as well. The Daily News asked me to do so during my first year as chair of the board. Even when I rotated out of the chairmanship after two years, they allowed me to keep going. I hope that will not change now. I may not have the same inside scoop on school system doings, but I’d love to keep writing about education, books, arts, culture, human behavior, and life in general! So maybe I’ll see y’all again soon.