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The Chambers County School District recognized their teacher and staff retirees during a special school board meeting on Monday night. 

Teachers, staff members and the school district’s families gathered at the LaFayette High School auditorium to celebrate the 2023-2024 retirees. Each retiring teacher and staff member received a plaque honoring them for their years of dedication and service to the school district. 

“Today, as we say at this ceremony every year that a plaque does not even start to mention and and thank you for all of the work that you have done and the lives that you have touched,” said Casey Chambley, superintendent of Chambers County School District. “We can’t thank you enough.”

Chambley honored the retirees for the value of their combined years of service to education.

“I hope that you enjoy your retirement, I hope that you had as many years in your retirement as you did working and that you enjoy that and you enjoy that time with your family and travel and do all the things that you wish to do with your family,” Chambley said to the retirees. 

The honored retirees were Paul Hester with 26 years of service, Patricia Sorrell with 10 years of service, Robert Yates with 25 years of service, Sarah Vines-Ross with 20 years of service, Beverly Kavookjian with 19 years of service, Connie Guice with 24 years of service, Ericka Jenkins with 25 years of service, Dena Allen with 28 years of service, Altanua Darden with 25 years of service, Rosa Holloway with 26 years of service, Linda Thomas with 28 years of service, Debra Peters with 28 years of service, Deanna Fuller with 27 years of service, LaKeyda Davis with 10 years of service, Julie Mitchum with 25 years of service, Marshon Harper with 25 years of service and Russell Newton with 24 years of service.

The retirees who didn’t make it to the meeting were Mitchell Harte with 3 years of service, Lisa Hughes with 20 years of service, Mary Spence with 15 years of service, Heather West with 23 years of service, Laura Brazell with 15 years of service, Patricia Hay with 16 years of service, Terry Mangram with 29 years of service and Donna Perez with 24 years of service.

“The service that they have given to the Board of Education, to the children of Chambers County, is invaluable,” Chambley said. “The number of years that they’ve been given — 516 years — is a lot of years. It’s tough to replace.”

Chambley said the school board is working on filling all of those positions before the coming school year. The board approved some job appointments at the meeting but will continue seeking to hire.