Margo Gilbert said she will finally have time to work on a few projects around her home.
After 39 years with the Mansfield City School District, Gilbert is retiring at the end of the school year.
She was one of 11 retirees honored May 19 by the Mansfield City Schools Board of Education.
Brad Strong, president of the Mansfield School Employees Association, told school board members that the retirees represented a significant amount of experience.
“That’s 312 years worth of service to this district that is retiring,” Strong said. “That’s a lot of years.”
Mansfield Superintendent Stan Jefferson said the entire community had benefited from their careers.
“We can’t thank you enough for the years that you have given to Mansfield City Schools and the time that you have spent with your students, but more so the time that you have spent with those students’ families and colleagues,” Jefferson said. “Thank you again for your service.”
Here is a complete list of this year’s retirees:
Margo Gilbert
Buildings: Sherman, Malabar, Transportation, Newman, Hedges, Senior High
Years of service: 39
Position: Administrator assistant, secretary, call operator, librarian secretary and cashier
Favorite memory: “Wow, I have so many wonderful memories I don’t know where to start. Great administrators, teachers, staff and students. I could say writing a book has crossed my mind, do some stand-up in a comedy event. Without laughter, I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago.”
What will you miss: “Working ethics. Teachers, staff and students. Getting up every morning.”
Retirement plans: “Traveling, resting and cleaning up some big projects at my home.”
Deborah Rickert
Buildings: Transportation
Years of service: 36
Position: School bus driver, assistant supervisor of transportation and supervisor of transportation
Favorite memory: “Transporting our students, taking our students on field trips and seeing the excitement on their faces. Watching the new high school being built.”
What will you miss: “The challenge. Routing the school buses. I loved every bit of that. I will definitely miss the staff in transportation. It really does take a certain person to be a school bus driver.”
Retirement plans: “I will do some traveling.”
Jeanette Fike
Buildings: Malabar for three years and Sherman for 33 years
Years of service: 36
Position: Intervention specialist
Favorite memory: “I have so many wonderful memories of students and coworkers. Too many to mention.”
What will you miss: “I will miss all the amazing people I work with and I will miss the kids. I will miss their hugs and smiles.”
Retirement plans: “Enjoy spending more time with family and friends, and having time to do whatever I want.”
Bill Wagenlander
Buildings: Malabar Intermediate School
Years of service: 31½
Position: Intervention specialist
Favorite memory: “Teaching at Simpson Middle School and Malabar Intermediate School.”
What will you miss: “Working with my students and the interaction with all of the staff in each of the buildings.”
Retirement plans: “I’m planning on returning to Malabar food service department.”
Shirley Harkness-Jefferson
Buildings: Brinkerhoff, Sherman, Spanish Immersion, Springmill, Prospect, Malabar, Middle School, High School, Woodland and Hedges
Years of service: 30½
Positions: Teacher, career-tech director, secretary, dean, floating principal, assistant principal, principal, title reading, technology coach and reading coach
Favorite memory: “Working under the leadership of my husband.”
What will you miss: “The daily unexpected, unbelievable moments that make you say you can’t make this up.”
Retirement plans: “Total self care.”
Linda White
Buildings: Prospect, Ranchwood, Woodland, Malabar Middle School and Mansfield Middle School
Years of service: 28
Positions: Kindergarten, second, third, fifth, 7th and 8th grades
Favorite memory: “I could talk about all the classroom activities and lessons that I thought went well, but, really, the memories come from outside the classroom. There have been homecoming assemblies, pep rallies with games and grade competitions, door-decorating contests, field days, lawn fetes, sporting events, clubs, pie-in-the-face contests, secret Santa, awards night, concerts and so much more. These things really round out a student’s and teacher’s experience. Comradery between staff has been a big memory as well. I had some amazing mentors when I was starting out and I hope that I have been at least half as awesome to our new staff.”
What will you miss: “I will miss getting to know the new group of students every year and figuring out what makes them tick. Also, I’ll miss seeing colleagues every day who have become such good friends.”
Retirement plans: “The biggest plans we have is traveling.”
Heather Marks
Buildings: Ranchwood, Stadium, Woodland, Middle School, Brinkerhoff, Sherman, Malabar and Prospect
Years of service: 27
Position: Art teacher
Favorite memory: “Making special events happen for students.”
What will you miss: “I will miss the great staff and, of course, the students.”
Retirement plans: “Foodie adventures, travel and making art.”
Margaret Weld
Buildings: Sherman Elementary, Springmill, Prospect, Woodland, Malabar and Mansfield High School
Years of service: 26 years
Positions: General physical education and adapted physical education
Favorite memory: “All the dance shows at Sherman Elementary.”
What will you miss: “The smiles from the children and the staff.”
Retirement plans: “Singing in a band.”
Donna Calderhead
Buildings: Malabar
Years of service: 26
Position: Art teacher
Favorite memory: “Watching my students grow emotionally and academically from the first day to the last day.”
What will you miss: “Friendships I have made and student hugs.”
Retirement plans: “Starting some new hobbies.”
Kim Brookins-Lindsay
Buildings: Mansfield Senior High
Years of service: 25 years
Positions: Hall monitor, ISS, SPED classroom para, library media specialist and head cheerleader coach
Favorite memory: “Friendships with my coworkers.”
What will you miss: “Learning something new everyday.”
Retirement plans: “Traveling, enjoying time with my husband and grandchildren.”
Michael Light
Buildings: Senior High and Hedges
Years of service: 5
Position: School counselor
Favorite memory: “Getting our first senior class through with Mr. Beasley after COVID.”
What will you miss: “The people. Working with good people makes all the difference.”
Retirement plans: “Remodel my house.”
Contact Zach Tuggle at 419-564-3508. Follow him on X at @zachtuggle.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: 11 people with 312 years experience retiring from Mansfield schools
Reporting by Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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