Columbia School District retirees rang the bells to dismiss school as part of an end-of-the-year celebration Friday in the Crystelle Ford Auditorium.
Superintendent Jason Harris said he hopes it can become a new tradition, possibly with an employee picnic in future years.
The first-year district leader said he’s excited about what’s going on and that he expects an enrollment increase next year. Other progress he cited included finishing up the district’s 1-to-1 program providing each student a computer, a partnership with Mayor Justin McKenzie (who spoke at the program Friday) on cleaning up a parking lot near the baseball field and adding a second school resource officer.
Marilyn Foxworth reported that the district’s license tag was delayed because the Chicago Bears and the NFL objected to the district’s “C” too closely resembling that of the Bears.
But the tag has been revised and will soon be available, she said.
The district recognized retirees, years of service and perfect attendance:
Years of Service to the Columbia School District
30 years: Christine Expose
25 years: Lynda Lee
20 years: Sheila Burbridge and Dana Haddox
15 years: Deborah Gray, Michelle Johnson, Stephanie Ponzo, Ashley Watkins, Valerie Wesley
10 years: Pauline Franklin, James Harvey, Melissa Herring, Angel King, Emily Rayborn, Renee Riley and Belinda Vince
Retirees
• Marvin Adams, 29 years
• Beth Bankston, 43 years
• Susan Broom, 33 years
• Sheila Burbridge, 34 years
• Dawn Dias, 26 years
• Carol Dixon, 16.5 years
• Mary Edwards, 31.5 years
• Alan Fortenberry, 21 years
• Katie Maliden, 21 years
• Raymond Powell, 23 years
• Bruce Ratcliff, 31 years
• Linda Strickland, 12.5 years
• Kim Todd, 25.5 years
Perfect Attendance
Keri Armstrong, Treacherous Boyance, Jerri Forbes, Ashley Grantham, Emily Knight, Stephanie Ponzo, Brandon Thompson and Danielle Whittington
Pictured Above: Columbia School District retirees ring bells to officially dismiss school for the summer Friday at Columbia High School. From left are Bruce Ratcliff, Raymond Powell, Alan Fortenberry, Sheila Burbridge, Susan Broom, Beth Bankston and Linda Strickland. | Photo by Charlie Smith
