City School System hosts appreciation dinner

Dyersburg City Schools Superintendent Lloyd Ramer congratulated each of the system's retiring educators with personal anecdotes and praise at the school system's annual teacher's appreciation dinner on Monday evening. Dyer County Mayor Richard Hill and Dyersburg Mayor John Holden were also on hand to congratulate and honor the educators, who contributed a combined 247 years of experience to students in the Dyersburg City School System. Employees retiring at the end of the school year, from left, front, Glynda Campbell, Cooper Patterson, Alice Eison, Linda Durham; back, Debbie Earhart, Nita Jones, Patty Hampton, Carol Ward, Liz Slaughter, Mary Jane Tarpley and Cindy Glover Gaylord.

Each year, educators in the Dyersburg City School System are recognized with a teacher's appreciation dinner at the Professional Development Center.

On the first Monday in May, the system bids a fond farewell to retiring educators. Teachers receiving tenure and educators representing the system in the Tennessee Education Association's Teacher of the Year program are also honored at the annual event.

On Monday evening, Dyersburg City School Board members, local elected officials, Superintendent Lloyd Ramer and administrative staff from each school in the system joined together at the PDC to recognize the best of the best within the Dyersburg City School System.

Tenured teachers were also honored at the system's annual teacher's appreciation dinner in the Professional Development Center on Monday evening. Teachers in the Dyersburg City School System earning tenure this year, from left, front, Aisa Childress, Lindsey Ford, Trina Roy, Kellie Jones; back, Penny Blair, Scot Beckett, Lance Roy, LaBrenda Coleman and Seela Newbill. Not pictured, Kim Decker and Hollie Hester.

Those attending were treated to a delicious dinner catered by Blackberry Hill Catering, a slideshow featuring vintage photographs of school buildings and historic places in Dyersburg and a background of soft music.

The city school system's Teachers of the Year were honored by Superintendent Lloyd Ramer at the city school system's annual teacher's appreciation dinner on Monday evening. Educators representing the Dyersburg City School System in the Tennessee Education Association's 2010 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program, from left, Dyersburg Primary School's Lea Ann Duncan, Dyersburg Middle School's Lyn Burkhead, Dyersburg Intermedi-ate School's Mike French and Dyersburg High School's Devon Arrington. Duncan was also selected as the Northwest Tennessee District Teacher of the Year for Pre-K through third grade. She is still in competition for the TEA 2010 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. [Click to enlarge]

"(We are honored to have) two great friends of education here tonight," said Ramer, introducing Dyer County Mayor Richard Hill and Dyersburg City Mayor John Holden to make presentations of their own.

"We are proud of our school system," said Hill. "We think it's the best in the United States, not just in Tennessee. It's a great achievement when you can retire. I know you are looking forward to the day when you can sleep in late. We say to you, 'We hope you have a great retirement.'"

"It is a pleasure for me to be here," said Holden. "It is certainly an honor (to help celebrate) the years of service you've provided to our students and our school system. These lapel pins and certificates of recognition will hopefully remind you of this night and your service to our community. Congratulations on your retirement."

Holden's daughter, Dyersburg Primary School second-grader Whitby Holden, helped pass out the pins and certificates to the retiring teachers.

Educators scheduled to retire at the end of the school year include Glynda Campbell, Linda Durham, Debbie Earhart, Alice Eison, Cindy Glover Gaylord, Patty Hampton, Nita Jones, Cooper Patterson, Liz Slaughter, Mary Jane Tarpley and Carol Ward.

Ramer also recognized the local educators representing the Dyersburg City School System in the Tennessee Education Association's 2010 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program.

Teachers of the Year include Dyersburg High School's Devon Arrington, Dyersburg Middle School's Lyn Burkhead, Dyersburg Intermediate School's Mike French and Dyersburg Primary School's Lea Ann Duncan. Duncan was also selected as the Northwest Tennessee District Teacher of the Year for Pre-K through third grade, and will go on to compete for the 2010 Tennessee Teacher of the Year.

Ramer said that when the school board began making tenure harder to achieve in the city school system 10 years ago, school officials also began honoring teachers earning tenure at the annual teacher appreciation dinner.

Teachers receiving tenure include Scot Beckett, Penny Blair, Aisa Childress, LaBrenda Coleman, Kim Decker, Lindsey Ford, Hollie Hester, Kellie Jones, Seela Newbill, Lance Roy and Trina Roy.