Experience is one of the hardest things to replace.

Now, the Vicksburg Warren School District will have to find a way to replace a considerable amount of it before next school year.

At a reception Thursday, the district honored 36 employees who will be retiring at the end of the school year. The retirees take more than 1,000 years of combined experience as teachers, administrators, bus drivers and food service workers with them into retirement.

“That is a 1,00 years that we could never replace,” Superintendent Chad Shealy said. “We try our best to ensure that we have as much opportunity for those people to stay as long as they can, but there comes a point in life where it is time for them to step on into the future and move on to whatever endeavors they have.”

Each retiree was introduced by their supervisor and presented with a commemorative gift from the district.

“You all have done a great job,” Board of Trustees president Bryan Pratt said. “As we see everyday, the grades and performances are great, but it is also good to know that we are raising children with character.

“It took all you do every day to make that happen. We are so proud of each and every one of you for doing that.” 

Retirees had the chance to take a portrait and were treated to refreshments. 

“I think it is a way for everybody to get a chance to say thanks and for us to have a chance to see people that we worked with for all these years and congratulate each other,” Sherrie Bourgeois, who is retiring as the principal at Dana Road Elementary, said. 

In just a few short weeks, the retirees’ careers will come to an end, but for many of them the reality will not set in until August when the new school year begins.

“It is going to be very different,” Gail Campbell, who is retiring from Bovina Elementary after 24 years teaching, said. “Everybody has asked me, and I said it probably won’t hit me until August. Right now it is almost like summer vacation, but when August gets here and I’m not having to prepare a room, it is going to be very different.”

Bourgeois added, “I really don’t know what I’m going to think. I told some friends not too long ago, this will be the first time I haven’t started school since I was six years old. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle it, but I think I’ll get used to it. I’ll enjoy it, but I’ll miss it.”

The retirees are:

• Rhonda Hendrix- Beechwood, 21.5 years

• Pamela Rachal- Beechwood, 26 years

• Gail Campbell- Bovina, 24  years

• Golda Betsye Holifield- Central Office, 33 years

• Easter Jackson- Child nutrition, 25.5 years

• Veronda West- Child nutrition,15.5 years

• Lynn Case- Curriculum, 29 years

• Sherrie Bourgeois- Dana Road, 27 years

• Lana Fuller- Dana Road, 26.5 years

• Christine Jeffery- Finance, 37 years

• Shelley Plett- Information management, 28.6 years

• Brenda Mann- Maintenance, 29 years

• Zena Keen- Personnel, 33 years

• Ria Judge- Sherman, 25  years

• Betsy Westerfield- Sherman, 21 years

• Marlene Jenkins- South Park, 43 years

• Burnell Crawford- Transportation, 10 years

• Nathaniel German- Transportation, 13 years

• Junita Hollins- Transportation, 28  years

• John Shy- Transportation, 16  years

• Dorothy Stampley- Transportation, 32 years

• Donna Carppenter- Vicksburg High, 36  years

• Barbara Hartzob- Vicksburg High, 36 years

• Nancy McClain- Vicksburg High, 30 years

• Dellie Robinson- Vicksburg High, 38 years

• Hazel Robinson- Vicksburg High, 36 years

• Brian Miles- Vicksburg Junior, 16 years

• Terry Steed- Vicksburg Junior,  38 years

• Dianne Different- Warren Central High, 21.5 years

• Lynda Trussell- Warren Central High, 25 years

• Larry Tyrone- Warren Central High, 38 years

• Colby Fisher- Warren Central Junior, 32.5 years

• Mary Martin- Warren Central Junior, 24 years

• Billy Westerfield- Warren Central Junior, 35 years

• Torey Yates- Warren Central Junior, 28 years

• Lillian Parrish- Warrenton, 24 years