CCSD Honors Retiring Employees at 2025 Retiring Legends Ceremony

The Cherokee County School District today honored retiring employees as legends for their dedication to ensuring our students learn more, grow more, and achieve more here than they can anywhere else!

The CCSD Retiring Legends Reception and Recognition Ceremony celebrated 139 retiring employees, including teachers, support staff and administrators, this afternoon in the school board auditorium.  Family members, principals and school district leaders attended the special event to thank them for their many years of service, their unparalleled talent and their unmatched dedication.

“You are legends,” School Board Chair Janet Read Welch said in her remarks on behalf of the board.  “You are legends to so many of our students, parents and coworkers.  Thank you for answering the call.”

The event included recognition of all retiring employees, who were individually thanked by School Board members.  As each retiree made his or her way through the receiving line, their years of service with CCSD and total years in education were announced.  

The event was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Cherokee County Educational Foundation.  Each retiree received an engraved CCSD Legends insulated metal Yeti cup, as well as an official retiree badge for free access to CCSD high school athletic events and activities.  

The retiree with the most years of service to CCSD of all retiring certified employees, which includes teachers, and of all classified employees, which includes support staff, each received additional gifts.  

Stacy Rich

For certified employees, Creekland MS teacher Stacy Rich was honored for her 33 years of dedicated service to CCSD!  She taught at E.T. Booth, Teasley and Woodstock Middle Schools and currently serves as a physical education teacher at Creekland Middle School.  She also worked for a year as an Adapted PE coach.   

“Stacy is integral to so many processes at Creekland,” Principal Matthew May said.  “She has planned schoolwide behavior rewards activities, volunteered as a basketball timekeeper, coached high school sports, served as a department leader, and has been the ‘heartbeat’ of our PE and Connections department.   We will miss her dearly but are excited for her as she enters a new chapter.” 

Lisa DuBois

For classified employees, CCSD transportation specialist Lisa DuBois was honored for her 35 years of dedicated service to CCSD!  She began her career with CCSD as a bus driver for Johnston Elementary and Woodstock Middle Schools.  Throughout her career, she served students at Woodstock and River Ridge High Schools as the athletic secretary and then returned to the Transportation department as its Sequoyah Zone Specialist.

“Lisa has impacted the lives of so many children in our district,” Transportation Director Jim Georges said.  “We are proud of the work she has done, and she is deeply missed!”

Each received a $100 Visa gift card provided by the sponsor, a $100 gift certificate given by Practically Perfect Day Spa, a $50 gift certificate given by J. Michael’s Prime and a $25 gift certificate given by Riverstone Corner Bistro.

The program also included messages of congratulations and appreciation from Cherokee Retired Educators Association President Dr. Pat Kearns.  She encouraged the retirees to continue to serve the community’s children by volunteering.

Congratulations to CCSD’s 2024-25 Retiring Legends:
Grace Abalos
Paul Albers
Hilda Ivey Ammons
Jeff Anderson
Angela Archer
Rene Awtrey
Teresa Bailey
Kasey Barth
Richard Beaulieu
Susan Beavers
Claire Bell
Charlotta Bennett
Donna Lynn Bennevendo
David Blaylock
Bobby Blount
Mary Jo Boyer
Laura Bricker
Dawn Brock
Kristen Brooks
Deborah Brower
Julie Bryant
Kathy Buelow
Laurie Buford
Patricia Bundy
Jackie Carmichael
Julie Cassidy
Jennifer Chambers
Linda Chester
Donna Cook
Heather Craighead
Carla Culpepper
Jane Densmore
Sherry Dinser
Lisa DuBois
Amy Duffy
Tricia Duffy
Curtis C. Durham
Brad Ellis
Joanne Emanuel
Alvina Gonzales Evans
Sara Ezell
Mable Ferry
Kathy Ann Ford
Christy Furnish
Eliot Galyean
Katherine Gilbreath
Vera Glenn
Maria Gogarty
Connie Gonyea
Jennifer Graff
Cynthia Grande
Chris Guy
Ines Haas
Joyce Haggerty
Barbara Haley
Shannon Halverson
Brent Harrison
Dr. Nicole Holmes
Kristen Honkanen
Sandra Lane Hough
Lisa Huckaby
Catherine Hudson-Peck
Stancil Hunsucker
Jennifer Jordan Jones
Jeremy Jones
Angela Keener
Christopher Kliemt
Nancy Kline
Melanie Kroes
Kathy Law
Shawn Lisle
Wakely Louis
Denise Manning
Mary Martin Marble
Isobel Mason
Andy Maxwell
Ashley Mayo
Jason McDaniel
Julie McNally
Dr. Susan McQuade
Amy Means
Amy Metcalf
Madonna Mezzanotte
Cyndie Middleton
Amy Morris
Patti Nations
Suzanne Newman
Cecilia Norman
Susie Okerblad
Linda Page
Brenda Palmer
Laura Parker
Sally Parker
Staci Parker
Mirtha Perez
Pamela Pfitzner
Sherri Polley
Trish Powell
Sandra Putnam
Connie Ragsdale
Eric Rainey
Elizabeth Ray
Kristy Reidy
Joan Rich
Stacy Rich
Wynelle Roach
Amy Roark
Diane Roberts
Katrina Rogers
Don Rogers
Greg Ross
Kason Sams
Phil Sanders
Elida Sapere
Denise Shaw
Paul Singer
Dan Smith
Sandra Smith
Kathy Smith
Deborah Smith
Arthur Lee Smith
Lisa Soranno
Kelly Spell
Michelle Stephens
Nancy Sweat
Leigh Anne Shaw Thomas
Lori Thompson
Carla Thornton
Dr. Scott Townsend
Luz Mery Vargas
Valerie Wallace
Roxanne Ward
Krista Webb
Dale Weiner
Jon West
Tamara Wheeler
David Wilkins
Thelma Woodburn
Mary Beth Yeager
Jacquie Zaski

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