Dexter, Missouri - The annual CTA Retirement Tea was held on Thursday, April 28th with seven teachers retiring from Dexter Public Schools.  In all, these seven teachers will end their teaching career with 193 years of service.  Teachers honored were Sherry Chance, June Lawrence, Ramona Lemons, Shannon Putnam, John Stephens, Shari Stickles, and Debra Thrower.  (Each teacher will have their own article and a description of their years of service in education).

Mrs. Debra Thrower began her 31 years of teaching Rapid City, South Dakota, at the Ellsworth Air Force Base teaching 4th grade.  She then moved to Mississippi and Arkansas to teach.

In 1993 she landed back in southeast Missouri as an extended day Kindergarten teacher for the Dexter Public Schools.  Mrs. Thrower spent 12 of those years in the Kindergarten wing of Southwest Elementary and the last 8 years teaching Title 1 Kindergarten students.

She retires with 23 years of dedicated service to the Dexter Public Schools.

"The Dexter Public Schools commend them for their dedication and service to educating all the students they have come in contact with over the many years," commented Rick Williams, Dexter School Board President.  "We appreciate their service."