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Dexter, Missouri – A special Retirement Tea was held in the lobby of the Bearcat Event Center at the end of the school year.  Honored were nine retiring members of the Dexter Public Schools. 

Dexter Board of Education President Kevin Bishop presented three honorees who were able to attend the event with honorary resolutions from the board.  In all a total of 230 years of educational experience with 154 years spent at Dexter. 

The retiring teachers were Kristie Hook, Dennis Keith, Jane Robertson, Rhonda Lowery, Debbie Wilson, Terry Temples, James Wade, Kathy Wooten, and Vicki Windham.

Rhonda Lowery taught elementary and high school students for 14 years prior to her employment with Dexter Public Schools.  She began here in August of 2000. She was employed as an elementary school librarian, splitting her days between Southwest and Central Elementary. In August 2008, she transferred to the position of high school librarian and continued there until her retirement. She has 14 years of service to Dexter Schools and a total of 28 years in the field of education.

Kristi Hook taught 12 years at Richland Elementary before her employment with Dexter schools in August of 1997. She was employed to teach seventh grade science at T.S. Hill Middle School and remained in that position for the past 17 years. She concludes this school year with a total of 29 years in education.

Terry Temples was employed in August of1987 as a Parents As Teachers educator. She conducted this program for six years from her office at Southwest Elementary. In August of 1993, she accepted a classroom teaching assignment at Central Elementary and taught grades three, four and five for the next 16 years. In August of 2009, she added Mild/Moderate Cross Categorical to her teaching certificate and transferred to teaching special education at Central Elementary. After two years, she transferred again to the high school, where she completed her 27-year career. 

Dennis Keith had five years as an elementary counselor and 10 years of teaching high school Social Studies prior to his employment as counselor at Central Elementary School in August of 2002. He has remained in that position for the past 12 years and is retiring with 27 total years in the field of education.

James Wade spent 16 years at Richland Schools before coming to T.S. Hill Middle School. He has been the Instrumental Band Instructor at Middle School and co-teacher for the Dexter High School Band for the past nine years. Mr. Wade was in his 25th year of providing educational instruction, but was unable to complete the school year due deteriorating health.  With this being his final year as an educator, he was honored for his contribution to Dexter Schools and for his longstanding career in education.

Jane Robertson was employed in August of 1990 as an aide in Kindergarten. The following year she became a first grade classroom teacher, where she remained for 14 year. She then transferred to a Title 1 Resource position at Southwest, where she remained instructing first and second grade students in the Title 1 program for the past eight years. She is retiring with a total of 22 years of educational experience.

Debbie Wilson retired from T.S. Hill Middle School at the beginning of the current school year. She was employed in August 1992 as a Learning Disabilities classroom aide at T.S. Hill Middle School, and in August of 1993, she was assigned a special education position there. She remained in that position until her retirement last August. Her 21-year teaching career was dedicated to Dexter's middle school.

Kathy Wooten began her teaching career in Illinois before coming to Central Elementary in August of 2003. She has devoted 11 years teaching grades four and five and Remedial Reading in that building. She has 22 career years in the field of education.

Vicki Windham had eight years of prior teaching experience in the area of Special Education prior to her employment at Central Elementary School in August of 1993. She taught Special Education for 10 years at Central Elementary, seven years at T.S. Hill Middle School, and the last four years have been devoted to the high school. Twenty-one of her 29 years in the educational field was spent providing instruction to special needs students attending Dexter Schools.

Shown in the photo are honorees who were present:  Jim Wade, Jane Robertson, and Vicki Windham.