Local leaders proclaim Nov. 3 as Retired Educators Day
Published 4:06 pm Saturday, November 2, 2024
Mayor Scott James Matheson and Chairman Bill Slaughter proudly display the Retired Educators Day proclamation alongside local retired teachers at City Hall.
VALDOSTA— On Friday, Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter and Mayor Scott James Matheson met with retired educators at City Hall to read the official proclamation declaring Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, as Retired Educators Day. This official recognition aligns with a statewide observance to honor the remarkable legacy of Georgia’s retired educators
Parts of the proclamation read: “Whereas the Governor of the State of Georgia has proclaimed the day of Sunday, November 3, 2024, as Retired Educators Day in Georgia, and whereas there are more than 145,000 retired educators in Georgia, 33,000+ members of the Georgia Retired Educators Association… it is appropriate that they be designated for citizens to express their appreciation for the contributions that retired educators have made and continue to make for the betterment of human lives and for society.”
Mayor Scott James Matheson and Chairman Bill Slaughter read the official Retired Educators Day proclamation to a group of retired teachers.
Retired teachers like Beverley Richardson-Blake and Stephanie Hezekiah Bivins were present to reflect on what this honor means to them.
Blake, who devoted over 33 years to higher education and ten years to public school teaching, shared, “I know some folks say, ‘There is not a lot of money in education,’ but it is the rewards you get from the work that you do — the difference you make in a child’s life.”
Bivins, who spent the last 30 of her 36-year career at Lowndes High School, reflected on the most rewarding part of being a teacher: “It is the difference that we make. And when students come back saying, ‘Thank you, thank you for having high expectations of me,’ it means so much—because I was that kind of teacher.”
The proclamation emphasized how these retired educators have been “difference-makers” throughout their careers and that churches across the community would also join in recognizing the lasting impact of these educators.
Reflecting on the changes in education over the years, Blake noted, “It’s a more difficult profession now because students are different these days. But you still have those dedicated teachers.”
As Nov. 3 approaches, Valdosta and Lowndes County invite the community to honor these educators who continue to uplift their communities with unwavering dedication.
