Teachers and administrators who are retiring from Decatur County public schools after the current school year were recognized at a banquet held in their honor on Monday night.

Retiring educators include Jennifer Cobb of Bainbridge High, Valerie Bush and Lorean Williams of Hutto Middle, Peggy Childs of Elcan-King Elementary, Pamela Cannon of John Johnson Elementary, Aldrey “Mac” McRae of Lillian E. Williams Elementary, Gladys Faison of Potter Street Elementary, Phyllis Turner and Linda Gayle Powell of West Bainbridge Elementary School, and Scott Nimmo and Nina Jackson of West Bainbridge Middle School.

Leading local educator Calvine Rollins, president-elect of the Georgia Association of Educators, presented Decatur County School Superintendent Ralph Jones with the organization’s Outstanding Administrator (System-wide level) award. The audience viewed a DVD included as part of Jones’ nomination for the award, which features community leaders, educators and students giving positive testimony about Jones’ leadership.

The Service Award for Outstanding Leadership was presented to Bainbridge High School Principal Tommie Howell.

Awards for Outstanding Service were presented to Hugh Lanier and Steve Calder, who teach agriculture and industrial arts at Bainbridge High School, respectively; to BHS business teacher, Web master and video graphics coordinator Vonda Hubbard and senior honor student Lauren Thomas, who was involved in video production; and to Mrs. Wilona Wade, the lunchroom manager at Bainbridge High School.

Outstanding employees for 2008-2009, and their places of employment, are: Marcie Jones, Bainbridge High; Letitia Austin, Hutto Middle; Maurice Gaines, West Bainbridge Middle; Makeesha Kegler, Elcan-King Elementary; Gail Grubbs, John Johnson Elementary; Amy Robinson, Jones-Wheat Elementary; Carl “Chip” Davis, Lillian E. Williams; Cynthia Thomas, Potter Street Elementary; Lisa Peacock, West Bainbridge Elementary; Carla Dobbs, Special Education/Gifted; Eddie Newsome, Transportation; Janice Trawick, BHS/New Beginning Learning Center; Lisa Hughes, Bainbridge High Westside/Performance Learning Center; and Beverly Pyles, School Nutrition.