News Staff

Retired education staff have been honoured for their “remarkable” years of service.

The 19 people were honoured at an annual retirement reception held at CedarBridge Academy last Friday.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education and Workforce Development, said that the staff members had served an average of 25 years each.

Mr Rabain told the group: “Collectively, your service represents 470 years of dedication to our students their families and by extension, our island home.”

He said that a career in education was not about the money.

Mr Rabain added: “Teaching is a profession of love, a profession of compassion and a profession of lifelong commitment.

“As one of the most honourable professions, one can do, it is indeed humbling to able to stand in the shadows of these giants, like Sharilyn Shabazz and Phyllis Harshaw and who taught in primary school for 37 and 36 years respectively and Yolanda Simons and Earldor Williams who taught for 35 and 34 years.”

He thanked all the former staff for “putting your shoulder to the wheel to do what is needed for our students”.

Mr Rabain added: “Your years of service are appreciated and they will be revered and cherished.”

He was joined by Kalmar Richards, the Acting Commissioner of Education, for the event.

The retirees honoured were:

Cindy Laurin, Primary School Teacher, Dalton E. Tucker Primary, 30 years

Coralita Dill, Primary School Principal, Gilbert Institute Primary, 28 years

David Outerbridge, Traffic Warden/Custodian, Francis Patton Primary, 14 years

Donna Swainson-Robinson, Senior School Teacher, CedarBridge Academy, 25 years

Daniel Hill, Primary School Teacher, Elliott Primary, 20 years

Dawn Broadbelt, Support Teacher, Clearwater Middle School, 22 years

Donna-Mae Gomes, Educational Therapist Assistant, Whitney Institute Middle School, 30 years

Earldor Williams, Primary School Teacher, West Pembroke Primary, 34 years

Gwendolyn Creary, Supervisor Behaviour Management Programme, Child Development Programme, 24 years

Laverne Simons, Assistant Director, ESA (Central), 33 years

Lovette Lovell, Family Coordinator, Child Development Programme, 27 years

Mary Beth Aitken, Primary School Teacher, Northlands Primary, 20 years

Murray Scott, Learning Support Teacher, CedarBridge Academy, 17 years

Patricia Lee, Para-educator, CedarBridge Academy, 23 years

Phyllis Harshaw, Learning Support Teacher, CedarBridge Academy 36 years

Robert Corday, Primary School Teacher, Francis Patton Primary, 9 years

Sharilyn Shabazz, Primary School Teacher, Elliott Primary, 37 years

Shelley Steede, MOED, 3 years

Yolanda Simons, Primary School Teacher, Purvis Primary, 35 years