The Vicksburg school district is saying goodbye to five long-time employees, who now turn their attention toward retirement.The quintet includes a teacher, bus driver, longtime kitchen staff member and a pair of administrators.
Superintendent Keevin O’Neill said the district is losing a team of employees who showed 100 percent commitment to the district’s students.
“This is a strong group of employees who collectively gave everything they had to our students,” O’Neill said. “We have been so fortunate they chose to work for Vicksburg Community Schools and I wish them well on their much-deserved retirement.”
Michelle Ballard
Most know Ballard as a bus driver; she calls herself precious-cargo carrier. Either way, Ballard said she drove for all five school buildings in the district. In addition, she drove for its special-education routes, CTE students “and everything in between,” namely field trips and sporting events.
A 28-year employee, Ballard reflected on her role as a bus driver and her longevity with the district. “Each student that entered my bus became my child, if only for a short time,” she said. “I watched several families grow and second generations entered my bus through the years.”
Ballard and her husband raised three children; all three attended Vicksburg Schools. “Now, we have the pleasure of our two grandchildren attending Vicksburg,” she noted.
Denise Berry
Berry’s most recent position centered on counseling as well as financial administrative assistant at Vicksburg High School.
In all, Berry spent more than 30 years in education. The breakdown: 13 years at Vicksburg Middle School, 16 at its high school and two years of subbing after college. “I may have been a sub for (Vicksburg Athletic Director) Mike Roy, as I subbed at Paw Paw High School when he was a student there,” she said.
Berry said Vicksburg Community Schools has been fortunate to draw such a good group of students.
Wendy Martens
Martens’ impressive tenure at Indian Lake covers a 27-year span. A second-grade teacher, Martens previously spent one year at the Schoolcraft co-op preschool.
Martens said she looks forward to traveling after the school year concludes June 5.
Amie McCaw
Eighteen of McCaw’s 27 years in education have been with Vicksburg Community Schools. Most recently, she has spent 11 years as principal at Sunset Lake Elementary. McCaw was formerly at Indian Lake for seven years, serving as a teacher and instructional consultant.
She expressed gratitude at ending her professional career with Vicksburg.
“It was through my experiences as a young teacher at Indian Lake that helped give me the instructional practices and mindset of being a lifelong learner who wants to continue to learn and grow as an educator,” McCaw said. “Superintendent Reeves and educator Pat Wilson O’Leary’s vision of having all VCS teachers participate in Instructional Skills to help instill strong instructional practices K-12 was very impactful in my life.”
McCaw said she appreciated the opportunity to grow in other districts as an administrator, but said she counts her blessings that she found her way back to Vicksburg via Sunset Lake.
“Being the principal at Sunset Lake has been one of the most rewarding times of my career, and I am so grateful for the staff, students, families, and the lifetime friends and memories I have been able to make there these past 11 years,” McCaw said.
Anna Roach
An employee with another impressive term of longevity is hanging up her apron in June. Roach spent 24 years as a cook at Vicksburg High School.
Roach said she is looking forward to retirement to spend more quality time with her family and becoming more involved with her church.
