After 30 years of dedication, a teacher leaves

Tue, 05/26/2009 - 3:45pm
By: Letters to the ...

As Fayette County schools come to a close this week, Joyce Larson ends more than 30 years of educating young children across the country and overseas.

She left a teaching job in the late 1970s to marry a young Army lieutenant. Despite 15 moves in 30 years, Joyce managed to remain an educator, teaching in Virginia, Alabama, Germany, and Rhode Island.

Joyce remained engaged in teaching even while raising our two daughters, by managing a preschool in our Army quarters and later serving as director of the Quantico Marine Base Preschool.

During our 11 years in Peachtree City, she taught at Kedron Elementary, helped launch Cleveland Elementary, and has served in EIP at Fayette Intermediate for the past several years.

Her reward: Countless thanks from parents of former students who always remark on the positive impact she made on their children.

Ironically, Joyce is not leaving teaching due to another military move, or retirement, but rather as a result of the economic downturn and release of teachers in the county.

So on behalf of hundreds, if not thousands, of her former students, her two daughters and myself, I just want everyone to know how proud we are of her and thank her for her service.

Scott Larson

Peachtree City, Ga.

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Submitted by downunder on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 7:18pm.

I met Joyce 9 years ago when she was teaching at Kedron Elementary.
As a parent volunteer in the classroom I had many opportunities to watch Joyce interact with children and I saw the impact her positive approach had on the children. I did not know at that time, but years later we would meet again as parents of our children. Our daughters became good friends and are, as I'm writing this, sitting in our family room watching TV and playing Monopoly.
I am very sad to hear that wonderful part-time teachers,like Joyce, who do not take benefits and are sharing jobs, are losing their teaching positions. This is a big loss for the children of Fayette County. Joyce, the children and their parents will miss you.

Submitted by Goldie on Tue, 05/26/2009 - 8:13pm.

This makes me very sad! My friend, who is a superb teacher, as well, is getting kicked out by the same boot! Parents and tax payers don't really realize what's going on - great teachers; who cost the system less money because they are already retired or they are on the low end of the pay scale, are being let go to save the high ended (and I mean HIGH) salaried jobs.

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