The Board of Education honored 11 retirees representing a total of 318 combined years of service to Bryan County at Thursday night’s monthly meeting.

If you’re counting, that’s an average of more than 28 years per retiree.

From Lanier Primary, Principal Dr. Patti Newman said teachers Barbara White, Deborah Frey, Anne Miller and food service worker Marie Smokes held well over 100 years of service among the four of them. Of Miller, Newman said, "Anne could teach a rock to read."

Spending their entire careers with Bryan County High, according to interim Superintendent John Oliver, media specialist Cheryl Owens and curriculum resource teacher Michael Owens "are master teachers and wonderful people," Oliver said.

When Richmond Hill Primary’s Collen Cassiday, who joined Bryan County in 1976, received her plaque, she requested former board vice-chair and Bryan County educator Frances Meeks join her at the podium.

"Ms. Meeks was my mentor," Cassiday said.

Meeks was asked to continue to stand along side the remaining retirees. Richmond Hill Elementary’s Beth Dismukes, Carver Elementary’s Susan Knauff and Kay Warnell and Richmond Hill Middle School’s Beth Odom.

Each said Meeks was a tremendous mentor to them.

Odom requested former Superintendent Sallie Brewer join her and Meeks and said both were mentors to her and played a significant part in her career.

Oliver said the retirees were a special group of staff members whose "sum of years (in Bryan County education) was a tremendous number."

"We appreciate all you’ve done over the years," he said.