Williamson: Best wishes to Ms. Janet of Dora schools

When my daughter was young and I was worrying (as we mothers do) about the upcoming trek through public education, a friend told me something I’ve not forgotten.

link Betty Williamson

With two grown children and a fleet of young friends who had survived the system, my friend said she had learned that in every year of school and for every child there was always at least one person who had made the year work, be it the oft-cited teacher, a kind-hearted custodian, a thoughtful playground aide, an observant lunch lady.

I expect that for many of the children who have passed through the Dora Consolidated School District in the last 23 years, that person was Janet Newberry Wilcher.

Ms. Janet has been the first face most visitors to the Dora schools have seen. She’s held down the fort (a.k.a. the front office) for more than two decades.

While her official title is secretary/registrar, like every administrative professional in a public school, there isn’t a title large enough to cover this job.

It would need to include receptionist, dispatcher, comforter, lie detector, finder of lost things, and answerer of endless questions.

Ms. Janet possesses an unerring ability to keep tabs on everyone, as well as a slew of other magical powers to keep a school running smoothly. On top of that, she’s blessed with the gift of making every person who walks through the doors of the school feel like a most special human being.

Graduation season is also retirement season. As you celebrate the seniors in your life, remember the team players who were there for them … in cases like this one, for every step of the journey.

Best wishes to you, Janet Wilcher, and to all of the other educators and support staff who will “graduate” to their own retirements at the close of this year.

Your efficiency, professionalism, goofy sense of humor, and bottomless supply of kindness and good cheer will be sorely missed.

Betty Williamson’s earliest school memory is of Mrs. Reid (the long-ago Dora secretary) punching lunch tickets. You may reach her at:

[email protected]