Clarke Central High School CTAE department teacher Paulette Johnson works at her desk during her intro to business class. Johnson has worked in the Clarke County School District for the past 25 years as well as previously working as a teacher in Jamaica. “One was private school and one was a prep school. I taught there in the same area I’ve taught all my years, in business education. But back then they were typing on typewriters, so I was teaching kids to type on typewriters,” Johnson said. Photo by Emma Crane.
By EMMA CRANE – Staff Writer
Business Education Teacher Paulette Johnson has taught in the Clarke County School District for 25 years, and will be retiring at the conclusion of the 2016-17 school year.
After 25 years of work in Clarke County School District, Clarke Central High School Business Education teacher Paulette Johnson will retire following the end of the 2016-17 school year.
“My first school (in CCSD) was Hilsman Middle School. I worked there for about eight years and when the principal retired I decided to move to high school, because in Jamaica I taught high school, so I went to (Cedar Shoals High School). I spent about 12 years at there, and then the entire CTAE department was cut out so I shifted from there to the Career Academy. I spent two years there until they moved me here,” Johnson said.
Throughout her long and diversified career, Johnson has witnessed many changes and experienced the evolution of education.
“In Jamaica, everything was calmer there, but things change, and that was over 30 years ago. Leaving (teaching) now, at this point in time, I know a lot of things have changed. The schoolwork, the discipline and the curriculum has changed too. It has been expanded to incorporate the new technology,” Johnson said.
In Jamaica, Johnson worked at two high schools, Dunrobin High School and St. Hugh’s High school. She and her husband made the decision to move to Athens in order to further their educations at the University of Georgia.
“When my husband finished (his master’s), I started mine, then he went for doctorate, so it was a back and forth with school and that kept us here a long time, but the kids (and I liked it in Athens). It was nice and quiet and we persuaded him to stay. We got jobs in Clarke County and stayed, and this became home,” Johnson said.
After over to decades teaching, Johnson plans on living a lifestyle not weighed down by her career, and is ready for a change in her life.
“I am retiring. I have taught about 25 years (teaching) in (CCSD).” Johnson. “So I think it’s about time, plus I’ll be 60, so I think it’s about time to retire. I’ve done a lot of teaching, (but I have) some other things (I want to do), and I don’t want to wait until I’m on crutches”
