The We Don’t Have to Go Back to School brunch, an annual joy for former faculty and staff members of the Perry school system, was held Thursday morning at the Hotel Pattee, followed by the September business meeting of the Dallas Country Area Retired School Personnel Association (DCARSPA).
The 45 members in attendance were ably presided over by new DCARSPA President Sue Kimpston, who introduced the speakers and led the Pledge of Allegiance and the brief business meeting.
Perry Elementary School Principal Laura Skeel and Perry Community School District Superintendent Clark Wicks delivered brief remarks. Skeel described infrastructure improvements at the school and emphasized the moral education of students alongside academics. Wicks outlined the new districtwide smart-phone policy now in effect.
Wicks also fielded a few questions from the DCARSPA members. He said enrollment is still somewhat in flux after the abrupt closure of the Tyson Fresh Meats plant in June 2024 but said the new JBS Prepared Foods Inc. sausage factory will return some stability to the school district’s numbers.
Celebrating the start of school were DCARSPA President Sue Kimpston and members Kay Adair, Paula Allen, Rose Anderson, Linda Andorf, Charlene Beeson, Loretta Beuter, Judy Boorn, Colleen Chalfant, Cathy Clark, Dee Cole, Holly Daniels, Sandy Eaton, Shirley Ehlers, Donna Emmert, Peg Fagen, Kris Finn, Kathy Fox, Donna Galligan, Nancy Gardiner, Priscilla Gomez-Stream, Jeanne Harbison, JoAnn Harmelink, Ardie Hinds, Cindy Jafvert, Karen Kline, Jackie Landon, Sue Leslie, Marilyn Lynch, Cynthia Miner, Kathy Miner, Linda Morman, Pat Mundy, Jolene Niemeyer, Mary Nichols, Becky Reuter, Julie Tibbles, Ann Sackett, Karen Sackett, Connie Sheehy, Sue Short, Sonja Sturtz, Paula Thomson, Deb Wicks and Margie Worrell.
