After teaching 35 years in Harrison County schools, Cheryl Carey has retired. Her most recent post was Johnson Elementary School, where she started in 2006 teaching kindergarten. During her 13-year tenure at JES, Carey most recently taught second grade.

 

Before transitioning to Johnson Elementary, she taught at several other schools.

 

“My beginning in education was at Logan Middle School, where I only taught one semester,” she said. “I began subbing for Harrison County, first at Adamston Elementary, then my second year I taught special education at Gore. I was then transferred to a full-time sub job at Liberty High School, where I taught several years before going to Nutter Fort when they opened the new primary school. I was a physical education teacher for Pre-K through second grade and two years later, I took the kindergarten job there, then went back to physical education at Nutter Fort Primary for 13-14 years.”

 

The last 35 years have held many memories and rewarding experiences.

 

“I think the most rewarding is just to watch a child go through the process of learning to read – watching them grow and develop,” Carey said.

While attending Lincoln High School, Carey – then Cheryl Minnix – said she was inspired to work with children when she befriended a little boy in special education.

 

“I actually started out in social work. I knew his struggles and so forth, but Fairmont State dropped that program,” Carey said. “I guess that was a blessing, because I knew right away that my next choice was education.”

 

She received her teaching degree from Fairmont State and completed her master’s at Marshall University.

 

The best advice she can leave all her former students is same advice she has shared many times through the years.

 

“Think things through and make wise choices,” she said. ‘I probably said that a million times a day when I taught second grade.”

 

Carey also wants to express appreciation to Johnson Elementary Principal Vicki Huffman and Assistant Principal Heather Holbert.

 

“They are both just terrific and Johnson Elementary is just a wonderful school,” she said “And how nice the new school is. It’s just beautiful. I have been able to work in two brand new schools. Some teachers never get to work in a new school. What a blessing that is.”

 

Carey plans to substitute teach and spend time with her growing family. She and her husband have two daughters, two sons, two grandsons and two granddaughters. She said she will also have more time to follow husband, Coach Mike Carey, and his basketball team – the Lady Mountaineers of West Virginia University – on their game travels. The couple also has a vacation home in Florida where they plan to spend plenty of time with longtime friends.