Amid the changes Winfield High School has seen over the last 60 years there has been one constant: Mary Jane Anderson has always been the warm face in Room 209.
Affectionately known as "Mrs. A" among students, Anderson has taught home economics at Winfield for six decades. Now at 83, she's decided to finally retire.
"It's going to be hard to leave, but I thought I could get out and give another person a chance to start out like I did," Anderson said. "They might not stay quite as long though."
One major thing that's changed for Anderson is how she's taught her class. In home economics, she no longer teaches students how to sew or cook, but rather teaches them about parenting and budgeting their finances.
"It's not much hands on, but I still love it," Anderson said. "I don't know why they cut it (sewing and cooking) out, because the kids liked it."
Through her 60 years of teaching experience, Anderson there has been an accumulation of extra work and education teachers have to do.
"A lot of teachers say, 'I'm getting out, I'm not doing all this stuff,'" Anderson said. "But, I just go with the flow."
Anderson said she has always been full of energy and has a hard time doing nothing. Although she doesn't have any definite plans for her retirement, she hopes to spend some time at the beach. However, it's hard for Anderson to imagine waking up in the morning and not coming to Winfield High School.
"It will be a big void in my life," Anderson said. "[My husband] could sit and watch TV all day, but I could never do that. I was never someone who could just sit."
Anderson served as the head coach of the cheerleading team for most of her career, before switching to assistant coach. She said the highlight of her time at Putnam County Schools was when the Winfield High School cheerleading team won the state championship in 2003.
Anderson said her class size has stayed roughly the same over the years, and so has the polite demeanor of her students. She says her age is why she's rarely disrespected; sometimes her students accidentally call her "mom" or "grandma."
"We've always had nice kids," Anderson said. "I've always loved that."
Principal Bruce McGrew described Anderson as a staple of Winfield High School.
"Any employee that puts in that kind of dedication and time to an organization is to be respected greatly," McGrew said. "I have great respect for her and what she's given to the school system is absolutely phenomenal to put that many years in - no matter what you're doing, but to dedicate your life to kids and school, that's really a remarkable feat."
McGrew has worked at Winfield High School for the past 23 years, or as he put it, "only a glimpse of the time" Anderson's been there. He said the school will definitely be a different place without her.
"We hope she will enjoy herself in retirement, and I'm sure she'll probably still come around and see some of the athletic events and so forth that she's watched all her life," McGrew said. "We wish her the best and a happy and healthy retirement. We'll miss her."
Anderson joked that if she doesn't like retirement, she may come back as a janitor.
"I could work until I'm 100," she said, laughing.
Reach Laura Haight at laura.haight@wvgazettemail.com, 304-438-4843 or follow @laurahaight_ on Twitter.