BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va.— Village of Barboursville Elementary School students and staff saying to goodbye to beloved principal and educator Kelli Jordan as she is set to retire after 33 and half years at the beginning of the year.
Kelli Jordan began her educator career in 1990 as an elementary school teacher before beginning a career in administration. She came to Village of Barboursville as a teacher, where she stayed for nine years, before becoming assistant principal. She held the assistant principal role for two years. And despite wanting to return to teaching after her two years of being the assistant principal, because she missed the kids, she became the principal, a role she has held for eight years.
Staff held a retirement party Friday morning for Kelli at the school’s library with refreshments and food and for Cabell County School officials. Staff was going to celebrate with her later in the afternoon.
Kelly Watts
Deputy Superintendent for Cabell County Schools Kelly Watts says that she met Kelli when she was studying to take her National Board Exam.
Watts says she knew at that first meeting what kind of teacher she was going to be.
“Just immediately knew the quality of teacher she was, she was so dedicated to her students,” Watts said. “It’s just been a pleasure to watch her grow as an educator and more importantly as a leader and she’ll truly be missed in Cabell County.”
The Superintendent for Cabell County, Tim Hardesty, agreed saying that he has been able to watch her grow as well throughout every role she has had.
“I have seen Kelli in the classroom, an absolutely amazing educator, I’ve seen her move into the assistant principal role, then principal role, I’ve seen her grow in her career and just do an amazing job,” Hardesty said. “She has really come to Village of Barboursville and brought the entire community together as part of the school here and really made a positive impact in our community here.”
Since she started out as an educator in the teacher role, Jordan says that having the kids say goodbye to her was the hardest part.
Tim Hardesty
“And I think what made me cry the most was a little girl, she’s super quiet and backward and she was crying so hard, she said she loved me, and she didn’t want me to leave, that makes me know that you really have an influence when you don’t think you do,” Jordan said.
The impact showed because all of the kids made cards for her, gave her flowers and even wrote her song.
Kim Cremeans, a fourth-grade teacher, has worked at the school for 22 years.
The one thing that she loved was that even though Kelli was a principal she never lost site of the kids.
“She never lost that teacher, she was always still the teacher, she had our backs, and she loved those kids with all of her heart,” Cremeans said.
Jordan said that her favorite thing about being an educator, especially at VBOE, was celebrating the different achievements that students received.
“I like celebrating the achievements of the kids, we have lots of different ways that we can celebrate our children,” Jordan said. “I like seeing them get excited about learning.”
Cremeans said that she has helped make the school a family.
“It has been an honor to work for her and with her, she has supported us, she has made us a family here, we are truly a family here and she will be missed more than she will ever know,” she said.
And despite retiring, she is already planning on still being a part of the school.
“I told our parent volunteer, who coordinates volunteers, to put me down for Friday’s. I can’t stay away, ” Jordan said. “And I’m a member of the community too, so I’ll be here checking on the kids, reading to them, volunteering in the library, wherever they need me.”
She will officially be leaving the role as principal on January 2nd.