On Sunday, May 20 the Union Public School District said goodbye to two educators with a combined six decades of teaching experience. UPSD Talented and Gifted program teacher Terry Gressett and Union Middle School sixth grade teacher Sheila Rouse will be retiring this summer after educating thousands of students.
Gressett first started teaching 32 years ago and has served as the UPSD TAG instructor for the past 13 years.
Throughout her career, Gressett has taught various students in Special Education, fourth grade, elementary, middle school and high school Gifted, but said she maintained the same teaching goal of providing a learning environment where each student could reach his or her fullest potential.
“Regardless of the subject taught, I didn’t worry about teaching to a test because I believe if students are taught to think and be problem solvers, they will be successful on any test,” Gressett said. “I have had students prove this point by going on to pursue careers as doctors, engineers, dentists, lawyers, and educators- just to name a few.”
Gressett said the most rewarding experience throughout her teaching career has been to see students come into the gifted program in the second grade and watch them grow from year to year through the gifted program.
“Of course, it goes without saying that none of this would have been possible without the support of the parents, administration, school board, and other teachers with whom I work alongside from day to day,” Gressett said.
Rouse joined the UPSD 29 years ago and has helped students bridge the important journey from elementary school and high school.
The Union native said she will most miss ‘learning something new every day.”
“When you teach you learn something new every day. And, of course, I taught reading and reading is my favorite thing to do,” Rouse said.
Rouse said a part of her laments that she won’t be able to teach incoming fifth graders that she has gotten to know over the years, but she was ready to spend more time with her family.
Gressett said her future plans include spoiling her newest grandchild and painting for pleasure.
UPSD Superintendent Tyler Hansford said the replacements for Gressett and Rouse have been chosen.
Current Union High School English teacher Katie Goss will be taking over the TAG program, and one of Rouse’s former students, Brett Whitlock Smith, will transfer from the Newton County School District to replace Rouse at UMS.
“She came through the Union Gifted program years ago,” Hansford said about Goss. “It was important for us to get somebody that we felt understood expectations of the gifted program here, and our intent is to run one that’s second to none and Mrs. Gressett has certainly done that.”
Gressett has held the position of the East Central Talented and Gifted Association (CTAG) President for over 15 years. They have developed various competitions so that gifted students could develop spontaneous thinking skills and problem solving by challenging their peers in various competitions including K’Nex Egg Drop (Engineering challenge), Chess, Scrabble, Quiz Bowl, Art, and Creative Writing.
As vice-president of the Mississippi Association of Gifted Children, she has assisted in planning the Gifted Conference for 2018. But as President Elect next year, she will be spearheading the plans for the conference.
