Cavaness retires after 25 years

Kathy Cavaness has been a fixture at Rector Elementary School for 25 years. In her time as a teacher, Cavaness has worked hard to reach countless students in order to help them recognize the skills needed to succeed in adulthood. Now, after a quarter century as an educator, Cavaness is retiring.

Cavaness grew up in Missouri. She graduated from Senath-Hornersville schools and attended college for a year before deciding to take some time off from school.

She came to Rector after marrying Bill Cavaness. After the birth of their daughter, Kim, Bill helped convince his wife to return to college. Cavaness completed her degree in 1984. She began teaching at Clay County Central during the 1984-85 school year.

During her time at RES, Cavaness has worn many hats, teaching different grade levels. She taught kindergarten for six years, fourth grade for 10 years, sixth grade for two years and Title I math for the last seven years.

Though her classes would change, for Cavaness, the rewards remained consistent.

"I absolutely enjoyed watching the children mature and grow," she said. "Seeing the lightbulbs come on when they understood the lesson -- that was the exciting part to me. I was enthusiastic about teaching. I think that helped my students learn, but it also helped me teach. I cared about my students. I think they always knew it, too. I hope they did."

Being an educator came natural to Cavaness. In fact, of a total of nine siblings in her family, seven worked in education.

"I don't remember a time when I didn't know I was going to be a teacher," she said. "It's what I always wanted to do."

Cavaness says she feels fortunate to have been a teacher.

"You form a bond with your students. That's one of the reasons I wanted to work in elementary -- it's on more of a personal level. Sometimes we're the mother, the teacher and the counselor. I just felt like that's what God put me on the Earth to do. I felt like that was my calling. That was His plan -- for me to be a teacher."

Cavaness says there is much she will miss about RES.

"I'll definitely miss the students. Interacting with them and watching them grow has been such a large part of my life for the last 25 years. I'll miss all the teachers and staff members I've worked beside. We have some wonderful people here at the school.

"I want to thank the school for letting me work here and be a part of so many wonderful things. I want to thank the parents for supporting me for a number of years and for trusting me with their children."

Even with her schedule opening up, Cavaness says she will keep busy. She plans to spend more time with her family and looks forward to visiting her daughter in Fayetteville. She also expects to spend more time working in her yard.