Du Quoin Elementary School principal Peg Pursell retiring after 38 years in education

There are no college courses for teachers on how to instill self-esteem or confidence, hope, faith and happiness in someone. For many of the thousands of students who have been touched by the caring of Peg Pursell, if you don't get those values at an early age from her or someone like her, you don't get them.

"The kids are the best part," says Pursell of her 38-year career in education, 25 of them spent in the Du Quoin school system.

She retires this week, and education was certainly better because she was part of it.

She joins husband Ed in retirement. The couple has two sons, Eddie and wife Pam and Doug and wife Amanda. They have four grandchildren. The newest is granddaughter Kennedy who was born nearly three months premature to Doug and Amanda and doing great in Children's Hospital.

Her retirement is about "spending time with my family," she says. "It's just time."

"I always wanted to be a teacher," she says. "Isabelle Roethe at the District 204 school was my mentor. Mrs. Pursell taught third grade in District 204, was a reading Title I teacher in Du Quoin and a special education teacher in Tamaroa before her 25-year run in Du Quoin. Here, she taught special education, was a seventh grade social studies teacher, assistant principal, director of special services and in recent years elementary school principal.

She obtained her administrative degree in the 1990s.

She stayed home while the kids were small and is fast approaching her fifth year as a cancer survivor. "I could not have gotten through that without the staff here at the school," she reflects. Her chemo treatments started five years ago in June and she is thankful for second chances.

"I have loved serving with great teachers. New teachers will step up," she said. They will be great. She will stay connected to the district and will substitute teach when asked.

She has every confidence in her successor, Diana Rea, who signed on in the district as Director of Instructional Services in what began as the district's forward-thinking 21st Century program, now called the Arrow Academy.

Mrs. Rea will continue to serve as director of that program while working as elementary principal. "I am very comfortable with her taking over," said Mrs. Pursell.

Other retirees at the elementary school include reading instructor Debbie Hoffard (21 years), second grade teacher Jan Weinberg (23 years), librarian Janet Jones (31 years) and elementary and middle school maintenance supervisor David Martin (eight years).

Retirees from the Du Quoin Middle School include eighth grade instructor Denver Tolbert (20 years), librarian Marilyn Crain (20 years) and custodian Mick Brewner.

At the Du Quoin High School, Al Martin will retire from teaching (26 years), but not from coaching.