When Colleen Richardson walked into her office Thursday, May 21, she was greeted by a room full of balloons, crepe paper and a basket of candy.
The Plant City High School principal, who started at the school as a teacher 31 years ago, is retiring at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. The office decorations are just a small token from students who will miss her legacy.
Earlier in the week, Richardson also walked down a red carpet that had been rolled out by students in one of the school’s main hallways. When she reached the end of the carpet, she was presented with a framed collage of each of the classes, complete with notes from students.
Now a loved and well-respected educator, Richardson began her career at PCHS in 1984 as a biology and anatomy teacher, a position she held for 17 years before becoming principal eight years ago.
Although Richardson’s work anniversary was Nov. 1, she wanted to see the graduating class through the end of the school year.
“May is the month of celebration,” Richardson said. “It’s a great month to retire after. It’s very fulfilling.”
Richardson noted that the optimum time for transition is during the summer. Though she is looking forward to spending time with her family and traveling when her retirement begins, the feeling is still bittersweet.
“I’ll miss the people,” Richardson said. “I love Plant City. The city is great, the community is incredible. It doesn’t matter what we need, they’re always there for us.”
Richardson will miss the friendships that have developed the most, as well as witnessing the students’ growth from when they enter ninth grade to their graduation at the end of their senior year.
“They turn out to be wonderful young men and women,” Richardson said. “You build a bond with them after four years.”
Although she’s from Pennsylvania, Richardson has connections to the high school that go beyond her career. Her husband graduated from Plant City High in 1975, and her daughters followed in 2002 and 2005, respectively.
Richardson has seen the school go through positive changes, as well. It was during her time as principal that the school received an ‘A’ rating for three consecutive years, from 2012 to 2014.
“It was a challenge for us to bring the school to an ‘A’ school,” Richardson said. “It was a number of years before we became an ‘A’, and we kept it for three years. I’m proud of the students — it’s really their achievement.”
Plant City High School received a ‘B’ ranking this year. The state of Florida changed the grading scale for schools. If the old scale was used, PCHS would have received an ‘A’ rating for the fourth year in a row.
As she starts her retirement, Richardson is looking forward to spending time traveling with her husband, who is a merchant marine. One of her first stops will be in Italy, hopefully in the spring of next year.
In addition to traveling, Richardson is also planning on spending time with her grandsons, ages 3 and 6, while pursuing her interests in cooking and photography.
Although she’s retiring, Richardson wouldn’t completely eliminate the possibility of returning to her career.
“I would go back as a teacher, back in the classroom,” Richardson said. “I think a lot of people still see me as a science teacher.”
Some of her current students do. She is often stopped in the hall by students who say that she taught biology to their mothers and fathers.
Though dozens of classes have graduated since Richardson has been at Plant City High School, her goal for the students is one that has been the same from the start: getting them across the graduation stage.
“Parents are counting on us to make sure they earn that diploma,” she said. “I love graduations and the celebrations we do with the students, celebrating the success of the school as a whole.”
Plant City High School’s graduation will be June 3. Richardson will be there, cheering her students on.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.