Hephzibah High's retiring 'front woman' leaves legacy

Before you can speak with or see the principal at Hephzibah High School, you have to first get through her "front woman," Margaret "Peggy" Kelley.

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Nikasha Dicks/Staff

Hephzibah High student Krystal Mims (left), 16, hugs retiring secretary Margaret "Peggy" Kelley on the last day of school.

"She takes the hard stuff first," Principal Veta New said of her secretary. "She filters out who really needs to speak with me or, if they need to speak to someone else, she redirects them there. She really is my front woman."

When Mrs. Kelley retires June 11, it's going to be a hard adjustment for Dr. New and the school.

"She has been the stabilizer for the school for many, many years and for every principal, I would say, because this is what she has done for me," Dr. New said. "I can't imagine this place without her."

Mrs. Kelley has worked at Hephzibah High for 42 years. She served as a substitute teacher for the first decade and has spent the remaining years as a secretary for each of the school's three vocational supervisors and seven principals.

She began working at the high school because her three children went there, but it was her love for the students that prompted her to stay.

"When you work in the school system, if you do anything with kids involved, it gets in your blood," she said. "That's what happened."

Known as "Granny" to many at the school, Mrs. Kelley tried every day to show pupils how much she loves them.

"The kids have changed, but the only reason the kids have changed is because the world has changed. But there are some things that will never change in those kids, and it's that they all have hearts and souls and they all need to be loved," she said. "If you see a kid who has problems and is acting out, if you can get that kid's attention and let them know that you love them, they'll melt."

At 69, Mrs. Kelley said, the time has come for her to concentrate on other areas of her life.

"I'm blessed with three wonderful children and eight grandchildren that Granny needs to spend some more time with," she said. "Then, too, I want to be able to walk out of here and not be carried out."

Though she is leaving the school and will miss everyone, her retirement is not completely a goodbye, Mrs. Kelley said.

"I'm going to come up here from time to time," she said. "I guess you can say I'm a loyal old soul. Hephzibah High will always be important to me."

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.