By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

 

From a dream of becoming a teacher, to Site Coordinator today, Beverly Richard Robinson has taught at three school districts and a college during her 33 years in education.

Robinson graduated from West Orange-Cove Consolidated School District (WOCCISD) in 1979 and is now West Orange-Stark Academic Alternative Center Site Coordinator for the district.

“We were the second graduating class for the newly formed district,” Robinson said.

Robinson knew, from an early age, she wanted to be a teacher.

“I always wanted to play teacher as a child,” Robinson said. “To be a leader.”

It was during high school she decided Home Economics was the class she wanted to teach.

“I majored in Vocational Home Ec,” Robinson said. “I taught it for 26 years.”

Robinson taught at Newton ISD for five years before switching to PAISD where she stayed for 13 years.

She has been with WOCCISD for 15 years.

“I was a teacher before becoming an Assistant Principal for two years,” Robinson said. “Now I am the Site Coordinator for the Academic Alternative Center which is connected to the middle and high school.”

She has spent seven years in administration at the district with five of those in her current position.

Over the years, she has served on every committee and on every leadership team.

“I have sponsored Future Teachers, Future Homemakers of America and worked with the Culinary Arts Club,” Robinson said.

While at WOCCISD and working in Family Consumer Sciences, she returned to school herself to obtain her Masters.

“When my kids graduated, I went for my Masters,” Robinson said.

She and her husband, Frederick Robinson, have four children and nine grandchildren.

“They are the highlight,” she said with a smile.

As important as education is to Robinson, family is important as well.

“We love to go out and eat,” Robinson said. “We also go to church together.”

She said they enjoy teasing each other and joking about disciplining in the ‘old days.’

In her down time, she enjoys those times with her family.

“My family is my life,” Robinson said.

Robinson still teaches.

“I have been teaching at LSCO for four years in the evening as an adjunct professor,” Robinson said. “I teach freshman students, college success in a course in the education department, Learning Frameworks.”

She has been awarded Teacher of the Year three times over her career, twice at PAISD and once at WOCCISD.

Over the course of her career, she has seen many changes in education such as the move to technology.

“It started with early computers and the large cell phones. Remember those?” Robinson said. “There has been a progression, which is good. It is important to gain more knowledge.”