After 36 years of helping little learners take their first steps into school, Mrs. Carol Johnson is retiring from her role as a kindergarten teacher at Springhill Elementary. Her career has been filled with laughter, learning, growth, and a deep love for her students—whom she fondly calls “my kids.”
Carol’s journey in education began in 1989, when she started teaching first grade at Bryant Elementary—the same year the building got air conditioning, a detail she remembers with a smile. In 1991, she moved to the newly opened Springhill Elementary, where she would spend the next 34 years shaping lives and creating memories. “I jokingly tell people I came with the bricks,” Carol said. She taught both first grade and kindergarten during her tenure, but most of her years were spent in a kindergarten classroom. Carol has not only taught generations of students but also helped shape the culture and heart of Springhill. As the last member of the original staff to leave the building, she holds a unique place in its history.
Carol’s connection to Bryant Schools runs deep. She and her husband, Kevin, are both Bryant High School graduates (1984 and 1985), as are their two sons. Her family may not include grandchildren just yet, but she proudly talks about her grand-dogs, horses, chickens, and fish with all the joy of a doting grandmother.
Carol says it’s the people who made her time at Bryant especially meaningful. “When I first started teaching, it felt a little surreal to attend professional development sessions alongside my former teachers—but it also made me feel right at home,” she recalls. “Now, years later, I’m on the other side of that experience, and it’s such a proud moment to see my former students returning to Bryant as colleagues.”
Through four decades of service, Carol witnessed enormous changes in education—from reel-to-reel projectors and mimeograph machines to interactive whiteboards and iPads. Yet one belief remained constant: the importance of play. “Children need time to play!” she says. “Playing is not a waste of time—it is learning.”
Her advice to new teachers is simple and wise: “Keep all the messages and notes from students and parents. Reread them when you’re struggling. They remind you that you’re making a difference.”
As she begins retirement, Carol looks forward to reading, napping, and spoiling her two Yorkies. Though she’s leaving the classroom, her legacy will live on in every child she taught, every colleague she supported, and every life she touched.
Thank you, Carol Johnson, for 36 years of kindness, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to the Bryant community. You’ve given generations of children the best possible start—and now it’s your turn to rest, reflect, and play.
