Some of the most important people in any community are the educators who teach our children and those who work for the best interest of the students.

After a more than 35-year run, the Dawson-Bryant Board of Education will lose one of those special people.

Choosing not to run for re-election in November, Sadie Mulkey, who was first elected in 1977, will retire at the end of the year when her term ends.

Mulkey was the first woman ever elected to the board and paved the way for many other women who wanted to serve the school district for the betterment of the students.

Mulkey’s tenure on the school board wasn’t about politics, but simply, making sure the students of Dawson-Bryant schools received the best possible education.

She took her role as school board member seriously and strived to ensure the district was treated fairly by the state and was actively involved in decisions that resulted in the construction of a new school.

We commend Mulkey for her tireless dedication and service to the students of the Dawson-Bryant school district for more than three decades.

Although a school board seat can be replaced, Mulkey’s legacy cannot.