By Lisa Morton
Valentine ISD (VISD) Superintendent Debbie Engle and the Board of Trustees, recognized Larry and Irma Porras with a barbecue celebration in their honor on June 1st. They have both retired their respective positions serving a combined 69 years with the school district. Larry resigned from the school board after 35 years and in anticipation of his wife Irma’s retirement as a teacher that finally came this May.
At this year’s student awards ceremony, Mrs. Porras addressed the audience with a farewell speech stating it has been a privilege teaching for 34 years in “our beloved escuelita”, (little school). Mrs. Porras taught Kindergarten for 25 years and taught 1st and 2nd grades for 10 years to finish her career. She was most grateful for her friend and mentor, the late Maria Williams, who honorably taught and led the district by example.
They worked under 8 school superintendents and have witnessed a decline with the student population Valentine could no longer produce. “If I have in any way helped to make this school and community a little better, then mission accomplished”, she said. Larry and Irma will maintain a home in Valentine and plan to be in town often, across the street from good ole VISD.
