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Last Original Northview High Employee Sheila Holland Retires
May 26, 2024
The last remaining original employee of Northview High School has now retired.
Northview opened in 1995, joining of Century High School and grades nine through 12 of Ernest Ward High School. Sheila Holland joined that first year and retired Friday, 29 years later.
NHS academic advisor Raja Attah penned the following retrospective:
Ms. Sheila Holland has become the face of Northview—she’s been Northview’s long-time secretary and is the LAST remaining staff member who started working at Northview on day 1 when the school opened in 1995. She was even part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony and remembers meeting Northview’s first principal Ms. Gayle Weaver during Northview’s very first faculty meeting.
Friday was her last day..
Ms. Holland started working at Escambia School District 34 years ago. She started as a teacher aide at Byrneville Elementary in 1990. After four years, she moved to Molino Elementary for a year. Then she joined the Northview team in 1995. Today, Ms. Holland completes her 29th year at Northview where she held several roles, including the attendance clerk and assistant band director.
Ms. Holland said, “I have no regrets: I met so many nice people. I love the kids and enjoy my job.” She said to Northview faculty and staff during the end-of-year luncheon, “My heart will always be at Northview, and you’ll always have a place in my heart.”
Ms. Carroll, who has known Ms. Holland for over 25 years, said about Ms. Holland, “She’s sassy, dependable, early riser, makes life easier for teachers, spoils teachers with finding last-minute subs.” Ms. Carroll commented on how Ms. Holland loved Northview students, “When her kids grew up, she adopted the Northview kids.”
Ms. Salter, who has known Ms. Holland since Ms. Salter was an infant, said pointing at Ms. Holland’s hair, “Some of those gray hairs are mine.” Ms. Salter continued speaking endearingly, “Ms. Holland is a hot mess; we love her! She’s good as gold. She’ll do anything for you. She’s hard to replace. She’s someone you can go to if you need anything. She’s like having a second mom at school.”
Ms. Holland’s sense of humor always had a place at her job. When Coach Summerford came for his job interview a few years ago, Ms. Holland greeted him by saying, “I’ll see if they still want to see you; you’re an hour late.” He actually was on time. But her sense of humor broke the ice and made Coach Summerford laugh after a moment of panic. She put him at ease before the interview.
Friday morning, Ms. Holland sat at her desk one more time—the same desk where she has been sitting for decades—contemplating her years of service at Northview. With her sweet, affectionate smile, she said, “I treated each kid as if they were my own child or grandkid, and that’s how I want others to treat them. Always treat students as you want someone to treat you and your own kids and grandkids.”
Ms. Holland is one of the kindest people someone could ever meet. She has treated Northview’s faculty and staff with care and kindness. She has loved our students, and her student office workers were the most fortunate ones who were always treated with generous gifts and treats.
We will dearly miss Ms. Sheila Holland and wish her a blessed and happy retirement!
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
13 Responses to “Last Original Northview High Employee Sheila Holland Retires”
Congrats Shelia! All of the wonderful comments are spot on. You are such a “people person” and you brought many smiles to the faces of students and staff at Northview for many years. Enjoy your retirement!!
Congratulations Sheila!! You have always been the best. I’m sure Wayne is the owner of several of your grey hairs. LOL!!! You helped me raise Wayne and you watched after Michael and Brian when they got to Northview. So thankful for everything you’ve done. I hope you enjoy your retirement to the fullest and do everything your heart desires. We love you!!!
Congratulations Shelia !!
Enjoy your retirement, you’ve surely earned it.
Congratulations Sheila! You have done a great job. Hope your retirement is great and you will not ever be without something to do. You will now be on call for so many things—after all she’s not working, we will get Sheila to do it. Ha Ha! May God bless you!.
Congratulations Mrs Holland a well deserved retirement I hope you enjoy it .I want to thank you for always treating my children great an I could walk in the doors an you knew exactly who it was about even tho my last child graduated in 2023 you will still be so missed you are loved by everyone.i hope you have a happy retirement,we love you .
In about a year, people will ask if you are bored in retirement.
I suppose some people end up that way or are bored themselves, and that’s why they ask.
Allow yourself time to learn new and completely different skills and apply them. It could be something you do with your mind and/or hands. Travel as distantly as you can to learn how others live and work. Get to know new family members (especially cousins) who are forming new family branches, yet still have so much in common with you. Challenge yourself to read more, watch TV less, and explore things and places and relationships where you have been otherwise held back because of work obligations.
Take care of yourself physically each and every day. Eating right, exercising, even daily grooming and appearance. Keep your body fit and ready just as if you were still working.
Boredom? That’s for couch potatoes.
Enjoy your life your way! Congratulations. You’ve earned this.
NOOOOOOOOO.
We’ll miss you.
Congratulations ,Mrs Holland..NORTHVIEW was blessed to have you for 29 years..now is your time to do do what ever and whenever you like!
Well-deserved Mrs. Shelia! The Class of 2018 can claim a few of her grey hairs as well haha. I wish you nothing but the best in retirement!
Congratulations Shiela, We love you
Congratulations Shiela!!! We love you
I don’t know Ms. Holland but this story, her story, made me want to comment and say, congratulations Ms. Holland. People like you are what’s right in this world. A life of selfless public service. God bless you and thanks for caring for our kids and your coworkers for the past 34 years.
Congratulations!!! You made it! I’m not too far behind you. Haha. Hope you enjoy your retirement!….Love you