Treasurer's time with school district spans four superintendents
District treasurer will retire Aug. 30
By JENNIFER WILSON
News editor
Joyce Medley never thought she'd spend three decades working in the Hillsboro school district.
She'd just planned to work until her two daughters were grown, she said.
Now it's 2002, and it's been 33 years since Medley began working for USD 410.
On August 30, Medley, who lives in Durham, will retire from her current position as secretary and district treasurer in the district's central office.
Joyce Medley began her first days of district employment in 1969, at the old Durham High School. At that time, William Foust was the principal of the school, which was a part of the Hillsboro school district.
"It had already been unified for quite a few years," Medley said.
At the end of 1971, the high school closed, and the building was used for fifth and sixth grades only. Children from all over the district were bussed to Durham, she said.
Medley continued as secretary there until the 1979-80 school year, when she got an offer from then-superintendent Dr. Robert C. Brown: come and work at the central office.
"He came and asked me if I'd take the job," Medley said.
She accepted, and in January of 1980 took over the secretary/treasurer position, where she's been ever since.
Medley's duties as district treasurer vary widely, from depositing money to paying bills, and later handling all the applications for free and reduced lunches.
The position has always been a year-round one — no summers off for the central office, Medley said.
And contrary to popular belief, summers are her busiest time of the year — even though most people think of the summer as vacation time.
"Everybody thinks so," Medley said, laughing.
Summertime is when the office sees a flurry of orders, end of the year reports, and shortly after that the beginning of the year reports.
This summer, Medley's been able to share some of the workload with Carla Harmon, who's taking over Medley's position in September.
Harmon began training with Medley on July 1, after leaving her position as a technology assistant.
So why did Medley choose this year as her retirement year?
"I just all of a sudden decided, 'This is it,'" she said.
Over the years, Medley has seen several changes in the district, from the end of school in Durham to the move of the central office from the old middle school building to its current location at the elementary building.
She's also worked with four different superintendents — Keith Bray, Marvin Schadt, Robert Brown, and Gordon Mohn.
"I've enjoyed all of them," Medley said.
A fact Medley finds strange is that she never applied for any of the jobs she worked in.
Before she was hired in Durham, she was approached by the school. Then later, Robert Brown invited her to join the central office staff.
"If you look in my file, there are no applications," Medley said.
Medley also has fond memories of working with longtime central office employee Marilyn Schmidt, who used to serve as the district business manager before Jerry Hinerman's arrival.
Now, Medley plans to take full advantage of her free time — it's something she hasn't had much of in the past, she said.
She'd like to do some traveling, and she plans to continue to follow Hillsboro High School athletics, especially basketball and volleyball.
Medley will also continue to be involved in St. John's Lutheran Church of Tampa, where she serves as organist part-time. She's also involved in the Home Circle Club of Durham and serves as the clerk and treasurer of the Durham City Council.
She has two daughters: Brenda, who lives in Oklahoma, and Lynette, who lives in Emporia. She has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
