President Bush Congratulates Nancy Baker on Her Retirement

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It was official. It was authentic. And it was a tribute to the far-reaching influence an educator can have on the lives of former students and friends.

When Nancy Baker decided to retire this past summer, she wanted to keep it hush-hush, but word managed to leak all the way to the White House - why, even to the Oval Office.

At the time, two of Nancy's former students, alumni Tucker Eskew '79 and Wendy Nipper Homeyer '91, were working in the White House Office of Media Affairs. They felt the occasion could not go unnoted.

So they arranged for President Bush to send her a congratulatory letter. It read in part: "As you celebrate your career and accomplishments with your family, friends, and colleagues, I applaud your dedication to shaping the minds and hopes of young people. Your hard work and service to your community reflect the spirit of America."

And it was signed "George W. Bush."

We're not sure what effect the letter will have (if any) on Nancy's vote in November, but we do know it was only fitting that she be recognized in high places.

Nancy Baker came to CCES in 1974 as a teacher in the school's business program. She taught accounting and typing (that's keyboarding to you younger alumni), a required course that became the forerunner of the current technology program. In addition, she served as Financial Secretary for the Cavalier Campus, handling annual, capital campaign, and endowment funds, and as Recording Secretary for the School Board. In 1993 during Jim Rumrill's administration, she was persuaded to join his staff as Assistant to the Headmaster. It was a job she performed for two successive Heads of School with impeccable efficiency, confidentiality, and true southern grace.

In fact, she built a reputation so solid, even the White House heard about it.