With more than 180 years of combined teaching experience in Brown County Schools, six educators are saying goodbye to the school corporation when they retire this week.

In addition to the four featured below, Van Buren Elementary School paraprofessional Julie Eddins will retire after 21 years here, and Brown County High School vocational education teacher Chris Todd will retire after inspiring young men and women interested in building trades for 34 years.

Todd could not be reached for an interview by deadline, but look for a story about the future of the building trades program in an upcoming issue.

Tom Baker won’t return to Brown County High School next school year, but he will have left his mark on it.

Baker has taught computer technology for 30 years, ranging from basic applications to computer programming and design.

He started the computer technology program at BCHS. He started the computer labs at both the high school and junior high, he said.

He also started Brown County Schools Media Production group, working with students from all the schools to produce television programs.

And in addition to all that, he maintained all of the district’s websites.

Before teaching at the high school, Baker taught math and computers for five years at the junior high school.

He’s also worked with students outside the classroom; he was the junior high school’s athletic director and boys basketball coach.

One memory he will carry with him is taking his computer technology students to compete in the web design competition at Indiana State University. They won five years in a row.

He said he will also fondly remember teaching video production technologies.

Baker plans to continue to work in computer technology after he retires and to teach part-time at the college level.

He may even get back into residential construction, something he really enjoys, he said.

Baker said he doesn’t want to leave with any fanfare; he doesn’t plan to attend retirement parties.

“With no disrespect to my colleagues and school, I just want it to be like any other school year with no recognition,” he said.