by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“It feels like Linda Foster has been here forever and would stay forever,” said Franklin County School Board Chair Cleijo Walker announcing the retirement of Director of Human Resources, Linda Foster. Those who follow school board business are no stranger to Foster’s active role in budgeting, structuring pay scales, advocating for wage increases for teachers and classified employees, and the district’s search for applicants to staff positions. With an official last day of March 8, Foster’s time as an employee of the Franklin County Schools will be just under 50 years.

Foster began her career in Franklin County teaching seventh grade math at South Junior High School, after teaching math for two years in Dalton, Ga. Raised in Gordonsburg, Tenn., Foster graduated from Lewis County High School and earned a bachelor’s degree at Middle Tennessee State University. With teaching positions highly competitive in the early 1970s, Foster was pleased when she found a teaching position closer to home. She earned her masters and DES at MTSU while teaching at South and advanced to the position of assistant principal. Her career in the Central Office began in 1993 as Director of Accountability under Superintendent of Schools Pattie Priest. When Dr. Charles Edmonds was appointed Director of Schools in 2000, he restructured staffing. Foster headed-up Human Resources, a position she has held ever since, except for a short stint as interim director of schools following Edmonds resignation.

“I’m blessed to live in this community,” Foster said. She has called the same Cowan address home since she married in 1981. She looks forward to traveling and having more time to spend with family. The opening for a Human Resources Director was posted on the district website Feb. 16. “Dr. Holman has known for two weeks,” Foster said. Helping Holman plan for the coming school year will fall to the new Human Resources Director. “It’s never a good time,” Foster conceded. “But prolonging things can make them more difficult.”

In response to the announcement of Foster’s retirement at the Feb. 15 meeting, the school board rose in a standing ovation. “It’s been a hard decision,” Foster told the board. “But it’s time.”