Page Barksdale

After 25 years at Starr’s Mill, audio video tech teacher and yearbook advisor Pat Coleman is retiring. Coleman has been advising the yearbook class for many of her years at Starr’s Mill and helped oversee the expansion of the audio video tech program.

Audio-visual tech and yearbook teacher Patt Coleman has announced her retirement at the end of this year.

“This is my 25th [year at Starr’s Mill, and] I’ve been teaching 28,” Coleman said, “I was three years at another school. I was at East Coweta and prior to that I was in the business world for 15 years.”

Coleman has taught over 25 classes including computer applications, Sysco, legal environment, business law, yearbook, and audio video technology. 

“Yearbook has been consistent since ‘08. It’s one of the classes I’ve taught more than one or two or five years,” Coleman said. “Yearbook is a special type of class. I hate to say it, but it’s my favorite.”

The pathway that she primarily taught, audio video technology, is being dissolved at Starr’s Mill High School due to a lack of students registering for the classes. English teacher Whitney Shoemaker will become the yearbook advisor. 

“The county was going to try to get me a job in another school and it fell through,” Coleman said. “I just decided to go ahead and retire. I was going to give it one more year, but it turned out fine. It turned out to be a positive thing for me.”

After many years of teaching, Coleman is ready to say goodbye to Starr’s Mill and spend some time with her family. Her son is expecting another baby and she is excited to be helping with that along with her other two grandchildren. 

Starr’s Mill is grateful to Patt Coleman after her 25 years of teaching and wishes her the best in the time of her retirement.