News : 34/34 years: Mrs. Barron's colleagues help her begin retirement celebration

34 days until retirement: Mrs. Barron's colleagues at Tilford surprised her with a celebration.

There was a lot of laughter, accompanied by a few tears, and about 10 of the famous jumpers that Rhonda Barron has made to wear in her first grade class at Tilford on Thursday morning as Mrs. Barron's teaching colleagues began the countdown to her retirement.

There are 34 days left in the school year; Mrs. Barron has taught for 34 years, 31 of them for Vinton-Shellsburg. Her fellow teachers conspired with her children to sneak some of those colorful, themed jumpers (fire trucks, dinosaurs, numbers, dinosaurs and more) from her home.

Second grade teacher John Frazier, who is also counting down the days to his retirement, left a message on the white board in Room 1B, along with a few numeric descriptions of the number 34.

The teachers also sung a song of tribute.

Mrs. Barron said she began making the jumpers after getting a new sewing machine.