Shortly after the final bell of this school year, Dr. Deedie Kagey will end a 41-year career as a teacher and administrator, the last 10 spent as Bonsack Elementary School’s principal.
“I agonized for three months before making a definite decision to retire,” said Kagey.
Kagey taught for 20 years prior to moving into administration as Assistant Principal at Penn Forest Elementary in 1988. She was promoted to principal at Roland E. Cook Elementary in 1994. She is the only elementary school principal in Roanoke County holding a Doctorate Degree and could have advanced to a higher position, but her passion remained with children at the elementary school level.
In 1998, Kagey was approached by the central office, which offered two opportunities – Director of Personnel, or serving Bonsack Elementary as its first principal. Her choice was to be a part of opening Roanoke County’s newest elementary school in 1999.
Bonsack Elementary had a student population of 366 when its doors originally opened in August 1999. Due to population growth, a new addition was added in 2006. The current student population is 474.
Under Kagey’s leadership, GreatSchools recognized Bonsack Elementary with a distinguished rating of 8 out of 10 for 2008. The school was among the few public schools in Virginia to receive the distinguished rating. GreatSchool ratings provide an overview of a school’s test performance by comparing the school’s standardized test results to other schools in the state.
In addition to her responsibilities as a teacher and an administrator, over the years Kagey often had ongoing projects that occupied many of her evenings, weekends, and vacations.
The historian in Kagey has a special interest in the history of Bonsack. Her research indicated that the home she purchased and moved into in 1975 had been constructed in 1836 by the Stoner (Steiner) family of German-Swiss origin, which emigrated to Bonsack from Frederick County, Maryland in the late 1700’s. The Stoners acquired most of the land comprising Bonsack and were a driving force in the growth of the area. The Cook family purchased and occupied the home for 103 years (1872-1975).
Kagey said the “house required considerable renovation.” The home is one of the oldest remaining residences in the Roanoke area.
In 1981, while teaching at Hardy Road (now W.E. Cundiff) Elementary, Kagey earned her M.A.L.S. (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies – Social Science Concentration). That
same year she finished writing, “Community at the Crossroads: A Study of the Village of Bonsack of the Roanoke Valley.” The book was also used to complete the requirements of her master’s degree at Hollins College and was published in 1983.
Kagey was asked in the summer of 1986 by Roanoke County’s Sesquicentennial Committee to consider writing a book on the history of the county, to memorialize its 150th anniversary in 1988. At the time, she was still teaching and working on her doctoral program. Kagey made the decision to suspend working on her doctoral program to write the book.
“It took a lot of digging,” to find much of the historical information that was needed to write the book, recalls Kagey. Some of it was located in the National Archives; it took about six weeks to write each chapter. Roanoke County Schools gave her two semesters off, and even then she spent two of her summers working on the book, which was entitled, “When Past is Prologue: A History of Roanoke County.” It was published in 1988. Kagey has also given historical lectures over the past 20 years.
Kagey earned her C.A.G.S. (Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies), Educational Administration in 1990. She then completed her doctoral thesis, “A Case Study of Education in Virginia: The Roanoke County Public School System, 1870-1920,”
She received her Ed.D. in Educational Administration & Supervision from Virginia Tech in 1991. At the time Kagey was serving as Assistant Principal at Penn Forest Elementary.
Professional and civic involvement over the years in more than 20 organizations includes the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation (Past President and Past Education Chair), the Historical Resources Advisory Committee for Roanoke County, the Bonsack Ruritan Club (1988-present), and the Smart Growth Task Force for Roanoke County, (2004-2005).
Kagey also has received at least ten awards and honors, including Who’s Who Among Top Executives, the PTA President’s Honor Award on two separate occasions and the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation Individual Education Award.
With all of Kagey’s accomplishments, it’s always been “about the kids.” She thinks it is important for the citizens, especially children, to be knowledgeable about local history and to be proud of the area where they live.
Kagey now looks forward to spending more time with Monty, her husband of three years. Her daughter, married with two children, lives in Sydney Australia North Shore and Kagey hopes to spend a month visiting them. As the need arises, she will be filling in for administrators throughout Roanoke County. Kagey is interested in some part-time teaching, primarily in administration and educational leadership programs. Updating “Community at the Crossroads” is also on her “to do” list.
Kagey’s official retirement date is June 30. Her successor is Melissa Jones, who has served as principal at Fort Lewis Elementary School for the last two years.
Having worked in the Roanoke County school system for 16 years, Jones began her career as an instructional assistant at Back Creek Elementary. She then accepted a teaching position at Green Valley Elementary and later transferred to W.E. Cundiff, working as a teacher and then as Assistant Principal. A Roanoke native, Jones graduated from Roanoke College and obtained her Masters Degree from the University of Virginia.
Jones said that while she has “mixed emotions” about leaving Fort Lewis Elementary, she is “very happy and excited” about having been given this opportunity, which is close to her home. Her official start date as Principal at Bonsack Elementary will be July 8.
“I will miss the children the most,” said Kagey, just weeks before her retirement.