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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Technology is a field where changes and upgrades are constant, but the next big thing for Chilton County Schools technology coordinator Kim Arrington is one she is choosing herself.

Arrington has announced she will be retiring on June 30.

She has been in her current role for 10 years and had been thinking about retiring in another two or three years. However, the announcement that her son and his wife would be having a baby, Arrington’s first grandchild, prompted her decision that the timing was right.

She plans to spend some of her retirement helping the couple with child care.

“I will be changing careers completely,” Arrington said. “It’s exciting.”

The couple lives in Clanton, so Arrington will be staying in Chiton County.

Arrington’s career in education spans 32 years, having started as a business and computer teacher. Arrington taught for 16 years at her alma mater Chilton County High School. She had also worked for the state for a while giving her 32 years total.

Arrington credits Hera Scruggs and Gwen Price, teachers she had at CCHS, with getting her interested in a career in education.

She said they encouraged her to pursue it, and “it ended up being my passion.”

“I have really enjoyed everything I have done in education,” Arrington said. “I would not have wanted another career path.”

Before moving into the district level position, Arrington had also been the technology coordinator at CCHS.

“It was a big change,” Arrington said. “It was scary to leave the classroom where I taught ninth-graders and start … dealing with technology at a district level. It has been a very good experience but the only way that I could have done it for 10 years and been successful is with the technology department. We have some excellent employees in this department.”

The staff includes a network administrator and two technology specialists.

Chilton County Schools has more than 10,000 devices that the employees work to keep running smoothly.

“We stay pretty busy,” Arrington said.

There have been several changes in the school system’s technology over the years. When Arrington started in the department, most of the equipment was desktop computers. Now, it is mostly Chromebooks.

“Seeing all the new technology and then implementing it for the district, it has been challenging, but at the same time, it is exciting to look back on where we were 10 years ago and then see where we are today,” Arrington said.

Now, every school has enough Chromebooks for each student to use one in each class.

“I think that’s a great thing,” Arrington said.

The internet access for each school has also been improved.

When she first started as the district technology director, not all of the classrooms had access to Wi-Fi, now every classroom does.

In addition to spending time with family, Arrington is also looking forward to relaxing, continuing to serve on the Chilton/ Clanton Library Board and read more good books during her retirement.