After 14 years of service as the director of the Children’s Therapy School, Linda Huffman said farewell to her board members and faculty as she officially retired.

Before becoming the director of the Children’s Therapy School, Huffman was a teaching aide, so assuming the role as director came naturally to her.

“Fourteen years flew by in the blink of an eye,” said Huffman.

The Children’s Therapy School provides early childhood special education services between the ages of 3 and 5.

“Children don’t have to have a specifically diagnosed disability to come to school there; we just know that kiddos may be delayed and need that extra help,” said Huffman.

She is passing the torch to Lauren Oliver, who has been training with Huffman for the last six weeks. Huffman said she feels the school will be in a really good position under Oliver’s leadership.

“I’m excited to follow it and see what kind of new things she starts to implement,” said Huffman.

Huffman will continue seeing children through Missouri First Steps. She provides in-home therapy to children 0-3 years old, many of whom go on to attend the Children’s Therapy School, so her work there is far from over.

“It was a privilege for me to work with so many families in Audrain County and then to work with my amazing staff,” said Huffman. “They’re truly the ones who make the school work and make the school go round.”

Huffman also plans to spend her extra free time with family.

The board members invited Huffman to the Jefferson Building Thursday afternoon when they presented her with a parting gift, which was cash for a plane ticket to visit her daughter who moved to Dallas last year.