Photo by Meredith Mohr Teachers and staff from Brook Hill and Bullard ISD enjoyed a free lunch Leaning back into the pew in the Family Life Center, First United Methodist Church Bullard member Bill Cox takes a rest from hauling boxes to survey the crowd of teachers and educators from the Bullard School District and the Brook Hill School, who gathered August 18 to eat a teacher appreciation lunch for all their hard work, especially as the new school year approaches.

Watching his fellow church members prepare and serve lunch, he says with a smile that his job today is "all about support and service."

"One of the reasons my wife and I joined this church was because of the mission program," Cox said. "And today it's no different. It's our job today to show these teachers how much we appreciate them by setting up the lunch, cooking, cleaning up, whatever needs to be done. I'm here to serve the teachers and Christ."

Several churches around the area pitched in to help First United Methodist Church Bullard put on the luncheon, including Bridlewood Church and First Baptist Church. With a multitude of home cooked food and free school supplies covering the tables, FUMC Bullard church member Martha Dinwiddie felt that today's lunch was about love.

Teachers who work in Bullard ate at First United Methodist Church Monday. "I was a teacher once, so I know how it is, going into a new school year and all," Dinwiddie said. "They do so much work for all the kids in the district and at Brook Hill and I think it's important that they know without a doubt how much they are appreciated."

Brook Hill headmaster Rod Fletcher summed up what he hopes Brook Hill students and faculty will get out of the new school year.

"It's going to be a great 12th year for Brook Hill with the completion of the new buildings, more than 100 new students and the newly hired faculty," Fletcher said. "I hope that my school will continue to be a college prep school centered around Christ."

At Bullard Primary School, teacher aide Nadine Hollingsworth and first grade teacher Gwen Dupree had a more specific objective in mind for their students.

"Of course we're hoping for great things," Dupree said. "But for the upcoming year, every student is going to learn how to read. That's our goal."

New teacher Robin Ramsey from Jacksonville, who will teach fifth and sixth grade at Bullard Intermediate School, said that as the school year begins, she has high hopes for her students, and thought the lunch was a great way to kick off the year.

"I want to make a difference in the life of a child this year," Ramsey said. "I hope that this year brings lots of friends and fun too. Bullard is an awesome place, and I can't wait to be a part of everything."