Dianne Chancellor spent 40 years in the classroom before retiring in 2017.
She was an instructor at Wood Junior College for 12 years, a teacher at Ackerman High School for 24 years, and at Choctaw County High School for four years.
Chancellor was born and raised in Houlka, MS, and she and her husband, Wilbur, moved to Choctaw County in 1977. She has been employed at Ackerman Discount Drugs since 2016. Her education background includes a MEd degree and a BS degree, both in Business Education from Mississippi State University.
She enjoys reading, meeting people and engaging them in conversation, and loves learning new things.
Before retirement, her typical day began at around 5 a.m.; she would arrive at work at around 6:15 and begin preparing for the day’s work. Her days were fast-paced, running at 45-minute intervals; she tried to use her time wisely as she had a husband and three children and did not want to take work home. She would get home around 4 p.m. and prepare dinner, help with homework, get the kids to practice or games, and herself ready for the next day.
Chancellor stated that there is not much room for promotion in a school setting especially if you are a classroom teacher. There are some opportunities in the administrative end of education, but there are far more men in these positions than women. And the truth is not everyone wants to be an administrator.
As she was growing up, Chancellor was inspired by Hilda Thompson, a fifth-grade teacher and assistant principal. She also admires Amber Vowell, a teacher who has become a school administrator. She sees in these people, the same values she has and what can be accomplished with hard work.
The most significant barrier in her career has been her love for her family. Chancellor said, “I loved my job, but I also loved my family. I wanted to be a good wife and a good mother to my children. I hated having to take time away from my family to do duties outside the regular day of work.”
When she began her career, she never dreamed that she would have the opportunity to teach on both a high school and college level, and she would like to remind younger women that, “Education is power. Go for what you want in life. Prepare yourself.”
Chancellor said that she has learned that young people have a bright future. A career in education is not for everyone but can be a very rewarding profession which gives one the opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life.
