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When she started teaching in Mason 34 years ago, Melody Goodwin could not have imagined the changes she would see in the classroom and in Warren County.

Most recently, Goodwin served for 15 years as the principal of Maineville Elementary until her retirement this summer.

"I saw huge changes (in Little Miami)," she said, from the size of her school to the way students are taught.

When she first came to Little Miami, there were about 360 students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Maineville. In her last year at the school, there were about 990 students in grades K–4.

But it wasn't only the size of the district that changed. Goodwin experienced the implementation of No Child Left Behind and the beginning of state standards for students and ratings. During Goodwin's tenure at Maineville, the school was always rated as Excellent.

After graduating from Tennessee's Maryville College, Goodwin returned home to start the first special education class at Mason High School. From there, she moved into a supervisory role with the Educational Service Center before deciding she wanted to be a school principal.

"It was very unusual to see a female principal then," she said, but it was a dream she would not give up on.

Her first undertaking was at the Springer School, a private school designed for special education students.

"We were able to meet the needs of every child," Goodwin said. However, she still had the desire to return to public school.

"I believe in the public school system," she said. "The strength of a nation is based on the intelligence of its people."

After four years at Springer, Goodwin was chosen by then-principal Ruth Mitchell – who was most recently Little Miami's curriculum director – as her replacement at Maineville. Both women thought it would be a good fit, Goodwin said. Little did they know they would retire at the same time 15 years later.

Goodwin said she will continue to work part-time with student teachers at Xavier University and as a work-study coordinator for the ESC. She is also engaged to be married and plans to travel.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4507 or rycook@coxohio.com.