You may also like WakeWatch | Eastern Wake Buzz | Crosstown Traffic | Campus Notes
News
Web Search powered by YAHOO!
WakeEd
The WakeEd blog is devoted to discussing and answering questions about the major issues facing the Wake County school system as it prepares to undergo historic changes. Will the new school board scrap the diversity policy in favor of neighborhood schools? Will year-round schools be converted back to a traditional calendar? How will the new board respond to growth and the school construction program?
WakeEd is maintained by The News & Observer's Wake schools reporter, T. Keung Hui. While Keung posts information and analysis on the issues, keep us posted on your suggestions, questions, tips and what you're doing to cope with the changes in Wake's schools.
Patti Head receives National PTA award
Submitted by KeungHui on 11/16/2009 - 17:30
The outgoing school board members are getting some love as they leave the board this month.
This afternoon, board member Patti Head received a National PTA Life Achievement Award "for her devotion and distinguished service to children and youth." They're supposed to surprise her at this afternoon's District 7 Board Advisory Council meeting.
You can expect similar accolades for her and the other three departing members at tomorrow's school board meeting.
Here's the press release on the award:
School Board Member Patti Head to Receive Life Achievement Award
November 16, 2009
--CARY, NC
On November 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Green Hope High School Media Center, Wake School Board Member Patti Head will receive the National PTA Life Achievement Award for her devotion and distinguished service to children and youth.
The recognition will be held during Mrs. Head's last District 7 Board Advisory Council (BAC) meeting and is a surprise event that includes her family, District 7 BAC members, and other Wake officials.
"You commitment to passionately advocating for the education and well-being of children deserves acknowledgment. I am pleased to present you with a National PTA Life Achievement Award for your great efforts to improve the lives of America's youth. This is the highest recognition bestowed by PTA, and is given only to those who have demonstrated exemplary service in support of children." Charles Saylors, PTA National President in a letter that Mrs. Head will receive on November 16. In addition to the letter and award, Mrs. Head will also receive a gold label pin.
Mrs. Head who is retiring in December has served 8 years (2001-2009) on the Wake County School Board, two of them as chair (2005-7). During her time as chair, Mrs. Head led the Board successfully through a $1 Billion Bond issue, hired a new superintendent, and transferred 10,000 students in one year due to dramatic growth and unprecedented new school construction.
Prior to Mrs. Head's time on the Wake School Board, she was very active in the PTSA at Broughton High School (BHS). Her volunteer efforts included serving as BHS PTSA President, Founder of BHS Class Parent Partners, BHS Choral Music Booster Board, BHS Guidance Support Committee, Chair BHS Advisory Committee.
Mrs. Head's community leadership efforts included serving on the WCPSS Citizen's Advisory Committee, Character Education Community Involvement Committee. She also served on the Wake Education Partnership Board of Directors - 7 years of service included chair of the following committees: Teacher Grants, Standards and Accountability.
Contributors to the award:
Brier Creek Elementary PTA
Carpenter Elementary PTA
Cedar Fork Elementary PTA
Green Hope Elementary School
Green Hope High PTSA
Green Hope High School
Hilburn Drive Elementary School
Lead Mine Elementary PTA
Leesville Road Elementary School
Leesville Road High PTSA
Leesville Road Middle PTSA
Leesville Road Middle School
Morrisville Elementary School
Stough Elementary PTA
Sycamore Creek Elementary PTA
York Elementary School
Allan, David, Darryl and Jayme
Christine Allison
Kathryn Chontos
Jill Gurak
Ann Hooker
Paula Lipford
Suzy Nisbet
Julie Stevens
Liza Weidle
Patti's campaign pledge statement - "Children are our most precious assets - they are our future. All children must receive the highest quality education possible. I am committed to bringing diverse groups together to solve complex issues in our school system. Our challenge is to build a coalition between parents, educators, business and community leaders to that WCPSS meets the needs of our children. I will work hard for our Children!"
Want to post a comment?
In order to join the conversation, you must be a member of newsobserver.com. To register or to log in using your existing account, click here.Advertisements
Comments
Patti Head's Award
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 10:04 — cyclone4Sorry to break up the chorus of haters out there, but I must weigh in with props to Patti Head for sound leadership, wisdom, and personal sacrifices of time and talent that she has given to Wake County during her time on the school board. She will be missed greatly by those who fully understand the enormous undertaking that is involved in directing the best interests of ALL students in Wake County. The award is great, most deserved, but it does not come close to thanking Patti Head appropriately for that which she has given us as citizens of Wake County.
Enjoy your break, Patti, for it is richly deserved. And good luck, new school board members. You chased the car, you caught it; now let's see if you know how to steer it.
"cyclone?" ... isn't that
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 15:05 — CaryCurmudgeon"cyclone?" ... isn't that like a hurricane, or 'cane?
your posting this is a joke right?
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 14:16 — stacy123As I look at your accolades to Patti head and all the mis-mgmt, chaos, embezzlement, instability that is the WCPSS and her position as a leader of the WCPSS, how anyone could say this things with a straight face or without personal bias is amazing. All things aside, I think the best way to sum up someone's impact is - did Patti Head leave the WCPSS better than she found it? Was the WCPSS better off with Patti Head's being there? I think if most people who are informed and follow the actions and statements of the WCPSS, were asked this question a resounding majority of them would say no. I wish her personal sacrifices were in soem other pursuit, wake county children would be so much better off!!!
Haters aren't us
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 12:48 — Dadof3That's silly to be so bipolar with hyperbole, but such is the nature of the 'net. I'm told that Spaghetti Cat has haters, too.
I don't hate Ms. Head; I wouldn't know her if I bumped against her on a street. I do NOT like fruit of her efforts, however, as the only beneficiaries of her efforts are, well, ALL the board members leaving office. The rhetoric of "all students" was accepted by detached elites.
As you gaze upon your navel, Ms. Head et all of the Ed Junta, Inc., know that your hubris will not be missed!
Haters Aren't Us
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 10:55 — cyclone4So cute, so catchy. Yet written by a "hater" nonetheless. I give the new school board 12 months, then you'll be hating on them too. But you'll never lead, you'll never run for office, and you'll never have a clue what it's like in the arena. Stay safe behind your keyboard as you endeavor to spew forth with the next in what I am certain is a long line of catchy retorts.
Wait, the buzzer is ringing. I think your cocoa is ready.
Clueless Be You
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 18:43 — Dadof3Behold, the unhinged can type.
Updated: well, well I was hoisted by my own petard. Oh well. I didn't take this poster seriously, as s/he made a volley of presumptions that are false. But she did get the retort part down, so score one point there. She's DEFINITELY wrong about cocoa, though. Coffee, yes, cocoa, no.
Hater and proud
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 11:56 — Bob_SconceI hate bureaucratic waste and inefficiency. I hate a persistent bias toward educational experiments without regard to their effect on families. I hate rubber-stamping of administrative policy preferences. I hate idiotic decision making. I hate vindictive attitudes towards parents. I hate arrogance displayed by public officials.
But, I believe that the outgoing board ran thinking that they would improve education in Wake County. And, they put in a lot of effort. For those, they're to be commended. If only they had put their efforts in the right direction, then I would also be commending them for doing the right things.
Personally, I don't hate
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 11:05 — woodstockPersonally, I don't hate Patti Head. Anyone who puts their time and effort into trying to make a difference has my respect. I am certain she did the very best she could and probably worked hard doing it. But the facts cannot denied. There are very serious deficiencies in the Wake County school system that are a direct result of policies she helped to put in place. During her tenure on the board, literally thousands of kids, mostly low income and minority, did not graduate and/or were denied entry into advanced classes they deserved access to.
ED graduation rates have been heading south for years and now stand at 54.2%. Parents feel shut out, families are forced to endure incredible sacrifices due to constant reassignments, and students must win a fixed lottery to gain access to the benefits of a magnet school. I do not understand how any of that can be characterized as directing efforts in the "best interests of ALL students in Wake County."
I want to congratulate Patti
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:17 — woodstockI want to congratulate Patti Head. Her arrogance, support for continual reassignments that distrupted famlies, disregard for parental concerns, and adherence to status quo policies that discriminated against poor and minority students has led to a long-overdue upheaval in Wake County. Head's incompetence and misguided efforts is one key reason Tedesco, Prickett, Goldman and Malone will take office on December 1. Thank you, Patti!!!
Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize for things he may one day get around to doing and Head wins a national PTA award for upsetting her constituents to such a degree that a record number of voters came to the polls and demanded change. So much for the significance of awards.
OT-alert (some real news)
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 05:46 — AngelaWA little-noticed provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act requires each district receiving Title I funds under the stimulus law to file with its state a school-by-school listing of per-pupil expenditures by December 2009.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/11/18/12stim-comparability.h29.html?tkn=SRNFrFWuV1tyf62r%2BuzN4GQj3O6oMsqf9hXN
Another ridiculous award
Mon, 11/16/2009 - 23:04 — changewcpssAnother ridiculous award from an obviously uninformed organization. How do you Leesville folks feel about this one? Ironic isn't it? She purposely heaped abuse on you parents and teachers and now she receives an award for it from a Parent Teacher Association. Enough of the old board and their nonsense. Looking forward to Johnny T and the new majority making some real progress.
My son is back in private
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 06:58 — loriacMy son is back in private school in large part because of Ms. Head's actions. Speaks for itself.
Is she also receiving
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 06:45 — g88ky07the most mean spirited and total denial of facts reward? I think this one is in the shape of a garbage can and even though it was a close contest between her and Millberg, Patti gets it! While Lori will get the other award. The one for the most hate daggers thrown at parents during her tour of destruction!
Both can't be gone fast enough for most of us!
Needs not met
Mon, 11/16/2009 - 23:01 — MomknowsbestWhen we met with Patti and Kevin at our magnet application appeal, she failed to meet the needs of my academically gifted children because we live in the wrong node. National PTA Award, really???
Anybody else read this yet? Obama's and Arne's friend?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/16/chicago.school.president/index.html