Hampton school board awarded
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Thanks to a nomination by the superintendent, the school board at Hampton Township received the 2018-19 D. Richard Wynn School Board Award, presented by the Tri-State Area School Study Council of the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Michael Loughead, superintendent for Hampton Township School District, announced he wanted to make the nomination at the school board’s Feb. 11 meeting.
“I’ve been working with this board for three years. It’s just a phenomenal school board and it’s the best I’ve ever worked with,” he said.
The school board is presently made up of President Bryant Wesley II, esquire; Vice President Jill Hamlin; Secretary Denise Balason; Treasurer Robert Shages; Mary Alice Hennessey; Pam Lamagna; Gail Litwiler; Greg Stein; and Lawrence Vasko.
To be considered, school organizations must demonstrate exemplary practices by school boards and school district personnel in addressing important issues, specifically ones that reflect directly on improved schooling for students, over at least a two-year period, according to the Tri-State Area School Study Council website. The issues “faced by the organization need not be conflict-free, rather the issues should indicate effective problem-solving processes,” according to website.
Nomination forms used the following criteria to judge nominations: were the issues directly related to improving schooling for students; was each issue described clearly; were board-school district personnel interactions described; were the problem-solving processes effective in addressing the issue and should these processes be cited as exemplary practices of school boards and school personnel.
Hampton joins Elizabeth Forward School District as the only other school board recognized this year. There may or may not be more than one award per year, according to the Tri-State Area School Study Council.
The recipients will be recognized at a Tri-State Area School Study Council banquet on March 7.
Board members expressed appreciation for Loughead’s nomination. Wesley also wanted to compliment his fellow board members.
“This is an outstanding board in my experience. It’s very rare to have such a high-functioning board,” Wesley said.
Litwiler also commented, citing that the board has been tremendous this year and in past years.
“We’re very fortunate in Hampton to have a school board like this,” she said.