Alamance-Burlington school board members honored retiring board member Patsy Simpson for her 15 years of service to ABSS during their meeting Monday night.
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Simpson was presented with a commemorative plaque and a North Carolina flag that was flown over the state capitol in recognition of her public service.
Simpson was first elected to the school board in 2008 and reelected in 2012, 2016, and 2020. She also served three one-year terms as school board vice chairman.
She had announced earlier this year, however, her intention to step down from the board, approximately 18 months prior to the expiration of her term, because she and her husband plan to move to Virginia.
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Simpson said Monday night that she originally ran for the school board to be a voice for students who she felt were under-represented in ABSS.
More than half a dozen speakers – who included Alamance County district court judge Larry Brown, Jr.; commissioner and former school board member Pam Thompson; Simpson’s pastor, Larry Covington of Ebenezer United Church of Christ in Burlington; and Simpson’s husband, son, and daughter – spoke during the public comments period of the school board’s meeting to praise Simpson’s efforts in the community and ABSS. Meanwhile, the school board has taken no action to establish a process for considering a replacement to serve out the remainder of Simpson’s term on the board. The school board held its latest meeting at Highland Elementary School this week in order to also individually honor each of approximately 100 ABSS employees who are retiring at the end of this school year.
