By Kelly Herndon Patterson
Executive director, Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation
SUWANEE, Ga. | Dear Foundation Trustees, community, and colleagues:
Patterson
As the school year closes, a chapter closes for me as well. I am retiring in August 2024. I have been with Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) for 24 years. During my tenure as Human Resources director of Recruitment and Retention under Dr. Frances Davis, 2000-2009, the district opened 40 new schools plus six replacements and created the Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology.
In 2009, I took over as executive director of the GCPS Foundation. Having been an involved parent in the Grayson and Shiloh clusters, a former banker, and a part of forming the Grayson Cluster Schools Foundation (one of the first K-12 in the state).
In 2009, I took over as executive director of the newly-formed GCPS Foundation. This move was a good fit. The district-wide GCPS Foundation had six scholarships, $300,000 in funds, and big dreams. Despite a dismal economic climate in 2009, a dynamic board and determined community grew the budget to $1.3 million.
Over time, goals were realized by creating annual teacher grants, funding over one hundred scholarships, and bringing together community/cluster groups with a home under the Foundation umbrella. Many people in the community have set up scholarships in honor of a loved one, favorite teacher, or school. A significant boost was the formation of an annual fundraiser in 2010, the Gwinnett County Sports Hall of Fame.The GCPS Foundation became a model statewide.
- Click here to meet the members of the Hall of Fame
The GCPS Foundation bylaws ensure that the GCPS Foundation functions in an orderly, productive fashion. With a history of clean audits, the Foundation has benefitted from policies such as the current district chief financial officer serving as treasurer. An important key to success, the district superintendent is always a member of the executive board along with the current Board of Education chair. Superintendents J. Alvin Wilbanks and Dr. Calvin J. Watts have been invaluable on this board. Great effort is taken to ensure that every cluster in the district is represented, and that the board reflects the diversity of the community.
Numerous talented individuals have overseen the work of the Foundation team over the years. Among them are former CFO Rick Cost; former CFO Joe Heffron; current CFO Masana Mailliard; Communications and Media Relations, Melissa Laramie: former Chief Strategy Officer, Dr. Kevin Tashlein; and former Associate Superintendent, Dr. Steve Flynt (current superintendent of Columbia County). Bringing needed investment experience, Aaron Lupuloff joined the team as senior executive director in November 2015.
Fast forward to 2024, the GCPs Foundation has exceeded $10.5 million in local school support and $13.3 million in program support. More than 1,000 students were honored by the GCPS Foundation from the Class of 2024. Money saving perks stretch employee/retiree paychecks. In- kind donations surpass $500,000 each year, and the budget is $3.5 million. That’s hard to believe, but it’s true.
I have worn many hats with GCPS, as an employee, a parent, a PTA officer, a volunteer, a citizen, and as a donor, but my proudest hat is being a graduate of the district.
I leave excited for the next chapter. I plan to devote myself to projects of interest in the community and to play with our three grand girls, with a fourth due this summer. I leave knowing the best is yet to come for this great organization. Join me in giving to the GCPS Foundation at www.gcps-foundation.org.
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