Retiring school board member Marge Whaley still has one board meeting to go, but her colleagues decided to give her a rousing send-off early.
Pasco County School Board members honored Whaley on Tuesday evening for her 16 years on the board.
The four other board members - Kathryn Starkey, Frank Parker, Cathi Martin and Allen Altman - took turns praising Whaley for her dedication to students and employees and for her knowledge of the school district.
Starkey, the board's chairwoman, hailed Whaley as a "true champion for children" and said Whaley gave her a lot of good advice when Starkey joined the board four years ago.
"We may have to keep you as a board member trainer," Starkey said.
A tearful Martin, who has served with Whaley the longest, called Whaley the "epitome of a school board member."
Lynne Webb, president of United School Employees of Pasco, joined in, saying Whaley is respected by employees, even if she didn't always vote the way the union would have liked.
"I have never had a member say to me, 'Marge Whaley ignores me,'
" Webb said.
Whaley's last board meeting will be Nov. 4. Two weeks later, Joanne Hurley will be sworn in as Whaley's successor.
"It has been my honor to be a school board member," Whaley said.
"It has been my honor to work in Pasco County."
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