PWEA President Recognizes Outgoing School Board Members

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Gainesville School Board member Alyson Satterwhite, Coles District member Willie Deutsch and Brentsville member Gil Trenum. (Photo shared by Riley O'Casey.)

By Riley O'Casey, President of the Prince William Education Association

Gil Trenum, Alyson Satterwhite, and Willie Deutsch...today will be your last school board meeting, and I want to say goodbye and thank all of you for your service.

We, at PWEA, try to be issue-driven party-blind regarding those who represent our students and educators. To say that each of you have made a difference in PWCS is an understatement.

Willie Deutsch of the Coles District: Willie, your assertiveness and outspokenness has caused some people to be unhappy. But this is what was needed on this board. I will never forget the evening during one work session when you stood up in the middle of someone speaking, walked over to me, leaned down and asked what we thought, and walked back to your seat. Thank you for always asking what PWEA thought; what we wanted; what would be best for the employees and students.

Gil Trenum of the Brentsville District: Gil, my favorite Republican. We weren’t fond of each other when we started working together, but your dedication to our students and staff warmed my heart. I caved a little. Your calls from Africa, asking for our input, meant the world to me. Your encouraging words when things were tough lifted me up. Thank you for reaching out, thanking you for trusting me and vice versa, and thank you for never giving up on accountability for administration.

Alyson Satterwhite of the Gainesville District: Alyson, words can never describe how much I will miss you on this board. You are not only a former parent but a friend. I am forever grateful for your passion, commitment, and dedication to the students and staff of PWCS. I have learned much from you, my friend, and will always remember our calls while driving home from late-night school board meetings to make sure we both got home safely. I knew that every concern I brought to you would be addressed. Every question would be answered.

Thank you for reaching out to PWEA as well, on a consistent basis. I appreciate that while our politics did not always mesh, we put that aside to do what was best for others. And I was proud to say, “she’s my SB member,” when the gloves came off to stand up against tyranny.

Thank you for your service to the students, parents, and staff of PWCS. I wish you three the best of luck. You will definitely be missed.

Godspeed, friends!

#issuedrivenpartyblind

Riley O'Casey is President of the Prince William Education Association. This article reflects her opinion. 

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