For Best, a front seat to change

By Ed Mahon

Patricia Best began her education career in January 1967, teaching American literature to high school seniors. That same month, the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I, the Doors released their self-titled debut album and Apollo 1 ended with the deaths of three astronauts.

CDT/Nabil K. Mark

Dr. Patricia Best has been the Superintendent of Schools for the State College Area School District for 10 years and working in the district for a total of 32 years. She is retiring.

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Best retires as superintendent of the State College Area School District today, after 31 years in the district and 10 in the top job. Her replacement is Richard Mextorf, formerly the superintendent of Loyalsock Township School District.

Over the past 42 years, she’s seen large shifts in the way students are taught, from the implementation of technology in the classroom to the increase of federal regulations regarding special education.

Her work as superintendent — such as overseeing three major elementary construction projects — is fresher in residents’ minds, but her entire career provides a view of changes in national educational trends and in the State College Area School District.

1967: Because of a teaching shortage in Toledo Public Schools, Best began teaching full-time while finishing her last semester at Bowling Green University. She wasn’t much older than her students.

“I sometimes chuckle now to think that those young people are now on the verge of retirement themselves,” she said.

1968: Best left Toledo to introduce a French language program to the rural Bucyrus (Ohio) City Schools.

1973: After a year and half of fundraising, Best and about 20 Bucyrus students traveled to France for a school trip.

“We had many ... French-themed dinners in the high school cafeteria,” Best said. But the most popular fundraising item? Yellow smiley face buttons that Best first saw on a trip to New York and that students sold in droves.

1975: Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Over the next 30 years, other federal and state laws would tighten the responsibly on districts, require more opportunities for special education students. Best said instruction for students overall has become more differentiated.

“The largest change has been in identifying, responding to, programming for and supporting the special needs of all learners,” she said, “and that’s a wonderful change.”

1978: After a year as a substitute teacher, Best became a full-time guidance counselor at State College Area High School. “I remember her as very caring. That’s why we hired her,” said John Casey, an assistant high school principal at the time.

1984: Best was hired to her first administrative position in State College. For the next 15 years she dealt directly with strategic planning issues, including curriculum and facilities.

1988: District officials implemented a new computer curriculum for kindergarten and first grade, and were planning one for grades two to four. Best said they introduced computer literacy courses for faculty, then students, in the 1980s.

“We gradually then phased out computer literacy. ... The computer then truly became a tool, and not a subject of study,” said Best.

1991: State College withdrew from the Centre County Vo-Tech School and started what would become the Career and Technical Center. “The enrollment began to jump rather drastically in the years after that. ... It basically rounded out State College,” said Cameron Bausch, who worked 30 years in the district including a stint as assistant superintendent.

1993: The school board tabled a motion to hire a school-resource police officer at the high school. By 1999, after several national incidents of school shootings, the district hired a school resource officer.

1998: State College Area School District began its first year of a professional development partnership with Penn State. The nationally recognized program has grown from 10 Penn State students interning in two elementary schools to 60 interns at all elementary schools.

1999: Best was appointed superintendent. Later that year, the district introduced its first full-day kindergarten program, which was implemented districtwide in 2004. “We found a great majority of children were ready for the longer day and a little more in-depth skill activities,” Bausch said.

2009: Best’s final year was not a quiet one — ditto for the final month. The national recession added uncertainty to the budget process. The board approved a districtwide facilities master plan. And administrators dealt with complaints from parents over its elementary math program.

“I think it is a hallmark of any university community that you have people who are truly knowledgeable about curriculum and different kinds of initiatives and very willing to share that knowledge. And it’s a strength that we have because it contributes to better thinking,” said Best.

Final weeks: She’s enjoyed farewells, a community celebration and made preparations for her replacement.

“I am also looking forward in anticipation to the next decade of excellent public school programming in the State College Area School District,” she said.

(Some historical information was provided by the school district’s “A Historical Sketch Part II: 1940-2000,” by Tracey M. Dooms.)

Ed Mahon can be reached at 231-4619.