Future District Administrator will begin July 1
The Whitewater Unified School District School Board has selected Caroline Pate-Hefty as the next District Administrator effective July 1 at Monday’s meeting.
This announcement is the culmination of a four-month process that began with soliciting the community’s feedback about the needs and priorities of the school district and the qualifications and characteristics stakeholders wanted in their next leader.
From a field of approximately 40 applicants, a slate of 10 potential candidates emerged as best matches to the search criteria.
The Board selected five semi-finalists to interview and after two final interviews, Dr. Pate-Hefty emerged as the perfect fit for the WUSD community, according to School Board President Casey Judd.
“Dr. Pate-Hefty’s focus on all students and obvious passion make her an excellent fit for the Whitewater Unified School District. The Board unanimously approved her, and we are confident that her leadership will serve our school and community exceptionally well,” Judd said.
Pate-Hefty’s leadership include supporting diverse school districts with a focus on equity and inclusion.
She currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Services in Maywood, Melrose Park and Broadview Public Schools in Cook County, Illinois.
In Maywood, Pate-Hefty spearheaded legislation that allowed 125 students to return to their nine home school environments saving her district millions of dollars annually.
Pate-Hefty brings extensive experience in supporting campus security, Special Education, discipline, climate/culture and district-wide social and emotional learning models.
She has been a selected presenter for Empowerment and Advocacy for Students with Challenging Behavior Conference, Illinois Association of Latino Administrators and the Healthy Schools Campaign.
Pate-Hefty holds a Doctor of Education degree from National Louis University (2017), a Master of Arts degree from Concordia University (2007) and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater (2002).
“I am honored and proud to have been selected to serve as the District Administrator for Whitewater Unified School District and to support their mission to inspire and empower students to achieve excellence in a safe, innovative educational environment. Every student, every day, in a unified way,” Pate-Hefty said.
The School Board thanked the district as well as community members for their support and input through the selection process in a news release.
“We are especially thankful for participation in digital sessions during these unprecedented times. Additionally, the School Board thanks Dr. Jim Shaw for his unwavering professional and exceptional service as interim district administrator,” the news release states.
WUSD will soon be announcing an opportunity for the community to meet and welcome Pate-Hefty to Whitewater.
