January is School Board Recognition Month

Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Thursday, January 08, 2009

Becky Sagan is known for grasping the big picture while tending to the small details. And as chairwoman of the Fayette County Board of Education, she’s known for advocating excellence and pushing for continued improvement in every school.

“She is passionate about all things children. She works from the heart,” said Debbie Bowdy, a clerical assistant at Southern Elementary, who worked with Sagan in the PTA both at Southern and Veterans Park elementary schools.

Sagan has a way of harnessing energy and motivating people to get things done, said Bowdy, who met her about 16 years ago. “She is the most organized person I’ve come across. She channels that for the good of the children,” Bowdy said, adding, “She’s always been willing to step up and do whatever’s needed and take on that leadership role.”

Sagan, who took the reins after school board Chairman Larry Conner accepted a job in Georgia in August, brought a wealth of experience to the district’s governing panel four years ago.

“I realized I had a background in education and parent involvement that would fit well with the school board philosophy,” she said. “As a former special education teacher, I’ve always believed that all kids could learn. We just need to make sure we’re giving the teachers and the schools the tools they need to reach all kids.”

Sagan, 49, recalled that even as a child, she wanted to be a teacher. Later, while staying home with her own three daughters, she began volunteering – a lot – logging terms as president of the 16^th District PTA (which represents all PTA and PTSA chapters in Fayette County), board member of the state PTA, member of a School-Based Decision Making Council, a Girl Scout leader and member of her church parish council. She was elected to the school board in 2004 and re-elected this past November, representing District 5.

One of Sagan’s fondest memories since joining the board was a red-carpet celebration at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, where the district recognized all the elementary kids who scored “distinguished” in every subject area on statewide tests. Seeing a gym packed with high achievers and beaming families, Sagan recalled thinking, “Wow! We’re supporting academics – not just athletics.” 

Judi Conrad, host of “Parents in Action” on Channel 13 and also a former 16^th District PTA president, said the first thing that comes to mind when she thinks of Sagan is “service to all.” 

“I’ve never seen her not take a look at the big picture. Becky had that perspective long before a lot of us,” Conrad said. “It was never about her kids. It was about everybody else’s.”  

She also described Sagan as extremely disciplined and fair-minded, saying, “I’ve never known her to make a quick judgment” without doing her homework and soliciting others’ opinions.

One key to moving a school district forward is having a cohesive board, and Sagan said the FCPS group has good chemistry. 

“We all have different backgrounds,” she said. “But when we’re around the table, we’re all a team making decisions that are best for kids.” 

Did you know?

• Becky Sagan earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in special education from the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, respectively. (So “her team” never loses when the Wildcats and Cardinals play.)
• Sagan and her husband, Ken, have three daughters – one a UK graduate, one at Vanderbilt and one at the University of Tennessee (all sticking to the Southeastern Conference).
• A member of Pax Christi Catholic Church, Sagan enjoys jazzercise, reading, and walking her parents’ Irish setter. 

Notable:

As required after a November election, the school board chose a chairman and vice chairman at its Jan. 12 planning meeting. Becky Sagan and John Price retained those posts.