State School Superintendent Richard Woods has appointed 16 new parents to serve on his 2022-2023 Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC). Danniell Slocumb, a Thomas County Middle School representative on the Thomas County School District’s Parent Advisory Council, was chosen as one of the members.
Slocumb, who is one of only 31 parents serving on the State PAC, was nominated by the Thomas County School District at the beginning of this school year. New members are selected each year by representatives of the Georgia Department of Education based on the applicants’ responses to questions on engaging parents to ensure their children’s success at school and the local school superintendent’s recommendation. Slocumb will serve a two-year term on the council.
Slocumb is actively involved with the Thomas County School System and a supportive member of the community. Having a recently graduated senior and a current seventh grader, Slocumb is well aware of the academic and social supports families can benefit from. She has partnered with the different schools in the Thomas County school district since her first daughter started school 18 years ago.
“I think that being engaged in a constructive way at the school level is the only way to be able to have a voice so that the school has a chance to listen to an outside perspective and then take action accordingly,” Slocumb said.
As members of the council, parents will attend three PAC meetings during the school year, communicate regularly with GaDOE staff, and meet with State Superintendent Woods as well as Thomas County School Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams.
“My Parent Advisory Council is an invaluable resource as I make policy decisions that impact students and families across Georgia,” Superintendent Woods said. “Working with these parents allows an opportunity for me to receive their feedback and perspectives which helps us to make the best possible policy choices.”
The first meeting is scheduled for October 24, and Slocumb will meet with representatives from other school districts to discuss the various challenges they face.
“I think that as a whole the school, school district and state face a huge challenge where engagement is concerned," Slocumb added. “In the world we live in today, it feels like there are too many parents who are not engaged in their child’s education. I want to find outlets that resonate with this group to connect with them and foster the parent/child relationship.”
Slocumb is an assistant vice president at Thomasville National Bank who serves as an active business partner, providing financial and volunteer support to the school system. She also participates in the annual fund raising campaign to support research for a cure for childhood cancer.
The State School Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council is a group of parents from across the state that provides input on new policies, projects, and materials that impact students and their families. Advisory Council members are particularly focused on how to increase parent and family engagement to ensure student academic success. Members serve as advisors and meet with the State School Superintendent several times throughout their two-year term.