May 5, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – Lora Rance Evans, a mother of two children in the Greenwood Public School District, is the 2016 Mississippi Parent of the Year.
Evans, a Congressional District 2 finalist, was nominated by the school district, and has been actively involved with Greenwood Middle School. She has served as a school board member, coordinated ACT workshops and financial aid workshops and received numerous community service awards. Evans is a founding member of the local Parents for Public Schools of Greenwood chapter, the Chamber Education Committee and Young Emerging Leaders of Leflore (YELL).
Evans has been a liaison among the parents, faculty and staff at Greenwood Middle School. She is currently serving as the Parent Teacher Student Organization President at Greenwood Middle School, where she is innovative, solution-oriented, and eager to ensure that parents play their role in the school reaching its vision.
Research has repeatedly shown that parental involvement is a critical factor determining the academic success of students. As part of the annual Parent of the Year program, the Mississippi Department of Education asks each district to select an outstanding parent who has made a significant impact on school improvement efforts in the school district.
A committee of educators reviews numerous applications submitted by the school districts. As a result, the committee selects a Parent of the Year from each congressional district, and from those four names, the 2016 State Parent of the Year is selected.
Parent of the Year Finalists
The Congressional District 1 finalist is Stacey Blaylock, who was nominated by Tupelo Public School District for her commitment to supporting public education. She has two children, a 1stgrader and a 4-year-old.
The Congressional District 3 finalist is Jan Richardson, who was nominated by the Madison County School District for her keen sense of student needs and community relations. She has three children in 12th, 8th and 5rd grade.
The Congressional District 4 finalist is Paula Revette, who was nominated by Wayne County School District for her unwavering support of school and district functions. She has three children in 12th, 9th and 3rd grade.
Media Contact:
Patrice Guilfoyle, APR
Director of Communications
601-359-3706
Jean Cook, APR
Communications Specialist
601-359-3519