New SWHS principal up for the challenge

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June 15, 2009

Richardson comes from Eubank Elementary job

By CHRIS HARRIS, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Mon Jun 15, 2009, 08:36 PM EDT

With every step in education, there must be a graduation. Old turns into new, youth gains experience, new challenges lie ahead.

That’s exactly the case for Patrick Richardson, as he prepares to inherit the mantle of leadership at one of the county’s premier schools.

Patrick Richardson was recently named principal of Southwestern High School. The announcement was made at this week’s Pulaski County Board of Education meeting.

“Mr. Richardson is a people person, very approachable and open to others,” said Pulaski County Superintendent Tim Eaton. “Pat had a heart felt desire for a new challenge and is proven in school leadership. He will continue his successes as a leader at Southwestern.”

Richardson has held the same position at Eubank Elementary School for the last eight years, and has extensive experience in the local education field. His first teaching position was a fifth-grade science and social studies at Shopville Elementary, where he stayed for six years before going to Southern Middle School to teach seventh-grade Social Studies for one year.

He received his first administrative position in 2000 at Bell Elementary in Wayne County as an assistant principal before returning to Pulaski County in 2001 to take over Eubank Elementary.

“Having supervised Pat as Eubank principal, I personally have a lot of respect for him as a person of good character and strong work ethic,” said Eaton. “He has always been willing to go above and beyond for the kids and families of his school, whether it was running a soccer league for them or holding summer picnics at Eubank park. His staff, students, and parents are truly a family. He has been responsible for fostering one of the best school climates I have seen.”

An alum of Pulaski County High School from the class of 1987, Richardson and his wife Kelly have three children, boys JonBlake and Kaden and daughter Taylor, the latter of whom is currently a junior at Southwestern.

He attended Eastern Kentucky University and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in middle grade education in 1994. He also received a Masters of Arts in middle grade education and has a Rank 1 in the K-12 principal program, and has completed a superintendents certificate, all from EKU.

As a native of the county, Richardson has seen good things happen in education over the years and seeks to continue that trend now at his new school.

“There are many reasons I wanted to be the principal at Southwestern,” said Richardson. “First of all is the wonderful hard working staff that is dedicated to student success. Second, they have shown great strides in the area of curriculum development and have improved test scores. Third, I want to be successful working with students.

“I know Southwestern High School has a great student body and great programs,” he added. “I feel that Southwestern has all the qualities for success and I want to be part that success.”

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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