On March 24, the Lopez School Board interviewed and accepted Patsy Haber as the new school board member.

“We are excited to have someone of her caliber joining the board,” says Linda Martin, superintendent and elementary school principal. Haber will replace Lauren Stephens, who resigned in February.

Haber, the mother of three, has been a resident on Lopez since 2000 and comments that one of the primary reasons for moving to the island was it’s school system. “My kids visited the schools,” she says, “and then they came home and practically suggested moving up here … so my family and I decided we would give it a try.”

Haber never looked back. With a BA in accounting, she threw herself into active involvement with the community. Her duties as program coordinator for the Family Resource Center are augmented by a multitude of volunteer and committee work.

“I was on the budget committee for seven years,” she says, adding other organizations such as the pony club, and community Shakespeare to her list of community commitments.

Haber is also heavily involved with school volunteer work and looks forward to contributing to the board. “I know I have a learning curve ahead of me, but being already involved with school and budgets I feel like that has been helpful. I believe that the school is the heart of the community and I’m excited to be part of the team that helps the school with its vision.”