White named to 2014 All-State School Board

Ray White has been selected to the 2014 All-State School Board. White serves as president of Madison Board of Education. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Ray White, president of Madison Board of Education, has been selected as a member of the 2014 All-State School Board.

Individuals nominating White, a certified public accountant, cited his work to keep the Madison board’s focus on student achievement and his efforts for a half-cent sales tax to help fund construction of James Clemens High School.

White and 24 other area educators will be honored at the Alabama Association of School Boards’ awards luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham Hotel on Dec. 5. The association’s annual convention will run from Dec. 3-6.

Founded in 1949, the association has served education leaders and the interests of local decision-making in public education. The association works to develop outstanding board leaders with training, advocacy and services.

White’s “financial skills set him apart” as a school board member, Madison City Schools Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler said. “He used these skills to partner with the district’s chief school financial officer and financial team to successfully navigate the district through the troubled waters of proration.”

Fowler said White has “married” the best practices from business and education, along with common sense, “to produce a culture that is educationally astute and business sound.”

Madison County Commissioner Steve Haraway said the Madison district has seen tremendous growth during White’s tenure, citing construction of Mill Creek Elementary School and James Clemens and the $20-million renovation at Bob Jones High School.

“Mr. White understands the importance of managing classroom size for efficient learning,” Haraway said. “The school board had to lobby (Madison City Council) for a half-cent sales tax to pay back the bonds on new structures. Mr. White worked tirelessly with local officials to make residents aware of the benefits of this additional tax.”

White is at Level 3 of the association’s School Board Member Academy and has earned 174 training hours from conferences, workshops and training sessions. The academy has four achievement levels and a master level.

White and wife Lia have three children: Sid, Grant and Caroline.

For more information, visit AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.