FAMU alumna appointed to lead City of Homestead Education Committee

City of Homestead (Fla.) Mayor Jeff Porter has appointed FAMU alumna Patricia Fairclough, a city councilwoman, to serve as the liaison to the city’s Education Committee.

The Homestead Education Committee was organized to provide solutions to problems that serve as obstacles to the education process. It is comprised of educators, business leaders and members of local non-profit entities. The committee discusses and develops ideas to deal with complex issues relating to local education, meets with local education officials, and creates programs to encourage learning.

“I look forward to providing counsel along with the many years of wisdom gleaned through my career as an educator to the amazing group of people I have the distinct pleasure of working with,” Fairclough said.

Fairclough graduated with honors from FAMU in 2001 with bachelor’s degree in elementary education and began teaching at the Air Base Elementary Magnet School for International Education in Homestead. She later earned a master’s in K-12 reading education and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. In 2009, she received the Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year honor.

The next year, Fairclough accepted a position as a reading coach and community involvement specialist at Gloria Floyd Elementary. Currently, she serves as an assistant principal at Pine Lake Elementary.

In 2011, Fairclough was elected to a four-year term on the Homestead City Council.