PATRICK IN THE NEWS


By John Hanna, Associated Press


AIDE ADVANCES: A member of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' staff made a strong showing in his primary race for a seat on Topeka's Board of Education.Patrick Woods, an education policy adviser and legislative liaison for Sebelius, was the top vote-getter in a three-person race, capturing 1,077 votes. He will face Bill Reid, a research analyst for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, in the April 3 general election.

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Former Rep. Kirk, Scott and Woods top vote-getters
By Barbara Hollingsworth
The Capital-Journal
Published Wednesday, February 28, 2007

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In the Position 6 seat currently held by outgoing board member Cheri Barrington, Woods claimed a commanding lead in the primary with nearly 50 percent of the vote.
It was an emotional day for Woods as his infant son, Zen, underwent kidney surgery at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. Zen was doing well Tuesday evening, Woods said, and has been at the center of his reasons for running an aggressive campaign.
"I'm certainly humbled and ready to continue working hard," said Woods, who works as an education policy adviser and government affairs liaison for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Barbara Hollingsworth can be reached at (785) 295-1285 or barbara.hollingsworth@cjonline.com.

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School Board positions part of Primary Tuesday

Story by Gena Terlizzi ( Contact)
6:44 p.m. Monday, February 26, 2007

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Patrick Woods is just one of the candidates in the race for Topeka School Board District 3. He was out and about on Monday, campaigning in his Topeka neighborhood.
Woods serves as the education policy advisor to Governor Kathleen Sebelius, and he says that, paired with the fact that he's parent and school volunteer, qualifies him for this important position.
"I think I have a unique perspective as far as I can look at 501 from the 30,000 foot level at the statehouse, and also I'm a volunteer on the ground floor," Woods said.
But Woods is just one of three candidates in this particular primary.


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More candidates emerge for local school boards
Hopefuls have until Tuesday to file for office with election officials
By Barbara Hollingsworth
The Capital-Journal
Published Saturday, January 20, 2007
 
• Woods, 27, spends his days thinking about education issues as Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' educational policy adviser. He hopes to spend more of his evenings on that topic as a member of the Topeka USD 501 school board.

He said good things are happening in the district, where he volunteers as a YouthFriend mentor and on the District Citizen's Advisory Council. Still, reaching children at risk of failing, he said, remains a concern.

"We really have an opportunity to do something for our kids," said Woods, who notes his 4-month-old son will be near school age at the end of a four-year board term. "Great things happen in this district, and I want to be a part of it. I think I have the leadership skills to help this district move in a positive direction."

Woods will face Mark Dee Erickson and Bill Reid in a Feb. 27 primary for the seat currently held by Cheri Barrington, who isn't seeking re-election.

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Here is an article on Patrick in the Topeka Capital-Journal (Registration Required, will open in a new browser window.)

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LOCAL RACE: Governors don't typically get involved in local school board races, but Kathleen Sebelius has a favored candidate for one Topeka Board of Education seat — a member of her staff.
The candidate is Patrick Woods, an education policy adviser and legislative liaison. He faces two opponents in the Feb. 27 primary; the top two vote-getters will advance to the April 3 general election.
Woods' wife, Anna, is a teacher, and they have an infant son.

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