When TRAIN was first formed as a support group, the dominant issue of concern for the original members was food allergy management (or lack thereof) in the schools. At the same time that TRAIN was formed, Pat came on the scene as new Superintendent. We reached out to Pat in hopes of working with him to create the change that the RPS needed. Our hopes were high but we did not know if Pat would be a champion for our children's safety. Would he be receptive to our concerns? Could he understand the subtle demands of food allergy management? Could he change the culture from being allergy-ignorant to allergy-friendly? Was he willing and capable of making change? Would he even be willing to meet with us?

Well, Pat responded to our meeting request very quickly and did not disappoint. Not only was Pat receptive but he demonstrated a great deal of personal awareness and experience with food allergies. He shared stories of family members who were managing food allergies. He described his own experience as an EMT who administered EpiPen to patients suffering life-threatening allergic reactions to bee stings. He demonstrated a great deal of empathy as parents described their personal situations. 

Not only did Pat acknowledge the weaknesses in the RPS but he also proposed a Food Allergy Task Force as a way to craft district-wide Guidelines. After Patti Casciani created the initial draft, the task force reviewed them and contemplated each scenario and guideline. Throughout the process, Pat was an eager learner, he provided practical suggestions, and he remained absolutely committed to the safety of our "youngsters" as he so affectionately called them. This initial process lasted for many months over multiple meetings. Pat was totally committed to this effort and believed strongly in what we were doing.

Eventually the first revision of the guidelines was completed and put into practice. Initial implementation in the elementary schools was rough but Pat did not walk away. This is because Pat was not a talker; he was a doer. Pat wasn't a tinkerer with many unfinished projects in his workroom; he was a closer - he finished things he started. Pat was highly responsive to many issues and he personally intervened with various school personnel to ensure that situations were corrected and systemic issues were avoided. Pat then initiated an outreach program to meet with parents, town hall style, at each elementary school. He wanted to make sure he understood what was happening at each school while also taking the time to brainstorm solutions with parents. Pat never promised perfection but he always promised to try.

Pat was extremely dedicated to success. He spoke with experts such as Dr. Michael Young of Children's Hospital in Boston. He spoke with politicians who were working on MA legislation to improve food allergy safety in the schools. He discussed this topic with administrators in other school districts. He empowered and encouraged all of his staff to become more aware of food allergy health issues and management best practices. He simply never stopped.

Quite often Pat demonstrated significant stength in leadership by standing up to complaints, belligerent attacks, and lawsuit threats from individuals who were unhappy that their child was unable to eat PB&J in class. He stood up to them and we didn't have to. I am personally aware of several of these situations and his job must have been very difficult during these times but  he never complained. In fact it was easy for him because, as he often said, "it was the right thing to do". 

He created sea waves of change in a very short time. He did this not only for food allergy management but for dozens of other issues as well. In retrospect it is amazing how much energy and effort he spent on food allergies while he was also dealing with the legacy of a broken system that he inherited and with new challenges that he encountered. Major school building projects, redistricting, significant legal risks, maligned budgets, antiquated organizational structures and processes, NCLB, MCAS. These are just some of the many large issues he dealt with and yet he still made food allergies a significant priority.