People I Admire - Wanda Warner

I first met Dr. Wanda Warner in the summer of 2002 when we were both hired for the new Department of Instruction in the School District of Oconee County, SC.  She was hired to direct middle level instruction and I was hired to direct early childhood instruction.  Since I was on board before her, I was a part of the interview team for middle level instruction.  Wanda was brilliant in the interview and was hired.  We all wished we were just a little smarter after that interview.  Since we both had some elementary grades in our departments we worked together quite often.  You may know that we are both quite opinionated, so "discussions on the merits" were vigorous.  Never shy about expressing her opinions or sharing her knowledge, she is adept at discussing any issue and is a great listener and consensus-builder.


The first you notice about Wanda is that she possesses impressive intellectual capacity.  Her ability to absorb new material and to recall and implement older knowledge is phenomenal.  Hardly any problem ever came up for which she had no solution to recommend.  Almost everytime, she was right.  As accomplished as she is professionally, she is equally accomplished personally.  As is often true, there is some degree of resistance to "new blood" but she quickly overcame what little there was.    She earned respect and made friends in the district quickly and remains a popular and formidable figure even after her retirement.  We are friends as well as colleagues and our two families spend time together.   Quite the hostess, she knows that life is too short to let good wine sit idle.  She has a heart of gold and will do anything to help a friend in need.

Despite some obvious strengths, she also has some fairly obvious weaknesses.  One is that she is vehicularly challenged to say the least.  She once bragged to me that she had been stopped for speeding in every jurisdiction in which she worked.  Having ridden with her on many occasions, I can vouch for the "lead foot".   Very soon after she was hired, we were hearing a retention appeal at Code Elementary.  Going to Code, I noticed an obvious trail of auto fluids beginning at the railroad tracks at Hometown Foods.  I followed the trail to Code to find its end in Wanda's parking space.  She had bottomed out her Volvo at the tracks and ejected fluids all the way there.  That trail was visible for a long time and was known in some circles as the Warner Trail.  While the principal, Andy Inabinet, worked on getting the car fixed, we heard the appeal.  Another member of the team prayed for Wanda and her car.  As long as any of the team members are around, the story of the Warner Trail will be told.  Some details may vary, depending on who is telling the story.

A very important thing about Wanda Warner is that she is a pancreatic cancer survivor.  Her diagnosis was a year and four months ago and her surgery was a year ago.  While not in remission, she continues to fight bravely against the disease.  I always knew that Wanda is tough and determined, but I did not know exactly how tough and determined she really is.  She has chronicled her journey as a cancer patient at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wandawarner for her friends and family.  Reading her journal is inspirational.  Always positive, she writes a legacy document to show us how one ought to act and feel and live under similar circumstances.  The sheer volume and content of the messages from friends and colleagues on her board is testimony to the respect and affection of those who know her.  It is my privilege to call this remarkable woman my friend.