Richardson ISD officials gave outgoing board trustee Katie Patterson a warm send-off at her last school board meeting Aug. 12.  

In early August, Patterson notified the board of her plan to step down because her family is moving out of the district, making her ineligible to serve. But she had already announced in March her decision to not seek re-election in November. Her resignation from the board is effective Aug. 16.

Patterson was elected to the board of trustees Place 4 seat in 2016. 

“You leave behind a huge legacy,” board President Justin Bono said of Patterson. “You only served one term, but you got a lot more done in one term than a lot of people do in multiple terms.” 

Patterson thanked her colleagues, the community and her family in a short speech. She also said she hopes future elections will bring more diverse perspectives to the board. 

“We’re each incredibly fortunate to learn, to serve, to work and to live in this amazingly diverse community,” Patterson said. “It’s really in my perspective [that] only when we come together as parents and teachers and staff and students, businesses and community members that come from different backgrounds and different beliefs ... that we truly provide excellent educational opportunities for our children here in RISD.”

Four candidates have already filed to fill Patterson's Place 4 seat in the upcoming Nov. 5 election. The candidate filing period ends Aug. 19.