Longtime North Hills Board of Education member Helen “Dee” Spade was recognized by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) for her eight years of service at Thursday's school board meeting.

Allison Mathis, North Hills’ Board of Education president who is also currently serving as PSBA’s vice president, presented Mrs. Spade with her certification.

“It’s been a pleasure to serve with Mrs. Spade and I thank her for her service on behalf of PSBA,” Mrs. Mathis said.

Mrs. Spade has lived in the North Hills School District for more than 50 years and has been a member of the North Hills School District Board of Education since 2015. She has served as vice president since 2018.

Mrs. Spade was a longtime NHSD employee, working in the facilities department for 40 years, and her two sons, Willy and Sam, graduated from North Hills High School in the 1980s.

“We are so lucky to have dedicated school directors like Dee, who love our community, our district and our students to their core, and we thank her for all she does every day,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino said.

The PSBA is a nonprofit statewide association of public school boards. School directors become members by virtue of election to their local board. Founded in 1895, the PSBA was the first school boards association established in the United States.