The daughter of a longtime teacher, Wanda L. Dobbs Ward, CAS, grew up on a farm and learned how to take responsibility and do her share. She currently serves on the New York State Higher Education Committee since 1987. Ms. Ward began her professional career as a teacher for grades 1-4 and eighth grade music at a two-room school in Literberry, Illinois, in 1946, remaining there for one year before transferring to Creve Coeur Public Schools in Illinois from 1950 to 1952. Teaching kindergarten at Barker Road Elementary School in Pittsford, New York, for a decade, she then directed the Pittsford Teacher Center from 1978 to 1990, which she also founded, and Pittsford Continuing Education from 1981 to 1990. She also supervised student teachers at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, from 1990 to 1992.
Additionally, Ms. Ward was the director, founder and president of the K Board in Danville, Illinois, from 1965 to 1966, an overseas liaison for school-to-school programs in Pittsford from 1979 to 1983 and the principal of Thornell Road Elementary School from 1983 to 1984. She then coordinator and developed the Greater Rochester Staff Development Council from 1984 to 1990, was the regional telecommunications trainer for the New York State Technical Committee from 1985 to 1990, and chaired the New York State Teacher Center Conference from 1989 to 1991. Ms. Ward also previously organized and developed 10 kindergarten classes in Danville in 1965, and was the producer and director of the Council TC Department from 1974 to 1990, among many other roles.
Prior to the start of career, Ms. Ward pursued a formal education at MacMurray College, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1969. She then attended the State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo, where she received a Master of Science in 1972. Ms. Ward went on to attain a Certificate of Advanced Study at SUNY Brockport in 1982.
Active with the Rochester Philharmonic Organization, Ms. Ward served the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International as president of the Alpha Xi chapter from 1980 to 1982, president of the New York State chapter from 1987 to 1989, international chair of the communications committee from 1988 to 1990, international Northeast regional director from 1990 to 1992 and international nominations committee from 2004 to 2008. She also maintained involvement with numerous organizations related to her field such as the Pittsford Teachers Association, the Parent-Teacher Student Association, the Pittsford New York Women’s Club, and the Association for the Supervision and Curriculum Development, among others.
In light of her accomplishments, Ms. Ward was named Woman of the Year by Commercial News in 1965 and a Distinguished Alumnae by MacMurray College in 1984, and received the Service Award from Phi Delta Kappa in 1988. She then received the New York State Achievement Award in 1990, among several others including the Frederica Hollister Professional Educators Award and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Furthermore, Ms. Ward was selected for inclusion in the 72nd edition of Who’s Who in America. Today, she is still getting called upon for advice from a lot of people. If she can help any in that way and make it through some health things that she had to deal with this year, that would be her ultimate goal.
