Member, Area 2
Patty is returning to the Lawton Public Schools Board of Education after a ten year absence. She was a member for fifteen years, serving as president three times and legislative representative for several years. Past committees were Military Child Education Coalition, the Equity Committee, District Education Improvement Council, Lawton-Fort Sill Community Education Advisory Committee and Professional Development Committee. Neuwirth was a member of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA) State Legislative Network and a past member of the National School Boards Association Federal Relations Network.
Neuwirth was named to the OSSBA All-State School Board, and attained the highest level in the Oklahoma State School Board Academy. She has served as an OSSBA Board Member, District 11 director, legislative, convention and audit committees. She has also received the National School Boards Association Distinguished Service Award.
Neuwirth began her involvement with schools as a parent volunteer. She has served as a PTA unit president nine times, Lawton PTA Council president two years, and Oklahoma PTA state president. Other offices include treasurer (twice), vice president, public relations and office chairman. She served on the National PTA Board of Directors four years and served two years as trustee to the National PTA Endowment.
While PTA Council president, she initiated the LPS joint task force on libraries to improve the district’s libraries. She also was the Oklahoma representative to the White House Conference on Libraries. Other committees included LPS Teacher of the Year, Lawton Literacy Task Force, Distinguished Service Award and Five-year Improvement. Statewide committees include Oklahoma Commission on Educational Leadership, Oklahoma Education Coalition, State Teacher of the Year Selection Committee and Oklahoma Governors Committee on Tobacco & Youth.
As a school board member, Neuwirth was instrumental in the district’s equity study to research the concept that family financial condition or a teachers outside resources must not limit the opportunity for each student to participate in basic school programs. As a result, additional district funds were applied to basic programs, giving teachers the resources to provide every student with the opportunity to participate and learn.
Neuwirth is the past state director for the Oklahoma Academic Decathlon. This is a statewide academic competition for high school teams. She also served the United States Academic Decathlon State Directors Association as the South Region Coordinator.
Neuwirth is involved in other community activities: Habitat For Humanity (president), Lawton Public Library Board (president), Friends of the Library (treasurer & past president),Lawton Community Theatre (past-president), Little Chapel of Lawton (treasurer), Comanche County Multidisciplinary Team - Sanctuary (treasurer), Lawton PTA Council (past president & Associate Membership Chairman), and Lawton Chamber of Commerce Education Task Force Chairman. Past activities include Boulevard of Lights, Leadership Lawton, American Cancer Society, Junior League, CASA, Camp Fire, Boy Scouts, Oklahoma Education Enhancement Foundation, and Lawton Redistricting Commission,
Awards: Sheila O Lee. Volunteer of the Year 2014 (Lawton Ft. Sill Chamber of Commerce), Oklahoma State School Board All-State School Board, the Ralph Holman Distinguished Service Award (Life Long Learning Council), MLK Lifetime Achievement Award, National PTA Life Member and 2007 Business of the Arts.
Neuwirth was a partner in RCS Enterprises L.L.C., the local Burger King Franchise comprised of five stores until February, 2015 when the business was sold. Currently she is Executive Director of the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also employed as financial secretary for First Christian Church. After earning her degree in business from Oklahoma State University she moved to Lawton in 1971. She has two grown children and three grandchildren.