Patrick Blenke, a native of Knox, Indiana, has over 30 years of experience in education with 24 years in administration. Before working for the Georgia Department of Education, Pat served for 12 years as principal of Jefferson High and Duluth High schools. His distinguished service also includes serving both on the board of directors and as president of the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals (GASSP). He also served on the board of directors for the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Pat's awards and distinctions include Georgia's first Assistant Principal of the Year in 1991, Georgia's High School PTA Principal of the Year (06-07), and Georgia's High Performing Prinicipals Award (07-08). Pat retired June 30, 2008, only to assume a leadership position with the GA DOE's performance standards initiative a few months later. He has been the Interim Director of Virtual Learning since July 2009.