Larger View Mrs. Mary Dunn, circa 1999

During Mrs. Mary E. Dunn's tenure in the Seminole County Public Schools system as an educational diagnostician, she encountered a number of "puzzle children" who appeared to be bright, but had great difficulty with the printed page. Parents and teachers were as frustrated as the children themselves. She was concerned by the numbers of parents who searched for a program that could meet their children's needs.

Out of that concern Mrs. Dunn founded Pace Brantley School in 1972. It was created on the premise that these children were NOT lazy or unmotivated, but rather needed individual attention, specialized teaching strategies and a rebuilding of self-esteem. With tireless dedication and compassion, she steered the school towards the successful organization it is today. The school started with ten students and two teachers at a rented facilities and today accommodates 170 students with thirty-nine staff and faculty on a wooded nine acre campus.

Even when Mrs. Dunn retired as Director in 1985 at age 75, her boundless energy and enthusiasm wouldn't allow her to leave her beloved school, so she accepted the position of school librarian. She was still actively involved when she passed away in October 2000. The school carries on her legacy and is a living testament to her vision. Those who knew her remember that children sensed her caring and responded to her - she could walk across the campus at Pace and before you knew it, a group would begin to gather. This is a fitting image for a truly remarkable woman who touched all who knew her.

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