Honor Principal Jeremy Rich

Senate Resolution No. 1673 BY: Senator SEWARD COMMENDING Jeremy Rich upon the occasion of being named the 2017 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State and the National Association of Elementary School Principals WHEREAS, New York State's commitment to education is unparalleled; its history and stature are secured by the superlative caliber of its educational professionals and the students they inspire; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge individuals in the distinguished careers of those outstanding educational leaders, whose dedication and achievements have been instrumental in developing character and academic excellence in the young people of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Jeremy Rich upon the occasion of being named the 2017 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State and the National Association of Elementary School Principals; and WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on Friday, May 5, 2017, at the Century House in Latham, New York; Jeremy Rich will also be recognized as a National Distinguished Principal at a program sponsored by NAESP this fall in Washington, D.C.; and WHEREAS, This award is given annually to a member of the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) who has set the pace, character, and quality of education for the students in his or her school; nominees are administrators who are committed to students, parents, and the community and have shown exceptional contributions to the educational process; and WHEREAS, Following in the footsteps of his father, Jeremy Rich decided to pursue a career in education; throughout his more than 20 years as an educator, he has moved up through the ranks from teacher to principal at Barringer Road Elementary School; and WHEREAS, Jeremy Rich earned his bachelor's degree from SUNY Cortland, and his master's degree from SUNY Albany; he furthered his education by obtaining his advanced certification from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; and WHEREAS, Jeremy Rich began his illustrious career teaching 12th grade English at Ilion High School in Ilion, New York; he then held the position of dean of students, and was eventually promoted to the title of assistant high school principal; and WHEREAS, In 2013, Jeremy Rich became principal of Barringer Road Elementary School after the merger of the Ilion and Mohawk school districts, now known as the Central Valley Central School District; and WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure, Jeremy Rich has been known as a leader who has created a culture of encouragement, modeling, being involved, staying positive, finding solutions, being creative, working hard and persevering when life gets tough, which then translates to profoundly impacting students to have the ambition and drive to create a better tomorrow; and WHEREAS, Jeremy Rich realizes that the success of the Barringer Road Elementary School is in direct correlation to the efforts of its staff and teachers, whose involvement is, and always has been, characterized by an impressive commitment, an unbridled enthusiasm, and an uncompromising standard of excellence in all endeavors on behalf of the institution and the community it serves; and WHEREAS, Jeremy Rich, along with teachers and the PTO, have implemented a character education program for the students called Barringer Road Shining Stars, as well as a "Buddy Bench" on the playground, so that no student need feel alone; any staff member may nominate a student seen demonstrating good character; and WHEREAS, Each day, Jeremy Rich strives to make a connection with each and every person in the school by sharing a story centered around a positive character trait, and ends each morning announcement with "Make it a great day"; in addition, the staff looks forward to his daily "Inspiration Morning Coffee" email, which has now grown to a district-wide distribution; and WHEREAS, Jeremy Rich is a strong believer in a trustful, happy, and loving learning environment, and makes it a point to be visible all day, every day, greeting all students as they pass, and attending as many extra-curricular and special events as possible; his passion, ideas, and leadership style have had a major impact on Barringer Road Elementary School; and WHEREAS, Educators like Jeremy Rich provide a tremendous service to the future of our State and Nation, inspiring generations of young people in their educational journeys and ensuring their success in their future years; and WHEREAS, Jeremy Rich has clearly had an enduring impact on the youth of Barringer Road Elementary School, as well as the community-at-large, and accordingly merits recognition and applause for his impressive dedication to others; and WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to commend the efforts of those individuals who work to support our proud tradition of public education by providing their skills and talents to our schools; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend Jeremy Rich upon the occasion of being named the 2017 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State and the National Association of Elementary School Principals; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Jeremy Rich.