Honor Digital Education Leader

Senate Resolution No. 2319 BY: Senator BRESLIN HONORING Michael Sylofski upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the 2017 Leader in Digital Education Award 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 honor Michael Sylofski upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the 2017 Leader in Digital Education Award by the School Administrators Association of New York State and the National Association of Elementary School Principals; this momentous occasion was celebrated on Friday, May

5, 2017, at the Century House, Latham, New York; and WHEREAS, Michael Sylofski, managing program coordinator of e-learning services for the Capital Region BOCES Northeastern Regional Information Center (NERIC), has been selected as the first recipient of the 2017 Leader in Digital Education Award by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS); and WHEREAS, This auspicious award recognizes a SAANYS member who has demonstrated exceptional, creative leadership in harnessing the potential of technology to further teaching and student achievement; and WHEREAS, A true leader in implementing e-learning opportunities, Michael Sylofski and his team developed a successful regional interactive video distance learning program for high school students; this program has grown into its own virtual high school and serves more than 2,500 participating students from 69 organizations with 150 daily courses; and WHEREAS, Michael Sylofski's leadership has led to the creation of a system where any student, no matter where they go to school, can have access to a diverse and high quality curriculum taught by the region's best teachers; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, the program has become a national model and was highlighted by Cisco Systems in 2014, as a case study for its Education Industry Solutions YouTube channel; and WHEREAS, Michael Sylofski was also instrumental in the growth of the Model Schools program, which supports technology integration professional development and assists districts with local technology planning, creating a regional community to share best practices in technology integration; the program has grown to include 44 districts across ten counties in Northeastern New York; and WHEREAS, A true asset to his community, Michael Sylofski also serves as president-elect on the Board for the New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education (NYSCATE), and was a member of the New York State Education Department's Instructional Technology Plan Work Group; and WHEREAS, Michael Sylofski received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Hofstra University; he went on to earn a Master of Business Administration degree from the University at Albany; and WHEREAS, Educators like Michael Sylofski 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, Michael Sylofski has clearly had an enduring impact on the youth of Capital Region BOCES NERIC, 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 honor Michael Sylofski upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the 2017 Leader in Digital Education Award 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 Michael Sylofski.