Honor John Rieger Award

Senate Resolution No. 355 BY: Senator LITTLE HONORING John Rieger upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the 2018 Everett R. Dyer Award for Distinguished School Board Service by the New York State School Boards Association WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize the accomplishments of individuals whose enduring commitment and dedication significantly enhance the quality of education in their community; and WHEREAS, The American public school system is a treasured institution; those individuals, such as John Rieger, who work to improve our schools and ensure that all children have access to quality educational programs merit the highest commendation of this Legislative Body; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor John Rieger upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the

2018 Everett R. Dyer Award for Distinguished School Board Service by the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA), celebrated at its 99th Convention & Expo on Thursday, October 25, 2018, at the Hilton Hotel in New York City; and WHEREAS, Each year, the Everett R. Dyer Award is presented to a current or former school board member who has done the most for public education and the children of his or her community; and WHEREAS, John Rieger is truly deserving of this prestigious award; for over 55 years, he has served the young people of his community, first as a member of the Schuylerville Central School District Board of Education, and then the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES Board of Education; and WHEREAS, As a student at Schuylerville High School, John Rieger took part in the four-year agricultural program at the Saratoga BOCES; a true success story, he established Country Power Products in Greenwich, New York, a thriving business which has served the community for more than five decades; and WHEREAS, Proud of his BOCES education and the tools it provided for him to be successful, John Rieger served on the Schuylerville Central School District Board of Education from 1963-1984; he was then elected to the Saratoga-Warren BOCES Board of Education, which merged with the Hamilton, Essex and Washington BOCES in 1993; and WHEREAS, In this capacity, John Rieger has been instrumental in strengthening and streamlining BOCES' special education program, expanding employee professional development opportunities, rebranding its Career and Technical Education Division, and created the Early College Career Academy; and WHEREAS, John Rieger's exceptional leadership has fostered a culture of serving component districts; he has consistently encouraged innovation and welcomed new ideas, and demonstrated exemplary dedication to the students from those districts; and WHEREAS, In addition to his work with his local BOCES, John Rieger serves in leadership roles with regional school board groups and various organizations which include the Greater Adirondack Resource, Conservation and Development Council; the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District; and the county Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board; he can often be found at open houses, graduations, skills competitions and other student events; and WHEREAS, John Rieger believes in the children of the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex district, and has demonstrated an impressive dedication, an unparalleled devotion and an unremitting enthusiasm to continually improving the quality of educational programs and opportunities offered to its faculty and students as well as for the entire community; and WHEREAS, John Rieger has clearly had an enduring impact on the youth of the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex district, as well as on the community-at-large, and accordingly merits recognition and applause for his impressive dedication to others; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor John Rieger upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the 2018 Everett R. Dyer Award for Distinguished School Board Service by the New York State School Boards Association; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to John Rieger.