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.