Senate Resolution No. 2726

BY: Senator DEFRANCISCO

HONORING William Davern upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of the 2017 Outstanding
Educator Award by the School Administrators
Association of New York State

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
William Davern upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the
2017 Outstanding Educator Award by the School Administrators Association
of New York State celebrated at its Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 5,
2017, at the Century House in Latham, New York; 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; William Davern is truly deserving of this prestigious award; and

WHEREAS, SAANYS represents nearly 7,200 school administrators,
supervisors, and coordinators; as a professional association, it is
committed to providing direction, service, and support to the membership
in their efforts to improve the quality of education and leadership in
New York State schools; and

WHEREAS, William Davern earned his Bachelor of Music Education
degree from Ithaca College, and his Master of Music Education degree
from Syracuse University; he furthered his education by obtaining his
Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration from SUNY
Oswego; and

WHEREAS, William Davern, Director of Fine Arts for the West Genesee
Central School District, is well-known as an energetic and passionate
leader for the arts; as Director, he led the curriculum redesign and
growth of the music, visual arts, and dance programs for West Genesee's
3,500 fine arts students; and

WHEREAS, William Davern worked tirelessly to revitalize the West
Genesee music program which had been experiencing declining enrollment;
through his efforts, the program has since rebounded and now serves 30
percent more students within the district; and

WHEREAS, As a testament to his dedication and passion, William
Davern led a 630 member alumni marching band in the town's 2016 Annual
Memorial Day Parade, for which many past students traveled from across

the country to participate; hundreds of residents lined the streets to
support this remarkable man, and all of the band's achievements; and

WHEREAS, This monumental event commemorated the 50th Anniversary of
the West Genesee Wildcat Marching Band's first competition in 1966; the
marchers, ranging in age from 18-78 year-old, included CEOs, professors
and professional musicians; they played The Battle Hymn of the Republic,
and the length of the band stretched almost a quarter mile; and

WHEREAS, A graduate of the class of 1978, William Davern served as a
drum major in the alumni band; through his teaching and passion for
music, each and every participant of the band is truly dedicated to
their talent and focus on being the very best they can be; and

WHEREAS, William Davern always considered his marching band to be an
extension of his family; 40 pairs of parents and students participated
in the band, including William and his two sons; and

WHEREAS, Under William Davern's direction, the Wildcat Marching Band
captured an unprecedented 12 consecutive New York State Field Band
Conference National Class State Championship titles; they were also
three-time Grand National Finalists, and the 1990 Class AA National
Champions; and

WHEREAS, In addition, many of the District's ensembles have received
numerous Gold and Gold with Distinction ratings from the New York State
School Music Association; and

WHEREAS, Most recently, West Genesee was once again named one the
Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association of
Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation; the survey acknowledges schools and
districts across the United States for their commitment and support of
music education in schools; this is the ninth consecutive year, 12th
time overall, that the school district has been recognized for this
esteemed honor; and

WHEREAS, This competitive award is proof positive that outstanding
instruction, in concert with positive administrative, community and
Board of Education support, produces recognized quality at a national
level for all of the West Genesee School District's children; music
education greatly improves student performance in every area at every
age; and

WHEREAS, Well-respected by the music education community, William
Davern has taken numerous leadership roles within the West Genesee
Administrators Association; he has been the recipient of numerous awards
and accolades for his exceptional service including the Citizen of the
Year Award by the Camillus Chamber of Commerce, the Syracuse Area Music
Award for Lifetime Achievement in Music Education, and was inducted into
the New York Field Band Conference Hall of Fame; and

WHEREAS, William Davern is a member of many music organizations such
as the Cayuga County Music Educators Association, the New York State
Band Directors Association, the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, the
Onondaga County Music Educators Association, and the Bands of American
National Contest Advisory Committee; and

WHEREAS, Educators like William Davern 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, William Davern has clearly had an enduring impact on the
youth of the West Genesee Central School District, 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 William Davern upon the occasion of his designation as recipient
of the 2017 Outstanding Educator Award by the School Administrators
Association of New York State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to William Davern.