Broadalbin-Perth Principal Named High School Principal of the Year

LATHAM, NY (03/30/2011)(readMedia)-- Margaret (Robin) Blowers, principal at Broadalbin-Perth High School, has been selected as the 2011 New York State High School Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS). This award is given annually to a member of 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.

Blowers has served as an educator for 26 years including 15 years as a school administrator, 13 in her current position. Broadalbin-Perth is a grade 9-12 rural school, with a total enrollment of approximately 600.

Blowers was nominated by the Broadalbin-Perth Leadership Team, based on her dedication, commitment, and ability as a school leader. The team noted program after program that Blowers has instituted and helped develop toassure that the academic needs of all students are being met. Recent programs include the Looping Program for students struggling with English language arts and global studies, the county ReConnecting Youth Program to strengthen the student-school connection, and the Credit Recovery Program to help students stay on the path to graduation. All of these efforts have paid off as Broadalbin-Perth High School is experiencing the highest graduation rate in the HFM BOCES.

Beyond academics, leadership team members go on to say that she believes that all students learn by doing and that schools are obligated to educate the whole child. Blowers meets regularly with guidance counselors, the social worker, and has instituted a student buddy system, anti-bullying and tobacco programs, a legislative day focusing on mental awareness, interventions for students at risk, and a strong summer school program where Blowers can be found meeting with students to discuss college and career readiness.

Adds the leadership team of Blowers' character, "Whether it is buying groceries or clothes for families or finding a family a refrigerator because they are storing food in a cooler, visiting students in the hospital, organizing fundraisers to assist families with enormous medical expenses, Robin is the rock."

Blowers is an active member of SAANYS, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and several other professional and community associations.

Blowers will be honored for her accomplishments at an awards ceremony on May 6, 2011 at the Century House in Latham, New York. As New York's High School Principal of the Year, Blowers is now a candidate for the award of National High School Principal of the Year, an award sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. A principals institute and awards ceremony sponsored by NASSP and MetLife will be held in Washington, DC this fall.

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SAANYS represents more than 7,200 school administrators, supervisors, and coordinators. As a professional association, SAANYS is committed to providing direction, service, and support to its members in their efforts to improve the quality of education and leadership in New York State schools. SAANYS is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.