Hampton Bays UFSD Administrator Honored with State Award

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Diane Fox

ALBANY, NY (12/10/2021) (readMedia)-- ALBANY, NY – Diane Fox, assistant principal at Hampton Bays Middle School in the Hampton Bays Union Free School District, has been selected as the 2022 New York State Secondary School Assistant Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS). This award is given annually by SAANYS and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to a middle or high school assistant principal 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.

Known as an administrator who works tirelessly to assure that all students feel comfortable and welcomed at Hampton Bays Middle School, Fox has implemented several initiatives to that end. The school has a 26% English language learner population and as a bilingual administrator, Fox takes pride in the responsibility of reaching out and communicating with the Latino families within the district. She notes that "Each new parent that I meet with will hear the same message from me, 'I am here for you and your family. I will always be here to help you with whatever your child needs.' Students especially know that I will drop whatever I am working on if a student needs to see me." One of her welcoming initiatives is the "It Starts With Hello" program developed at Sandy Hook to combat bullying and school shootings. Parent Debra Williams commented, "She used it to welcome students back after the summer to begin on a positive note and even arranged for some students to stand at the entrance smiling and waving, greeting their classmates. It was beautiful; and when I told her how glad I was that the program was being introduced, she said, 'We hope to work with our kids so that they always feel connected to the school and greater community. It's so important that they know that each of them matters and are cared about.'" Another initiative is the creation of a student council supported by the NASSP Raising Student Voice & Participation (RSVP) program. Its goal is to design a student council that is focused on student voice and doesn't limit participation to the few students who may not represent all of the student body.

Commented Principal Dennis Schug, Jr., "As a Spanish-speaking school leader, she plays a vital role in sustaining a positive school-home partnership, working in close coordination with parents who are English-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and bilingual. Mrs. Fox models what relationships-matter leadership looks, sounds, and feels like, for students, families, and staff alike."

Fox has also led several new initiatives that focus on 21st century learning. This past school year, Hampton Bays Public Schools was selected as a Lighthouse District by Stony Brook University for implementing a news literacy curriculum. Under Fox's leadership, her school has also incorporated the Amazon Future Engineers Program to revamp its STEM curriculum. Commented teacher Scott Garofola, "Mrs. Fox embodies the idea that leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders. She has been a constant supporter of those looking to try new ideas and initiatives, and in turn become leaders themselves."

Commented Superintendent of Schools Lars Clemensen, "The Hampton Bays Public Schools is so proud of our own Mrs. Diane Fox as the New York State Assistant Principal of the Year. As an educational leader, she prioritizes building positive relationships with students and families and supporting teachers in the hard work of reaching and teaching every one of our students. In Hampton Bays, we recognize real impact as being #HBStrong. Mrs. Fox is #HBStrong and we congratulate her on this tremendous honor."

Fox received her BA in History from St. Joseph's College and her MA in Public Policy and Advanced Graduate Certificate in School District and Building Leadership from Stony Brook University.

As the NYS Secondary School Assistant Principal of the Year, Fox is now a candidate for the award of National Assistant Principal of the Year, an award sponsored by NASSP.

SAANYS represents nearly 8,000 school administrators, supervisors, and coordinators. As a professional association, SAANYS 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. SAANYS is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).