Jericho Principal Honored as State Middle School Principal of the Year

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Dr. Donald Gately

ALBANY, NY (03/18/2016)(readMedia)-- ALBANY, NY – The School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) has selected Dr. Donald Gately, principal at Jericho Middle School in the Jericho School District, as the 2016 New York State Middle School Principal of the Year and the NASSP New York State Principal of the Year. This award is given annually to a member of SAANYS and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to recognize outstanding principals who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students as well as demonstrating exemplary contributions to the profession.

Serving as a school administrator since 1996, Gately has been in his current position at Jericho Middle School for the last 10 years. Known for his sensitivity to the unique emotional and developmental needs of early adolescents, he is always available and works diligently to create a safe and welcoming community for everyone. Gately implemented the Olweus Bully Prevention Program resulting in a substantial decrease in incidents of bullying. The school is a member of the Nassau County Anti-Bias Consortium and hosts an annual Diversity Day, as well as being one of the few middle schools to offer a Gay Straight Alliance Club. As noted by student Nuzhat Tarafder, "JMS offers a safe space for all its students. I am a Bengali Muslim student that is a strong ally for the LGBTQ community. I am proud to say in the brief three years at the school, I have heard no homophobic remarks or witnessed homophobic activity." Tarafder continued, "Diversity Day has offered me a place to talk about Islamaphobia. I finally was able to face my demons after years. The students were attentive and the staff very comforting."

Considering himself lead learner, Gately is equally passionate about professional growth and community development. Commented the team of teachers that nominated him for this award, "His work ethic is infectious. It trickles down to his staff and ultimately to the students of JMS, providing a shared vision for every member of the JMS community. Dr. Gately refuses to accept anything less than his own personal best and this permeates throughout Jericho Middle School." Under his leadership, Jericho Middle School has been selected as a National School to Watch in 2009, 2012, and 2015 and hosts visiting teams from throughout the state. He is also the co-founder of EdCamp Long Island, which recently hosted over 275 educators; serves on the planning teams for nErDcampLI and EdCampLeaderNY; and consults with several districts to help organize their staff development activities. Noted colleague Tony Sinanis, "Don is a true lead learner in that he is always modeling what he expects of others, which is evidenced by the fact that he leads voluntary PD sessions during lunch for his staff, consistently engages with students in an effort to amplify their voices, and shares his beliefs with the world in the form of a blog. He also always maintains an incredibly positive attitude that he shares with everyone around him! He is an example for all those around us!"

Gately received his bachelor of arts degree from Marist College, his master of arts in literature degree and professional diploma in supervision and administration from Queens College-CUNY, and doctorate of educational leadership from Concordia University.

Gately will be honored for his accomplishments at an awards ceremony on May 6, 2016 at the Century House in Latham, New York. Gately has also been chosen as the New York State representative for the National Principal of the Year Award sponsored by NASSP. In addition to selecting a National Principal of the Year from all the state finalists, NASSP honors all state principals of the year at the Principal's Institute held each year in Washington, DC. The Institute not only salutes the principalship but also provides a forum for honorees to advocate for education and share best practices and expertise.

SAANYS represents nearly 7,200 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).

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