Local Administrator Honored for Contributions to Education

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Zito, Joanne

ALBANY, NY (04/08/2008)(readMedia)-- Joanne Zito, principal at the Ivan Green Primary School in the East Irondequoit School District in Rochester, has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the T. Walsh McQuillan Award by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS).

T. Walsh McQuillan served the children and educational leaders of New York State throughout his life. He was the fist person to serve in joint capacity as executive secretary to the predecessors of SAANYS and was an outstanding contributor to elementary education throughout his career. This award is given annually to a SAANYS member who is an administrator who has strong leadership skills and has made exceptional contributions to elementary education.

In accordance with the qualifications for this award, Zito has demonstrated excellent leadership skills. In a statement submitted by the SAANYS Region 11 Executive Board (serving Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Ontario, Yates, and Seneca counties) Zito is described as “an administrator who has contributed outstanding support and service on behalf of education throughout her stellar career – a career that has spanned almost four decades.” Over the years, she made literacy a primary focus, implementing program changes that have resulted in enhanced student achievement. Character education is one of her great concerns for youth and to that end, she has instituted a program in her school that has been successfully adopted by the entire district.

Zito has been a member of SAANYS for 21 years and says she takes pride in her ongoing efforts to support and mentor prospective administrators. She has received several awards during her tenure as a school administrator, including the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’s Supervisory Award and the New York State Exemplary Reading Program Award. In addition, Zito has served as a board member for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Zito will be recognized for her achievements at an awards ceremony on May 9, 2008 at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York.

SAANYS represents more than 6,900 school administrators, supervisors, and coordinators. As a professional association, SAANYS is committed to provide 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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