North Country Education Leader Honored for Life-Long Contributions

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Joanna Valente Orr

ALBANY, NY (04/12/2016)(readMedia)-- Joanna Valente-Orr, retired elementary principal from the Northeastern Clinton School District, has been selected as the 2016 recipient of the Irving Schwartz Distinguished Retiree Award by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS).

Valente-Orr has dedicated her professional life to public education and educational leadership. She has been a member of SAANYS since 1984, serving not only on the board of directors and executive committee from 1995 until her retirement in 2006, but still currently active as the SAANYS Region 7 representative. Valente-Orr remarked, "Being the local 'face of SAANYS' has been a privilege." She continued, "SAANYS gave me an incredible opportunity in the fall of 2009. I was asked to represent SAANYS on the statewide committee that was formed to write the New York State Teaching Standards. The opportunity to work with educators from all over our state was a privilege and a professional learning experience for me."

Embracing retirement as an opportunity for continued community service, Valente-Orr serves numerous local organizations, including the New York State Retired Teachers Association, where she serves as membership co-chair and program chair; Champlain Valley Educational Services and their Career Connect Project; the CVES/BOCES Advisory Committee for the Health Insurance Consortium; and the North Country Teacher Resource Center as part of the Community Action Poverty Simulation. She is also on the board of directors for the Clinton County ARC where she serves on the personnel and guardianship committees.

Considering herself a life-long learner and equally committed to all aspects of education and believing that she was a better principal because she taught, and a better teacher because she was a principal, Valente-Orr has been an adjunct professor at SUNY Plattsburgh since 1988, a position she still holds. Noted Dr. Peggy Snowden, chair peer review group, "Students derive great benefit from having Ms. Orr as their instructor. She serves as a role model both for faculty as well as students as she models lifelong learning and continued professional growth." Commented an adjunct faculty colleague, "Joanna has been such an inspiration and support for me since I first met her three years ago. She has always offered honest feedback and encouragement. She has helped me look at teaching, and myself, with a clear head and positive perspective."

Irving Schwartz was a founding member of SAANYS. This award is given annually to a retired SAANYS member who, in retirement, has made significant contributions to the welfare of the association, education, and the greater community.

Valente-Orr will be honored for her contributions at an awards ceremony on May 6 at the Century House in Latham, New York.

SAANYS represents nearly 7,300 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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