Perry School Leader Honored as SAANYS Middle School Principal of the Year

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Rebecca Belkota

ALBANY, NY (03/19/2025) (readMedia)-- Rebecca Belkota, principal at Perry Jr/Sr High School, has been selected as the 2025 New York State Middle School Principal of the Year. This award is given annually by SAANYS and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to a middle school 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. As the NYS Middle School Principal of the Year, Belkota is now a candidate for the award of National Middle School Principal of the Year, an award sponsored by NASSP.

Principal of Perry Jr/Sr High School since 2014, Belkota has worked to instill a culture in her building "where mental health is a priority and we all possess the tools to support others in need." Leading a small, rural school involves looking for "ways to be creative and leverage the resources that we have access to," Belkota notes. She adds, "Our culture is one of progressive thinking and constantly improving."

Perry Jr/Sr High School was a newly merged junior and senior high when Belkota began as principal. She says the "the message from the district was clear that the school needed an instructional leader that could bring the two separate buildings that had formerly had two different administrators together for the benefit of kids." She and her team "immediately began work on creating a culture of collaboration by implementing weekly department meetings and monthly faculty meetings. That first year was spent setting expectations that 'we do what is best for kids.'"

During her time as principal, Belkota and her support team have worked together "to intervene with students struggling with attendance, behavioral, mental health or other barriers that may impact their success in the classroom." They meet each week "to review data and anecdotal information from our staff to support our students and families in order to provide our students with the best opportunities for success and as an entire school we continue to 'do what is best for kids.'"

Perry Jr/Sr High School teacher Todd Shuskey says that Belkota has shown a "steadfast commitment to social and emotional learning (SEL)." She has "been pivotal in shaping our school culture to foster emotional and physical well-being and safety for students and staff." Shuskey notes that Belkota "works tirelessly to ensure that all students and staff have access to the resources and support they need to succeed ensuring that everyone feels represented and valued."

Shuskey says that "Rather than solely focusing on punitive measures, our principal has given students opportunities to address conflicts constructively. This approach has empowered students to take ownership of their actions and contribute to a supportive school environment. Together, these efforts have resulted in a positive, inclusive, and nurturing atmosphere where students and staff feel safe, valued, and equipped to thrive, personally and academically."

Superintendent of Schools Daryl McLaughlin says that Belkota "is consistently investigating ways to engage her students in new opportunities." She is also instrumental in developing the "next generation of leaders by supervising administrative interns and providing experiences in all areas of educational administration. Her interns gain valuable experiences in program management, instructional leadership, site management, resource management, personnel, school law, student engagement, and student discipline."

McLaughlin adds that Belkota "empowers her interns to research problems and offer solutions that may be employed. Many of the district's procedures were created or informed by the work of Rebecca's interns."

McLaughlin says that Belkota "is the example to which all secondary principals should aspire. Her dedication and passion for education are evident in her relationships with students and staff, and the results produced by her building."

Belkota received her bachelor's degree from Roberts Wesleyan College and her master's degree from SUNY Geneseo.

Belkota and fellow 2025 award winners will be recognized at SAANYS' annual awards celebration, taking place on May 2 at the Desmond Hotel – Crown Plaza in Albany, New York.

SAANYS represents nearly 22,000 school administrators, supervisors, and retirees. 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).