Williamsville Administrator Honored with State Award

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William Bohen

ALBANY, NY (03/21/2019) (readMedia)-- William Bohen, assistant principal at Transit Middle School in the Williamsville Central School District, has been selected as the 2019 New York State Secondary 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 an 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.

Since joining Transit Middle School in 2011, Bohen has become known as an open and approachable leader who has the best interests of all students at heart. Commented student Patrick Frank, after Bohen encouraged him to pursue a special school library project, "Dr. Bohen is the kind of vice principal who looks out for all the talents in students, not just the obvious." He continued, "His openness and casual interactions with students make him easily approachable." Commented parent Mary Beth Scumaci, "Dr. Bohen is an educator my children speak fondly of at the dinner table. They were always impressed when he was aware of accomplishments, especially when they weren't aware he was watching. Dr. Bohen is a pillar of the school, devoted to educating children."

During his time at the school he has also reduced disciplinary referrals by 52 percent by introducing several positive recognition initiatives focusing on rewarding behavior consistent with school expectations "Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe." These initiatives include a quarterly "Pancakes with Principals" breakfast, mentoring programs, a community service day, and monthly "Kudos" awards for students demonstrating these positive behaviors. In conjunction with these fun activities for the students, Bohen has implemented an informal mentoring program, established a service learning initiative for at risk students, and spearheaded a school-wide curriculum mapping initiative. Commented Principal Daniel Wahl, "Bill hosts a morning meeting with the building PPS team four days per week to review, discuss, and act proactively on behalf of our students. This information helps to inform large scale decisions around programming, wellness initiatives, capacity building for the staff, and procedures for how students access programs such as advanced classes, intervention services, and student leadership opportunities." Commented teacher Kathryn Neff, "Dr. Bohen is an extremely hard worker. He is passionate about his profession, which is evident in his relationships with students, colleagues, and faculty. He brings thoughtful, innovative ideas to our school community. We are beyond lucky to have him as our assistant principal."

Bohen received his bachelor of arts in political science, master of education in social studies education, and doctor of philosophy in educational administration degrees from SUNY at Buffalo. He also completed advanced certificates in school building leadership and school district leadership from SUNY College at Fredonia.

Bohen will be honored for his accomplishments at a May awards ceremony in Albany. As the NYS Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year, Bohen is now a candidate for the award of National Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year, an award sponsored by NASSP.

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).