NYSAEOP sponsors an annual Administrator of the
Year Award, offering recognition of educational administrators,
nominated by a NYSAEOP member, for outstanding leadership, service, and
support of staff.
2010
Katherine
A. Moloney, New York City Department of Education
Katherine A.
Moloney has been the Principal in the New York City Department
of Education for six years, during which time she has worked
closely with teachers and staff to inspire children to learn,
introduced innovative programs to improve reading and provide
students exposure to the arts, encouraged staff to participate
in professional development opportunities, established
comprehensive methods to communicate with parents and the
community, actively continued her own professional growth, and
maintained an attitude that is compassionate, professional, and
effervescent.
Ms. Moloney is
a member of the Cahn’s Fellowship program at Columbia
University, the Council of Supervisors and Administrators (CSA),
the Children’s First Network (CFN) Screening Team, and her
District’s Leadership Team. Ms. Moloney is also involved in
S.P.A.R.E., an after-school program sponsored by City
Councilman’s office; participates in the Brighton Neighborhood
Association After School Program; attends luncheons for
community officials; works with the Senior Center
Intergenerational Group and her student chorus, and the Student
Council Symposium; donates to the New York City Harvest (food
drive) and the New York City Pennies for Patients; and attends
monthly Community Educational Council meetings.
Ms. Moloney
interacts closely with all staff providing support through her
open door policy; ranging from purchasing SMART Boards for every
classroom and providing training for all staff; renovating the
Teachers’ Lounge to allow for a more spacious and collegial
atmosphere; providing an off-site Professional Development Day
for all staff to further the goals of the Citywide Inquiry Team;
and establishing a School Policy Consultation Committee to
collaborate with all members of the staff regarding any
pertinent issues.
Ms. Moloney
consistently goes “above and beyond.” She encourages staff and
parents to contact her via her Blackberry anytime; she
personally welcomes new students/families to her school; she
attends all student assemblies, PTA meetings, and school
functions that take place after school hours; she visits
students throughout the day encouraging them to visit her if
ever they feel they need a special hug; and since approximately
75 percent of her students speak Russian at home and not all
their parents speak English, she is learning Russian in order to
better communicate with them.
If compelled
to use only one word to describe Ms. Moloney, that word would be
“supportive.” Every day she enthusiastically supports her
staff, her students, her parents, and her community, encouraging
each individual to continue growing both professionally and
personally.
It is with
great honor that NYSAEOP recognizes Ms. Moloney as the NYSAEOP
2010 Administrator of the Year.
Submitted by
Cathy Eberle, Brooklyn, N.Y.
