Press release of June 6, 2012

Board of Education honors outstanding students plus 2011-12 retirees

Elementary Student Council officers honored on June 5.

BURNT HILLS: As they do each June, at their meeting on June 5, 2012, members of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Board of Education honored outstanding students from each of the district's five school as well as all staff retiring during the 2011-12 school year.

The ceremony and brief reception took place in the middle school cafetorium just before the board's regular business meeting.

The students being honored were described by the school principals, and each received a certificate from a Board of Education member.

Principal Tim Sinnenberg noted that the elementary schools use this occasion to recognize their Student Council officers (president, vice president, secretary and treasurer) because these students are "excellent leaders" and dedicate many hours throughout the year to helping other students, their school, and other organizations with various school activities and fund raisers.

Principal Colleen Kane called the eight students she was honoring the O'Rourke Middle School's "Students of the Year." They are chosen by middle school teachers based on their character, attitude, effort and academic performance.

Because high school pupils excel in so many different areas of achievement, that school has chosen to honor the five students in each grade with the highest academic grade point average at this event, said principal Maryellen Symer.

The students being honored were:

Retiring staff

Fourteen BH-BL staff members have retired or are about to retire this year, said superintendent Jim Schultz. He asked each of those who was present to come up and receive a token gift from Board of Education member Elizabeth Herkenham while he told the audience a bit about their history and roles with the school district.

Since the retiree with the longest tenure with the district is Mr. Schultz himself, at the end Ms. Herkenham took the microphone and told the audience about ways that people who have worked with him during the various stages of his career have described him. These included his being a teacher who could engage even reluctant students in learning, an administrator who was respectful of everyone, and a superintendent who raised students' overall level of achievement.

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