Dr. Alison Clark, an adjunct in the School of Education's Exceptional Education and Learning Department, was named the 2020 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). This award is given to a member of SAANYS and NAESP who has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, has programs designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students, and has firm ties to parents and the community.
"We are thrilled that one of our dedicated adjuncts, Dr. Alison Clark, has been recognized for her leadership as Elementary Principal of the Year for New York," said School of Education Acting Dean Diana Sukhram. "The School of Education is proud to have her as a colleague and mentor for future educators."
Dr. Clark, the principal of the Stratford Road Elementary School in the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, will receive her award at a ceremony in Albany later this Spring. In addition, as New York’s Elementary School Principal of the Year, Clark will be recognized as a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals at a recognition program sponsored by NAESP this fall in Washington, D.C.
The school that Dr. Clark leads is the largest elementary school in the district, and home to the largest English Language Learner and Supplemental Educational Services populations, as well as the district's Autism Program. In addition to her work in her district, she teaches undergraduate courses in assessment at Old Westbury, and hosts many education majors in her District for student teaching and applied learning opportunities.
Dr. Clark, a resident of Commack, N.Y., has published numerous articles in educational journals. She earned her Ph.D. from Concordia University, Chicago and her M.A. and B.A. from CUNY Queens College.