NORWICH – It’s not often that an organization has the privilege of working with the long-standing leadership of individuals so focused on quality, continuous improvement, community collaboration, and, most importantly, our students ... individuals who absolutely epitomize the vision, beliefs and quality standards of the BOCES organization.
Dan Marshman and Bob Hall, both former members of the BOCES Board of Education, served their communities and our BOCES in an exemplary fashion. They believed deeply in the power of education. They were convinced that our work at BOCES prepares our youth and our adults to make this area a better place. They gave unselfishly of their time, their ideas, their support, and of themselves. We miss them for what they gave us as Board Members, but more importantly for what they gave to us as people. The DCMO BOCES Board of Education is commemorating their service through The Marshman-Hall Commitment to Education Award to both memorialize their contributions to our area and to serve as a vehicle for BOCES to annually recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to education in our BOCES region.
The purpose of this award is to recognize, annually, an individual who exemplifies the ideals of former BOCES Board Members Dan Marshman and Bob Hall. These ideals include:
• a commitment to what is in the best interest of students,
• an orientation of service to the community, and
• a focus on the continuous improvement of the educational enterprise.
The recipient of the fifth annual Marshman-Hall Commitment to Education Award is Margery Secrest.
Secrest has dedicated over 50 years of service to her community and her school. She came to Afton in 1952 to teach Civics. She started teaching English in 1960, and continued in that capacity until her retirement in 1983. While a teacher in Afton, Marge directed the Senior Play every year and held various offices in the P.T.A. As a teacher, she took an active role in the Afton Teachers’ Association and the NEA. She was President of the A.T.A. for many years and currently serves on the NYSUT Retirement Committee.
Marge became an Afton Central School Board member in 1985 when she was appointed to fill a two year term. She served as Vice President of the Board from 1988-1995 and has had the position of President ever since.
She is an active participant on the Teel and Chamberlin Scholarship Committee and a trustee of the Jane Schenck Fund. Mrs. Secrest was named the Chenango County Board Member of the Year in 1996.
In 2001, she became a Board member of the DCMO BOCES Board of Education. During her tenure on the BOCES Board, Marge has served on the Finance Committee and the Chenango County School Board’s Executive Committee. Marge has recently served on a number of external review committees for the CTE program.
Mrs. Secrest’s participation in the community includes active membership and various offices in her church, the Grange and the Farm Bureau. She also was honored with the SERTOMA Service to Mankind Award.
She played a very large role in the Indian Hills Girl Scout Council during the last 1960s and early 70s serving as Executive Director for several years.
Marge is an active member of the First Baptist Church in Bainbridge. She is active in the women’s group and is involved in many fund raisers – assisting families in need and supporting youth projects.
