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.

Dr. George F. Mack is the 2011 Marshman-Hall Commitment to Education Award recipient, as nominated by Cindy Barnes.

Dr. Mack has held a successful career in education in New York state, with his longest tenure as Superintendent at Walton Central School, a position he held for over 21 years. During this time he served in a variety of leadership capacities in educational organizations – the NYS Rural Advisory Committee, Section IV NYS Athletic Association and the NYSCOSS House of Delegates, to name a few.