COMMUNITY NEWS

BOCES honors Salisbury woman

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The Nassau County Board of Cooperative Education Services recently honored a Salisbury woman for her tireless volunteerism for the group and in her community, officials said.

Deborah Coates, former president of the East Meadow School District Board of Education and current Nassau BOCES district clerk, was among 13 people to receive the 2016 Nassau BOCES Education Partner Award in April. The honor bestowed annually to individuals and organizations whose impact on public education in Nassau County can be measured in tangible ways, according to BOCES.

A strategic education partner with school districts since 1967 itself, Nassau BOCES created the awards program to recognize those who share their leadership’s mission of ensuring a successful, challenging, caring and safe environment that enables students of all ages and abilities to achieve their maximum potential. These individuals and organizations have made strides to accomplishing key educational goals embraced by Nassau BOCES, officials said.

Coates, who also serves as the board liaison to the Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation, is “a leading advocate...[and] a champion of equanimity in education for both children and adults, and has been outspoken about the educational rights of unaccompanied minors coming into the United States,” according to the organization. The person who nominated her for the award, who shall remain anonymous, wrote that she “puts her heart and soul into everything she does, and does it with pride, knowing that she is helping children. Deborah is a dedicated volunteer because she believes that educators should be active outside of the classroom and boardroom, doing everything in their power to improve student outcomes.”

Coates explained that her role as an activist has evolved over time. She first took interest in education when her four sons were enrolled in the East Meadow School District because she felt that the link between home and school was important; she would go on to hold the highest ranking positions on the Board of Education and PTA Council.

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