The Bensonhurst West End Community Council (BWECC) will celebrate its 48th Gala on November 19 at the beautiful El Caribe. I will be celebrating my 28th year as president of the Bensonhurst West End Community Council and, as my custom every year, will spotlight each honoree in this column, so you will know their credentials, their merits, and their outstanding contributions to the community that earned them their coveted “BWECC Year” award.
BWECC will be honoring UFT District 21 Rep. Judy Gerowitz as its Educator of the Year. The principal of P.S. 90, Madelene Taub Chan is BWECC’S Woman of the Year. Barry Fein, principal of Seth Low I.S. 96, is BWECC’S Man of the Year. The 2008 Couple of the Year is Assemblyman William and Mary Colton, and the vice president of D21’s Presidents Council, Cecile Iocono, will receive the “Cesaria Soccoa Parent of the Year Award.”
Cecile is the P.A. president of P.S. 216. Iris D. Baum is the BWECC Network Leader of the Year. If you’re like me and want to know what a network leader is, perhaps the biography on Iris Baum will give you a clue.
Iris D. Baum’s title is executive officer for Instruction, Integrated Curriculum & Instruction – Learning Support Organization, or simply put, network leader.
Iris Baum has twenty-seven years experience as a New York City educator. Currently, Ms. Baum is an executive officer for instruction with the Integrated Curriculum & Instruction – Learning Support Organization. In this position, she provides support to a network of 23 principals and school communities in two boroughs. Ms. Baum’s professional focus is to help schools maximize the learning experience for all students.
Prior to becoming a network leader, Ms. Baum worked three years in the former Region 7 as a Local Instructional superintendent. Then she previously worked twelve years as a school administrator—seven years a principal. Ms. Baum derived great professional satisfaction by facilitating the redesign of the William McKinley Intermediate School from a large educational institution into three, thematically designed academies.
In addition, Ms. Baum mentored “Aspiring Principals” for the NYC Leadership Academy and principals for the New Principals Institute. Moreover, Ms. Baum was a Cahn Fellow for Distinguished NYC Principals at Columbia University and participated in the New York City Board of Education’s Executive Leadership Academy, as well as Mutual of New York’s and Bank Street College’s Partners for Leadership Program.
Iris Baum earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Brooklyn College and a Master of Science Degree and a Sixth Year Professional Certificate in Supervision and Administration from the College of Staten Island. Ms. Baum also holds both School Administration and Supervision (SAS) and School District Administration (SDA) certificates from New York State.
Happily married for 39 years to Lawrence, a retired director in the NYC Comptroller’s Office, Mr. and Mrs. Baum are the proud parents of Jennifer, an attorney in the Manhattan office of the NYC Administration for Children’s Services. The family resides in Staten Island, New York.
Now you know what a network leader is and does and if you want to join us in honoring Iris as well as BWECC’s other distinguished honorees, give me a call at 718-946-6665. Reservations are a must!
Screech at you next week!