LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Bernard Diamond upon the occasion of
his retirement after many years of distinguished service as a member of
Community Board 8, Queens, New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and honor
those distinguished citizens of this great Empire State who have devoted
themselves to faithfully serving the best interests of their community
and the needs of its residents; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Bernard Diamond upon the occasion of his retirement after many years of
distinguished service as a member of Community Board 8, Queens, New
York, to be celebrated at a dinner held in his honor at the Hillcrest
Jewish Center, Flushing, New York, on Tuesday, June 12, 2012; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School, Bernard
Diamond matriculated at the City College of New York, majoring in Educa-
tion; upon graduation, he began working as a teacher for the New York
City Board of Education in East Harlem's Community School District (CSD)
No. 4 and worked there for the next 35 years in various capacities from
teacher to Principal to School District Administrator, retiring in 1991;
and
WHEREAS, Bernard Diamond was also elected by the supervisors in CSD
No. 4 to represent them at the supervisors' union, the Council of Super-
visors and Administrators (CSA) as District Chairman, and the CSA's
Executive Board; and
WHEREAS, As Principal of the Alternative Education Complex, a school
building comprised of five alternative programs, from pre-K to grade 9,
Bernard Diamond was chosen to become one of nine schools, designated by
the New York State Board of Regents, to be part of an experimental
program known as the Local School Development Project (LSDP); and
WHEREAS, The LSDP successfully integrated many governmental and
private agencies to meet the myriad needs of the children and/or their
parents/guardians within the school building during and after normal
school hours, and weekends; this included educational, social and
medical services as well as intergenerational and adult programs; and
WHEREAS, CSD No.4 ranked 32 of the 32 CSA's in New York City when the
newly appointed District Superintendent suggested Bernard Diamond trans-
fer to the District Office to be part of his change team; by using a
"bottoms up" approach, which supported teachers' ideas to make improve-
ments, the concept of Alternative Schools was born; in the next 10
years, the School District rose to the rank of 18 in reading and math
achievement; and
WHEREAS, As a community and health care advocate for more than 35
years, Bernard Diamond has been the President of Hillcrest Estates Civic
Association, Chairman of the Queens Hospital Center Community Advisory
Board, Treasurer and Area 2/3 Chairman of CB No. 8, and a member of the
St. John's University Community Dialogue Group; and
WHEREAS, Bernard Diamond's leadership and active participation in all
the organizations he has participated in for over 35 years has made a
difference to the people in his community, the Borough of Queens, the
City of New York, and the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Bernard Diamond rendered faithful, conscientious and valuable
service to Community Board 8; he served with loyalty, honor and
distinction; he was governed by a keen sense of duty and always showed a
unique grasp of human problems in his official acts; and
WHEREAS, Bernard Diamond is a man of singular distinction whose
wisdom, guidance and unparalleled professionalism have earned him the

admiration, esteem, and affection of his colleagues and all those he has
come into contact with during his distinguished service to Community
Board 8; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Bernard Diamond upon the occasion of his retirement after many
years of distinguished service as a member of Community Board 8, Queens,
New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Bernard Diamond.