LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Dr. Jack Bierwirth upon the occasion of
his retirement after more than 40 distinguished years as an educator

WHEREAS, New York State's commitment to education is unparalleled; its
history and stature are secured by the superlative caliber of its educa-
tional professionals and the students they inspire; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to acknowledge the
significant milestones in the distinguished careers of those outstanding
educational leaders, whose dedication and achievements have been instru-
mental in developing character and academic excellence in the young
people of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Dr.
Jack Bierwirth upon the occasion of his retirement as an educator, after
more than 40 years of dedicated service in education, to be celebrated
at a community event, held in his honor, on Thursday, June 18, 2015, at
the Herricks Community Center, Herricks, New York; and
WHEREAS, Jack Bierwirth earned his bachelor's degree from Yale Univer-
sity, and his Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachu-
setts; and
WHEREAS, In 1969, Dr. Jack Bierwirth began his illustrious career
teaching the sixth grade in Connecticut; throughout the next 20 years,
he served in several leadership capacities in the Hempstead, Port Wash-
ington, Freeport and Sachem School Districts, making him one of the most
experienced Long Island educators, responsible for the education of more
than 50,000 students; and
WHEREAS, In 1992, Dr. Jack Bierwirth was recruited to lead the largest
school system in the Northwest, in Portland, Oregon; under his guidance,
the district was selected by the Pew Charitable Trust as one of seven
districts in the country to pioneer implementation of standards-based
education; and
WHEREAS, Five years later, Dr. Jack Bierwirth held the position of
President of Outward Bound USA, the largest and oldest wilderness educa-
tion program in the country, serving 30,000 teenagers and adults annual-
ly; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Jack Bierwirth returned to his Long Island roots in May
of 2001, to take the leadership role of Superintendent of Herricks
Public Schools; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure, Dr. Jack Bierwirth has earned the
reputation for collaborating with teachers, students, community members,
and professional and government organizations in an effort to foster an
environment of sharing, tolerance and global awareness throughout the
Herricks School District; and
WHEREAS, Under his luminous leadership, Dr. Jack Bierwirth has helped
shape Herricks Public Schools into a world-class school district,
complete with an international curriculum; in addition, he established
the first-ever high school partnership with the Foreign Policy Associ-
ation, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring the American
public to learn more about the world; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Jack Bierwirth has also served on numerous boards and
held the position of President of the Nassau County Council of School
Superintendents; and
WHEREAS, When he's not in school, Dr. Jack Bierwirth enjoys partic-
ipating in various sports, such as tennis, golf, squash, and snow
skiing; and
WHEREAS, Educators like Dr. Jack Bierwirth provide a tremendous
service to the future of our State and Nation, inspiring generations of

young people in their educational journeys and ensuring their success in
their future years; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Jack Bierwirth has clearly had an enduring impact on the
youth of the Herricks School District, as well as on the community-at-
large, and accordingly merits recognition and applause for his impres-
sive dedication to others; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend the
efforts of those individuals who work to support our proud tradition of
public education by providing their skills and talents to our schools;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Dr. Jack Bierwirth upon the occasion of his retirement as an
educator, and to wish him continued success in all of his future endeav-
ors; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Dr. Jack Bierwirth.