Senate Resolution No. 5705

BY: Senator GRIFFO

HONORING Nancy Opperman upon the occasion of her
retirement after 36 distinguished years as an
educator

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge the
significant milestones in the distinguished careers of those outstanding
educational leaders, whose dedication and achievements have been
instrumental 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
Nancy Opperman upon the occasion of her retirement after 36
distinguished years as an educator; and

WHEREAS, Nancy Opperman was raised in Lake Placid, New York, and
from an early age, dreamed of becoming a teacher; her dream came true in
1982 when she began teaching near her home in Lake Placid; and

WHEREAS, In 1985, Nancy Opperman found her way to Rome, New York, to
establish her home and family; she is blessed with a loving husband,
Ron; two children, Kyle and Olivia; and three grandchildren, Hunter,
Calia, and Myla, who have all shown her love and support and rejoice in
her many achievements; and

WHEREAS, During her teaching career, Nancy Opperman has taught
kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade; her continuous
energy, smile, and passion for teaching provided a loving and caring
environment where her students shined; and

WHEREAS, While teaching, Nancy Opperman decided to obtain her degree
to become a school administrator and was hired at Bellamy Elementary
School in 2006; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure at Bellamy, her passion for education
continued to flourish; she is selfless; everyday she works tirelessly
helping students, staff and the community; and

WHEREAS, Nancy Opperman is a leader among her colleagues and loved
by her students and families; she strives to bring out the best in all
she encounters and lends a hand whenever and wherever needed; and

WHEREAS, Nancy Opperman was and still is an integral part of helping
to create the Community Schools Initiative; she worked diligently to
help establish Community Schools at Bellamy Elementary; after attending
numerous conferences and speaking with community members, in her heart,
she knew Bellamy would be a perfect place to start this initiative; and

WHEREAS, Nancy Opperman knows that the staff at Bellamy is a special
group of people, and often refer to themselves as a "family"; who better
than her "family" to represent the Rome School District in spearheading
this project; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of her dedication and selfless acts of
kindness and giving, Nancy Opperman is being honored with a scholarship
in her name; the recipient of this esteemed scholarship will exhibit and
model the attributes Nancy possessed; he/she will aspire to always do
his/her best and persevere to overcome challenges; he/she will also be
involved in the community and will truly embody Nancy's character; and

WHEREAS, Educators like Nancy Opperman 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, Nancy Opperman has clearly had an enduring impact on the
youth of the Bellamy Elementary School as well as on the
community-at-large, and accordingly merits recognition and applause for
her impressive 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 Nancy Opperman upon the occasion of her retirement after 36 years
of dedicated service in education, and for her significant contributions
to education in New York State; and to wish her continued success in all
of her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Nancy Opperman.