Educator of the Year 2007

Anthony Polemeni, Ph.D. Vice- President and Dean of Education Touro College Graduate School of Education and School Psychology

     Dr. Polemeni has over 40 years of combined experience in education and industry. Under his direction, he has provided affordable quality graduate education, growing the enrollment of Touro College from several hundred to over 7000 students.
     As Dean of Education, Dr. Polemeni instituted Masters Programs in Birth through 2, 1-6, 5-9, Special Education, Literacy, Tesol, Instructional Technology and has promoted educational access through on-line distance learning. Dr. Polemeni developed and maintained the following philosophy of education, increased the number of approved degree offerings and instituted successful marketing strategies, which dramatically increased enrollment:

“The Graduate School of Education and Psychology holds to a pervading philosophy that guides all of our programs with respect to theories of human development, methods of education, methods of assessment of individual differences, and overall approaches to our job as citizens. We hold that the primary goal of learning is more learning, that the mission of education is to stretch minds, that is, to enhance each person's educability, and ultimately to produce life-long learners who can become independent of formal education. Every person is modifiable, which is to say that all of us can develop our intellectual potential to a higher level. We place a central emphasis on the development of the tools of effective thinking and learning, a strong belief in the value of family participation in education, and dedication to multi-culturalism in all of our teaching. We also believe strongly in learning by doing, so our students will apply what they learn in controlled settings. We welcome learners at every level. Good thinking to all!”

     Dr. Polemeni’s multiple mini-site strategy, throughout NYC and Long Island, the implementation of aggressive marketing strategies, has increased the availability of a Touro education. Additionally, Dr. Polemeni has also been instrumental in securing recognized doctoral degrees.
     Born in Brooklyn, he received a baccalaureate degree (Summa Cum Laude) from St. Francis College. He received his Master's in Romance Philology from Columbia University and the Doctoral degree from St. John's University. We are most pleased that for many years Dr. Polemeni has been a member of Phi Delta Kappa.
     Dr. Polemeni began as a teacher of French and very quickly rose to become Director of Foreign Languages, In 1971 he was hired by the New York State Division of Evaluation to oversee the New York City Schools and thereafter became Director of Research and Evaluation for the New York City Central Board of Education. Under his leadership, New York City developed the Language
    In 1978, because of family obligations, Dr. Polemeni left the New York City Board of Education and joined the international business world as a Director of Creusot Loire Corporation, a French importing company of specialty steel. In 1981, he became Vice President and eventually President of an international export company that dealt with Africa, Asia, Caribbean, and Latin America. In 1997, he returned to education as Director of Mercy College's Bronx Graduate School of Education.
      In 2007, due to his outstanding performance as Dean, Dr. Polemeni, was inaugurated as a Vice-President of Touro College. The class of 2007, spring graduation was held at NYC’s Madison Square Garden and notably attended by Dr. Bernard Lander, founder of Touro College.

Dr. Polemeni with Touro Founder Dr. Lander
 

Child Advocate of the Year 2007

Poul Jensen President and CEO, Graham Windham President, Board of Education Greenburgh Graham School District

     Poul Jensen has been the President and CEO of Graham Windham for over 10 years. Graham Windham founded in 1806 by Isabella Graham and Elizabeth Hamilton, widow of Alexander Hamilton, is the nation’s oldest non-sectarian child care agency. This premier social service agency, provides a wide range of family foster care and adoption services, center and family-based early childhood programs, a variety of family and community support services and a campus-based residential school and treatment center for troubled children and adolescents. Graham Windham employs over 500 full time and part-time staff and is accredited by the Council in Accreditation and the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. 

In addition, Mr. Jensen is the President of the Board of Education for Greenburg Graham Special Act School District, which employs over 175 staff and is accredited by Middle States Commission of Elementary and secondary schools. This K-12 campus is renowned for its holistic student-centered unified approach, both social and educational, which is delivered in a milieu focused on “student success”.  

For most, this would suffice, but Mr. Jensen is an “Unusual Man”. He is continually reworking the equation, focusing on a distant goal, far above passing exams and social achievement, which may return a child to his prior environment. Success for Mr. Jensen’s is measured in every child’s realization of themselves, with embodied confidence and strategies, empowering each to achieve their full potential in today’s world, and therefore allowing each individual to choose their future career and desired environment.