[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 44 (Monday, March 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO AMOTE SIAS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS-

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 22, 2010

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Amote Sias, 
for her commitment and contributions to education and the New York City 
community.
  Amote Sias is the founding principal of Brooklyn Collegiate, a 
College Board School, located in the Ocean-Hill section of Brownsville, 
Brooklyn and services 575 students in grades 6 through 12. She is a 
visionary leader who is passionate about her students and staff having 
and being the best.
  Principal Sias started her career in education as a teacher in 1982 
in Nassau County Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) as a 
Math and Social Studies teacher and department chairwoman. She 
transferred to New York City Board of Education to be able to give back 
to her community. From 1985 to 1999, she taught grades kindergarten 
through twelfth in various subjects including, English, Social Studies, 
Mathematics, and Computer Science. From 1999 to 2001, she was the 
Leadership Development Coordinator for Brooklyn and Staten Island High 
Schools (BASIS). As the Leadership Development Coordinator, she was 
responsible for training principals, teachers, students, and parents in 
the areas of leadership, conflict resolution, cultural competence and 
team building. Because of her dedication and effective leadership, she 
advanced on to become the Director of Community Engagement for the new 
small schools of Brooklyn High Schools Superintendent and New Visions 
for New Schools Organization.
  After the reorganization of the Department of Education in 2003, 
Principal Sias was asked to take on the position of Project Manager of 
Region 5 for the creation of new small schools within boroughs of 
Brooklyn and Queens. This responsibility included recruiting and 
organizing the prospective school teams, training the teams, engaging 
the community in the process and serving on the committee which 
recommended the schools to be selected. In the midst of her work, Dr. 
Kathleen Cashin, Regional Superintendent of Region 5 afforded her the 
opportunity to become a principal at EBC of Public Service High School 
in East New York. While working as principal of EBC, Principal Sias 
wrote a proposal which was approved for the creation of Brooklyn 
Collegiate, which opened in September 2004. In June of 2008, Brooklyn 
Collegiate celebrated its first graduating class with seventy four 
percent of all seniors graduating and eighty-five percent of those 
students attending college.
  Simultaneously working for the Department of Education, Principal 
Sias has served as an adjunct professor of English at Long Island 
University Brooklyn Campus for four years and rose the rank of 
Associate Professor. As an ordained minister since 1999, she pastors 
The Church without Borders and Assistant Pastor of Provision of Promise 
Miracle Family Worship Center located at 347 Rockaway Avenue in 
Brownsville, Brooklyn. She has received numerous awards and honors 
including ``Principal of the Year,'' 2008-2009. She was the host of 
``Words of Wisdom for Daily Living'' a daily radio program on WLIB, 
1190AM. As a well rounded individual, Principal Sias has a passion for 
the things of God and enjoys traveling, reading and playing sports.
  She firmly believes ``we can and we will succeed!''
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Amote 
Sias.

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