[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 851]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING MS. PATRICIA SIMMONS

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                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 28, 2016

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Patricia 
Simmons, an inspiring educational leader from Pomona, New York. who 
passed away on December 27, 2015.
  For the last 15 years, Ms. Simmons served with distinction, grace and 
total dedication to students as Principal of Fleetwood Elementary 
School in Chestnut Ridge, New York. She was an integral, respected and 
beloved part of the entire East Ramapo Central School District 
community, serving as President of the East Ramapo Building 
Administrators Association, a co-founder of the Rockland Association of 
Black School Educators and as a board member of the CEJJES Institute, a 
local cultural, educational, and research foundation dedicated to 
improving educational and social conditions for all. Ms. Simmons also 
served on the Spring Valley NAACP Education Committee as a strong 
advocate for student, parent, and community engagement in local 
schools.
  At Fleetwood, Ms. Simmons quietly and effectively instilled a sense 
of hope and respect in all her students and pride and confidence in the 
teachers and staff. During the winter, Ms. Simmons would stand at the 
entrance of the school to make sure every child was wearing a coat, 
gloves, and hat. providing for those who did not have their own. On 
Fridays, Ms. Simmons would pack food in students' backpacks to make 
sure they did not go hungry over the weekend. Ms. Simmons and her staff 
at Fleetwood Elementary would also supply gifts for children and 
deliver turkeys for Thanksgiving to families in need.
  Ms. Simmons earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary 
Education with a minor in Black and Hispanic Studies from the State 
University of New York at Oneonta; a Master of Arts in Education, 
specializing in Infant and Toddler Educational Development and Reading 
Recovery at New York University; and a Master of Education in 
Administration and Supervision from Bank Street College. She began her 
career in Brooklyn as a classroom teacher and reading specialist, and 
later was appointed Assistant Principal at the Crispus Attucks School 
in Bedford Stuyvesant, until her appointment as Principal of Fleetwood 
Elementary. In her early years at Fleetwood Elementary, Ms. Simmons 
received the Excellence in Education Award in 2004 from The Parent and 
Student Advocacy Network in Rockland County. She was honored by the 
Epsilon Chi Chapter of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., 
as a ``Bridge Builder'' in 2009 for her dedication to ensuring a 
promising future for East Ramapo youth. She also was selected to 
receive the Empire State Supervisors and Administrators Award for 
Administrator of the Year in 2012.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the many outstanding 
accomplishments of my constituent, Ms. Patricia Simmons, a true 
advocate for children. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring her 
exceptional life.

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