POTSDAM – Massena’s Jefferson Elementary School principal Duane Richards Jr. was recently awarded the 2015 St. Lawrence Academy Medal by the SUNY Potsdam School of Education Alumni Association.

Richards, a member of the class of 1990, was recognized for his “commitment to excellence in education, and in gratitude for his contributions to SUNY Potsdam's teacher preparation program,” according to a press release.

An educator in St. Lawrence County schools since 1991, Richards' “steadfast, principled leadership and his wholehearted commitment to the growth and happiness of children and families within his school community and beyond exemplify the ideals at the heart of this award,” the release said.

As principal at Jefferson Elementary, Richards leads a team of 72 faculty and staff who are responsible for educating 500 students, the majority of whom are from financially disadvantaged families.

Richards is very highly regarded by his students and their families, as well as his teachers and others who collaborate with him on outreach programs, including students and faculty at SUNY Potsdam, according to the release.

Such outreach programs have resulted in infusions of technology and training support for teachers, development of after-school partnership programs with the public housing authority and Big Brothers/Big Sisters and professional development for faculty and staff.

One successful collaboration is called “Branching Out With Books,” a partnership between SUNY Potsdam and St. Lawrence University that pairs college students with high-need children in North Country schools to improve literacy skills, build self-confidence and instill a love of reading and writing.

For many years, Richards has also visited SUNY Potsdam's graduate literacy education classes to share his insight about being a school leader in a high-poverty, rural community.

Over the past few years, Richards has permitted a teacher-leader to attend training provided by the New York State Education Department, and provided the teacher with release time to help translate this training for other regional teachers, resulting in school improvement in 18 districts for approximately 100 teachers and 2,500 students each year.

The St. Lawrence Academy Medal is presented to a SUNY Potsdam graduate who has made significant contributions to the field of professional education or related fields.

The medal is named for the predecessor institution to SUNY Potsdam. Founded in 1816, the academy focused on teacher training from its founding, a tradition that continues to the present day.