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Blog Post 4 - Growth Inspired by True Leadership!


Growth Inspired by True Leadership!


At Bishop Dunn Memorial School, we are fortunate to have an exceptional leader in Principal Nancy Benfer. With over 20 years of experience at BDMS, Nancy has dedicated her career to education. She started as a Kindergarten Teaching Assistant and worked her way up to become the Principal in 2017. Nancy is a Mount Saint Mary College graduate, earning a Bachelor's degree and a Master of Science in Education: Childhood/Special Education. She has mentored and supervised many teacher candidates as an adjunct professor in the Education Department at Mount Saint Mary College. Her innovative approach to education inspired one of her fourth-grade classes to collaborate on a book project about the history of Mount Saint Mary College, titled "Teach Me Truth."

Nancy is a respected presenter on various Hudson Valley topics, including "Inspiring 21st Century Learners Informational Writing through Children's Literature and Media" and "Diversifying the Common Core Text Exemplars." She has spoken at national conferences, such as the Literacy Research Association, and co-authored an article titled "How Common Core's Recommended Books Fail Children of Color," published in The Washington Post. She also co-authored an article titled "Don't Forget the Pictures: Using Graphical Devices to Learn About Space," published in the Michigan Reading Journal. Nancy is passionate about providing books that all students can relate to.

As a leader, Nancy's approach is exceptional. Her priority is to listen to students' and teachers' needs and concerns. She is organized and efficient and always ensures everything runs smoothly. Nancy makes decisions after listening to everyone's perspective, demonstrating fairness, compassion, and dedication to our school. She genuinely cares about the well-being of every faculty member, staff, and student. Nancy goes above and beyond to ensure everyone feels valued and supported, making our school a better place. Recently awarded the Educational Leadership Award by the Mid-Hudson School Study Council, we are lucky to have her as our Principal and are grateful for all she does.

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