Greenacres Principal Gerry Young to Retire in June

The Scarsdale Schools will lose another key player at the end of the school year. Along with Superintendent Michael McGill, we recently learned that Principal Gerry Young will step down in June after eleven years heading up Greenacres Elementary School. A note to the community indicates that he announced his retirement now to give the district time to search for his replacement. He also noted that the school will celebrate its 100th birthday in November, 2015.

Anne Lyons, a former PTA President at Greenacres who was on the search committee when Young was hired said this about Mr. Young: "Gerry Young is an innovative educator. He challenges the students, his staff and the parents of Greenacres to think outside the box. He is never satisfied with the status quo; even though change may be controversial, he confronts it head on. He has brightened the school with his bold color choices and his sense of humor. His energetic presence will be missed."

Commenting on his retirement, several Greenacres parents offered kind words: Diane Gurden said, ""Greenacres School has an exceptional teaching staff and provides a wonderfully stimulating learning environment for our children. Thank you to Gerry Young for all that he has done to make the school what it is today, and I wish him well in his retirement. It is a very exciting time to be welcoming a new principal, as we prepare to celebrate our 100 year milestone, while also defining our vision for the future of Greenacres School."

Amy Nasdasdi said, "Personally, when my daughter heard the news about Mr. Young leaving, her response was sadness - "Awww....He's so NICE!" In my opinion, Greenacres is an amazing community. We have an incredibly supportive and tight knit population, along with a great school - both teachers and admin. When any one component of that community changes there is always anxiety about what the future will bring. While we will miss Mr. Young, it is our hope that the parents, students and teachers will embrace this change and continue to build on the successes of the past 11 years while he was here."

Elizabeth Brew agreed, saying "I was saddened to receive news of Gerry's retirement at the end of the school year. In the 8 years I have been part of the GA school community under Gerry's leadership, I have appreciated the major role he has played in making the school academically strong while retaining the family atmosphere. Next year as I graduate one from GA and start 2 more on their journey at GA , I will miss seeing Gerry's smiling face."

Here is a letter Principal Gerry Young sent to the Greenacres community:

Dear Parents,
It is with a heavy heart that I take keyboard in hand to tell you that I have just submitted the paperwork required for my retirement at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. It was not an easy decision to come to.

This is my eleventh year as principal of Greenacres School. In truth, it all started on a whim. I was a principal of an elementary school in Canada and was happy with the progress we had made at that school over the time I was there. I was thinking about the possibility of a change and that coincided with a family visit to NYC and the random purchase of the Sunday Times. That edition contained an ad for an elementary school principal in Scarsdale. In truth, apart from the Diet, I had never heard of Scarsdale or its stellar school system, needless to say this later surprised some of the interviewers. After five rounds of interviews, I had a job offer. I jumped at the chance.

Looking back it seems a much bolder step than it did at the time. Sometimes it pays just to forge ahead and seize a good opportunity. It has been an interesting journey, tough at times and certainly rewarding at others. I don't in any way regret the adventure. I have had the privilege of working with very talented educators in a place that values education first. Your children have been delightful. As a parent body you have been focused, supportive, energetic, and fun to work with. I will miss the community immensely.

On a building level I have been extraordinarily pleased with the progress we have made over the last decade. My staff is hard working and dedicated. They are smart too, and make the right decisions for Greenacres students. We don't want to sound boastful, but Greenacres is in great shape! Our students do very well academically, they are good citizens and they continue to develop a wide range of talents. It has been interesting to watch the students grow over the years. Our grads come back to relive good times and to tell about their future plans. They are well on the way to making successful lives for themselves which is really the ultimate goal.

The school year is only half done. There is still much to do. There is a big role for parents in the selection of the next principal and plans need to be in place for the 100th anniversary of the opening of the school on November 29th, 2015. Take advantage of these opportunities to help shape the future of Greenacres School. And don't forget, I'll be looking for an invitation to return to celebrate the 100th.

Gerry Young