Outstanding Special Educator of the Year:
Dr. Bonnie Brown, Superintendent District 75
Bonnie Brown has been in Special Education for thirty years
working with students with a wide range of cognitive, social and emotional
challenges, She has worked as a teacher, staff developer, Assistant Principal
and Principal prior to her becoming Deputy Superintendent and now
Superintendent. She has launched a career that focused not only on the
instructional aspects of special education but over the years she honed her
administrative skills by serving as Director of Personnel and Director of Operations
for District 75 which serves 23,000 students. Her various positions in the
district have afforded her the ability to see through a very unique lens. She
knows the educational needs of her students but she also has knowledge of the
infrastructure of the district as she has managed a budget that exceeds $500
million dollars. This skill set enables her to make informed decisions and lead
the district with expertise and clarity of vision.
As the New York City Department of Education has initiated
many changes in the past years, Ms. Brown has stood as a staunch advocate for
District 75, its students and their families. She has partnered with national
experts to train staff in best practices for students with autistic spectrum
disorders, positive behavior supports, and web based technology to support
professional development. Ms. Brown has made a personal commitment that D. 75
students and their families will have equity of access to educational
programming, school building resources and extra-curricular activities. She
truly believes she is the “voice” in the Department of Education for those that
have no ability to speak for themselves and she carries this responsibility
with conviction, energy and a deep sense of pride that her students and their
families have placed their trust in her.
