Administrator of the Year 2009-2010

Ralph Vigliotti Honored With Leadership in Education Award
The Veteran Educator is the District’s Administrator of the Year

Ralph M. Vigliotti, Principal of Yonkers International Baccalaureate High School, is the Rotary Club of East Yonkers and the Yonkers Board of Education recipient of the 2009 Leadership in Education Award.

Ralph Vigliotti’s distinguished career of over 35 years with the Yonkers Public Schools began with his appointment in January 1974 as an Industrial Arts Teacher at Lincoln High School. Mr. Vigliotti also taught at Saunders Trades and Technical High School and Gorton High School prior to his appointment as Assistant Principal at Lincoln High School in September 1995. From August 1999 through November 2002, Mr. Vigliotti was an Assistant Principal at Burroughs Junior High School and Yonkers Middle High School. Mr. Vigliotti was appointed to his current position in August 2005 after serving as the school’s Acting Principal since November 2002.

Aligned with Mr. Vigliotti’s leadership, Yonkers High School earned national recognitions for the rigorous quality education provided to its students. Mr. Vigliotti’s professionalism, willingness to nurture new initiatives and a personal commitment to address the academic and social needs of students and staff contribute to the school’s overall success and the accolades earned over the past years. During his leadership at Yonkers High School, the school garnered many accolades.

• U.S. News and World Report in December 2008 ranked the school 37th among “America’s Best High Schools” and 9th among “America’s Best Magnet Schools,” the top ranked school in Westchester County.
• Newsweek and the Washington Post ranked it 80th among the top 100 high schools in the nation in the spring of 2008.
• The consistent number of graduating seniors earning the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma internationally ranks it with the top IB schools.
• Over 94% of the graduates are accepted to four-year colleges.
• The Class of 2009 has currently earned over $9.2 million in college scholarships, surpassing the Class of 2008 that received over $6.5 million.

Ralph Vigliotti enriches the lives of Yonkers High School students by building partnerships with institutions of higher education and community organizations bringing new and exciting initiatives to the school. Partnerships flourish with Brown University, Sarah Lawrence College, Pace University, Fordham University, Iona College, Manhattan College and Manhattanville College. Community partnerships include Beczak Center, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Junior Achievement, Hudson River Museum, St. Peter’s Child Care Center, Riverfront Library, Park Hill Residents Association, Groundworks Yonkers, Jewish Council of Yonkers, and Hudson Valley Blood Services.

Over forty clubs and activities are available to students demonstrating Mr. Vigliotti’s willingness to explore all requests that enrich school-life and fit students’ interests and strengths. Activities include Habitat for Humanity, SADD, SAFER, Biodiversity and Drama Clubs, Community, Ronald McDonald House, YMCA, Hebrew Home for the Aged, Sunrise Assisted Living and Yonkers Kiwanis. Encouraging the development of a student wellness center further shows Mr. Vigliotti’s commitment to the whole child.

Civic involvement and community service are important to Mr. Vigliotti. In his hometown of Mount Kisco, he currently serves as a member of the Planning Board and the Ambulance Corps Fundraising Committee. In the past, he served as Deputy Mayor and Trustee of the Town of Mt. Kisco and Acting President, Founding Member and Trustee of the Mt. Kisco Historical Committee. Mt. Kisco Cares for Kids Nursery School, Friends in Sharing Helping (FISH), Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Mt. Kisco, Mt. Kisco Citizens for Responsible Government, Leonard Park Committee, and Mt. Kisco Elementary School Playground Building Committee are some of the community organizations that benefited from his energy and commitment.

Accolades for Ralph Vigliotti hail from all sectors of the school community:

Maribet Byrne, School Counselor: “Mr. Vigliotti has shown great generosity towards students that have faced adversity. Countless times he has shown his support towards students and their families, at times of tragedy or when in need of a transportation token or of a college application fee. He is always available to lend a helping hand.”

Donald D. DeMatteo, Jr., Social Studies Department Chairperson: “I was fortunate to work under his tutelage as an administrative intern. Mr. Vigliotti ensured that I not only learned the science of administration, but also the art!”

Patricia A. Carris, LOTE Department Chairperson: “As a parent, two of my own children graduated from Yonkers High School in 2002 and 2006, both with Ralph Vigliotti as their Principal. I have been, therefore, privileged to view him from the perspective of a parent which also enabled me to witness his abilities firsthand with students and parents on a different level. This only added to my esteem for him as a Principal.”

Elaine Fitzpatrick, School Secretary: “When working on many projects, he provides me with remarkable knowledge of school protocol, data analysis, and reporting. As Mr. Vigliotti’s personal secretary since he first became principal, I continue to observe him maintain a refreshing atmosphere at Yonkers High School.”

Michael Forzano, Member of the Yonkers High School Class 2009: “Mr. Vigliotti has given me the impression of friendship. When I see him, it is not intimidating in any way; it is like talking with a good friend. As a blind student, his positive attitude has helped me through difficult challenges throughout my high school years, and I am sure that he has helped many other students similarly."

Ralph Vigliotti earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Arts from Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut, a Master of Science in Education from The City College of New York, and a Master’s Degree in School Administration from SUNY New Paltz. He is married and the father of three sons.