Martin Palermo, a William Floyd High School Chemistry teacher, is among just 19 people and one of only two K-12 teachers across the state who have been named to Governor Cuomo’s new “Reimagining Education” advisory council designed “to help districts reimagine schools as they prepare to reopen while protecting health and safety, how virtual learning can bridge the gap, and supplement face-to-face education when schools reopen.”

“Governor Cuomo made a great choice in appointing Mr. Palermo for his ‘Reimagining Education’ Advisory Council,” said Kevin M. Coster, Superintendent of Schools. “With his participation, we can be sure that the needs of the William Floyd School District and our community as a whole are taken into deep consideration. The district will work closely with Mr. Palermo on this new venture.”

Mr. Palermo has been a teacher at William Floyd High School for the past 14 years, four as a living environment teacher and the past 10 teaching Regents/Honors chemistry. He is a New York State Master Teacher Emeritus (NYS Master Teacher Class of 2015). In 2016, he received the Stony Brook University “40 Under Forty” award for “demonstrating achievements in education as well as exemplifying the spirit of Stony Brook University,” his alma mater. He is a published author in Chemistry Solutions and a peer-reviewer for the Journal of Chemical Education and a science education researcher. Mr. Palermo earned a Bachelor of Science in biology & chemistry and a Master’s in Teaching science from Stony Brook University. He is currently working toward a PhD in science education from Stony Brook University in the field of teacher leadership and science teacher turnover. 

“I am excited for the opportunity to utilize my experience as a teacher in the William Floyd School District, educational researcher at Stony Brook University and as parent in the South Country School District,” said Mr. Palermo. “I am committed to representing our community and all the communities throughout the state as they look to transform the future of education in New York.”  

The Reimagining Education Advisory Council - chaired by SUNY Empire State College President Jim Malatras - is comprised of lower and higher education leaders from across the state. According to Governor Cuomo’s office, the Council will work in collaboration with other experts and stakeholders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation “to answer key questions about what education should look like in the future using new technologies and to develop a blueprint to reimagine education in the new normal.”

“When we closed school facilities because of the COVID-19 virus, our teachers and students rose to the occasion, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their heroic work,” Governor Cuomo said in his announcement. “Like everything else, when we do reopen schools, it’s not just about reopening as they were before, it’s about building back even better than before. The collective expertise and experience of this new advisory council will help answer key questions about how we can strengthen New York’s entire education system for decades to come.”