September 1, 2011

Hilton Central Schools names Dr. Barbara Surash Executive Director for Education 

Hilton Central School District Superintendent of Schools David Dimbleby has announced that Dr. Barbara Surash will serve in the newly-created position of Executive Director for Education.  Dr. Surash will oversee the District's K-12 instructional program.  Previously she served as Director of Secondary Education and Professional Development and was an English Language Arts teacher at Hilton High School.  She is facilitator of the Hilton CSD Leadership Council. 

She was also honored in May 2011 by the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development with the GVASCD Curriculum Award for her work in the Hilton Schools.  "The work we have done in the Hilton School District in the area of curriculum is not something done by just one person—it is a team effort," Dr. Surash said.  "In Hilton we are encouraged to take risks with the goal of creating the best educational experience we can for our students. My former colleague, Mark Bower, and I have made a concerted effort to move our curriculum to concept-based which encourages students to become thinkers and problem-solvers."

She is a SUNY Binghamton graduate in English and History and holds a MS in Secondary Education from SUNY Brockport.  She received an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Rochester Warner School of Education and Human Development in 2007.  Her thesis concerned educational leadership in the secondary setting.

In addition, Dr. Surash was instrumental in Hilton High School becoming an authorized International Baccalaureate Diploma program. The International Baccalaureate Program at Hilton High School which has graduated 35 students with the IB Diploma since its inception, employs a comprehensive, balanced curriculum that incorporates high standards of assessment with a focus on international understanding.    Students may earn either an IB diploma or individual IB course certificates.  Currently the District is studying the feasibility of instituting a Middle Years International Baccalaureate Programme. Quest Elementary has an authorized Primary Years Programme.

For further information, please Dr. Surash at 585-392-1000 ext. 6062 or visit the Hilton CSD Instruction Office.