Kevin Trentowski, director of health, Physical Education and Athletics for the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District was named a Long Island 2020 Administrator of the Year by the Council of Administrators and Supervisors. The award recognizes his achievements and contributions as an effective educational leader.
“Mr. Trentowski is an intelligent, purposeful, kind leader who leads by example,” said Janna Ostroff, K-12 Supervisor of Science and Technology for Instruction, who nominated him for the award.
During his eight years in his position, he has led a robust athletic program despite the District’s small size, which includes fencing, crew and golf, in addition to the standard athletic programs, and has successfully advocated for a turf field and field house at Vernon School to improve the playing conditions for athletes.
Through his collaboration with teachers, he has worked to modify and expand the health and physical education curriculum and has promoted the importance of character, empathy and service through various recognition programs, including Breakfast of Champions, which he started and has become a District tradition. In this program, teachers recognize students who exemplify good character by reading their nomination essays to an audience of families and staff members, and presenting students with a framed picture of themselves on a “Wheaties” cereal box, the cereal famously proclaimed as the “breakfast of champions.”
Ostroff further noted Trentowski ‘s efforts to re-imagine the physical education and health curricula. In addition to standard health and physical education classes, Trentowski added several courses such as Health Education: Advocacy and Action, which allows students to co-create curriculum; Physical Education Partners, which pairs students with and without disabilities to work on physical education units that promote team building and collaboration; and Mindfulness-Based Physical Education, a popular elective where students learn about mind-body integration fitness activities such as Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and Bosu Ball.
Mr. Trentowski has cultivated a wide array of relationships with District stakeholders and the greater educational community, and has generously devoted his time to support his coaches and teachers, according to a letter of support by Dr. Ryan O’Hara, K-12 Supervisor of English, Reading, and Library Media for the District. “The great leaders …never look to take the credit,” Dr. O’Hara wrote. “They are constantly noticing the great work of others without calling out the work they did to help the others do great work. Kevin is one of these leaders.”
Trentowski expressed his appreciation for the award by saying, “I am honored and humbled to be recognized for this award by my colleagues. Their support reaffirms a vision I had for the District and I am proud to be able to make that vision a reality, thanks to the support of our Board of Education, Administration, teachers, coaches and students that make up our great Oyster Bay-East Norwich school community.”
