Release

UAlbany CASDA Director Receives School Administrators' Mort Thau Award

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 437-4980

ALBANY, N.Y. (December 21, 2005) -- Jeffery McLellan, executive director of the University at Albany's Capital Area School District Association (CASDA), received the Mort Thau Award at the New York State Association of School Personnel Administrators (NYSASPA) Annual Conference in October, held in Cooperstown. The Mort Thau Award recognizes outstanding leadership in personnel administration and innovation and improvement in school personnel programs of the long-standing members of NYSASPA.

McLellan, a Syracuse native, took over as executive director of CASDA in January 2005. Previously, he was superintendent of the Schalmont School District. McLellan is the immediate past president of NYSASPA and a member of the Development and Review Committee for the State Education Department and National Evaluation Systems.

The Capital Area School District Association is one of several outreach arms of the School of Education at the University at Albany, and provides services to 120 schools districts. Organized in 1949, CASDA is the largest program of its kind in the nation, and serves as a cooperative planning and development unit which promotes cooperation and exchange between the School of Education and affiliated school districts.

The Mort Thau Award was named in honor of Great Neck native Thau for his contributions to education and school personnel administration. Thau graduated from Great Neck High School in 1941 and was an All-American soccer player at Springfield College, where he received his bachelor's degree in health and physical education. After a three-year stint in the armed services, Thau earned his master's degree from New York University in 1951. He began his teaching career at Geneseo State Teachers College, and later taught health and physical education at City College of New York. In 1961, he was appointed assistant superintendent for personnel and served in that capacity until his death in 1978 at the age of 54.