Dutchess BOCES Career and Technical Institute’s new assistant principal, Damian Lamm, will support instruction and support teachers to “bridge the gap between the knowledge from working in the profession versus using that knowledge in a teacher setting so that knowledge can be imparted to students in the most effective way possible,” he said.
With almost 30 years of experience in the world of education, Lamm brings expertise and dedication to his new role. He has master’s degrees in school building leadership and learning technology from Mercy University, plus a bachelor’s in healthcare administration from St. John’s University. Early on in his career, Lamm taught a variety of subjects, including science, health, and physical education, before transitioning to school administration as a dean and assistant principal. His commitment to his work was recognized in 2011 when he was awarded the Thurgood Marshall African American Educators Award by the NAACP.
Lamm believes that designing instruction in a way that can truly engage students makes a world of difference. One of his goals is to take a deep dive into the curriculum to aid teaching practice and pedagogy; “What I don’t know specific to that aspect of that curriculum, I will use that as an advantage. I can take the position of a student,” Lamm said, explaining that by approaching things from the learning perspective of a student, he’ll be better able to help teachers improve their delivery.
One aspect that attracted Lamm to CTI is the unique and specific opportunities provided to students, as well as the outcomes after completing their program.
“It’s structured in a way to mitigate that question students often ask in class of ‘Why am I learning this?’” Lamm said. “Kids see the connection between what they are doing and how they can use it in the real world, and have a relatively short turnaround time between what they are doing here and entering the profession.”
Beyond his professional pursuits, Lamm enjoys staying active through basketball and skiing, spending time with his wife and two kids - including a recent trip to Ghana with his son - and reading… often multiple books at once!
“I’m happy to be here. I look forward to the experience. Let’s go Dutchess BOCES!”