When Tom Yorke was 19, he worked a construction job at Sharon Springs Central School.
He still has the hard hat.
He just never expected it would be hanging on the wall in the SSCS superintendent’s office, a job that will be his when Pat Green retires in June after 33 years in teaching and administration, nearly half that time in Sharon.
Mr. Green started teaching at Middleburgh Central School--where he worked under both Bob and Frank Herodes—before moving to Cobleskill-Rchmondville’s Golding School as a high school assistant principal under Bill Downs in 2001.
He became principal at SSCS in 2001 and then, when schools everywhere were facing severe financial challenges, both principal and superintendent in 2006.
Mr. Green hired Mr. Yorke as an SSCS English teacher in 2004, remembering him from their Golding days—Mr. Yorke as student—“as a good kid. I wanted to give him a shot,” he said.
“You can teach teaching, but not character and integrity. Tom has both and I think I saw that from the beginning. He’s been a great fit and I’m proud to leave SSCS in his hands.”
Mr. Green won’t be going far though; for the 2021-22 school year he’ll be working part-time as deputy superintendent to help Mr. Yorke and Tony DiPace, business manager since 2001 and the third member of the administrative team, with the transition.
“What I wish for Tom is that he continues our vision of drawing strength from Sharon’s smallness,” he said.
“The sky’s the limit here and that’s what’s given me the most satisfaction.”
Sharon’s smallness is definitely something he embraced from the start, Mr. Yorke said, serving as a coach and class advisor in his first year.
He also helped lead SSCS into the iPad era as a technology coach for fellow teachers and as a BOCES Model Schools instructor, and is a two-time Apple Distinguished Schools Application Author.
He’s been serving as principal for the last two years.
What makes Mr. Yorke maybe most unique, though, is the fact that he grew up in Richmondville and is a Schoharie County native.
“I think that definitely gives you a better look into how a community is put together. How things work and what’s important,” he said. “It’s the best kind of small.
“I’ve been able to build relationships here that I never expected and under Pat and Tony’s leadership, I’ve had a chance to succeed. That’s the same kind of opportunities we want to give our students. Fit is important and yes, Sharon has always been a good fit for me.”