[Photos provided]
SOUTH GLENS FALLS — Susan Moore-Palumbo has been a teacher for 32 years, 20 spent in the South Glens Falls school district, and the first 12 at Albany High School. Moore-Palumbo has a master’s in education; she teaches AP Biology and Forensics. This year, she also taught Living Environment for 29 years. Moore-Palumbo co-wrote the Forensics course used at the high school with a colleague, tweaking it over the years upon reflection. She also taught the Facial Reconstruction portion of the course to other educators in the area with the colleague she co-wrote the class with.
“In addition, we did fundraisers through Barnes and Noble so that we could take our students to the Bodies Exhibit in NYC. We took the field trip for about six years, before the museum was wiped out by Hurricane Sandy. Many of the kids had never been to New York City before and they loved the museum and the boat ride we took around the harbor to see the Statue of Liberty. I have collaborated with many of my colleagues to write curriculum to make science content more engaging and relevant to student lives which in turn helps students to be interested in science and helps them to be successful in high school,” Moore-Palumbo stated.
Moore-Palumbo comes from a long line of educators that includes her mother, grandmother, and aunts.
“I knew from an early age I wanted to go into education, but my parents really didn’t want me to. So, I went into biology instead and got my biology degree, worked in industry for year, and then decided to go back for my master’s in education. My mother had taught in the city schools in Syracuse and all of her friends tried to dissuade me from education. They just thought that it was a hard profession, but it’s where my heart is. Once I went into it they were very proud of me,” she explained.
Moore-Palumbo is also a Key Club adviser.
“Key Club is a service organization, the high school arm of Kiwanis. As an adviser, it gives me a chance to share my passion for volunteering with my students and to teach them to be service-oriented. We volunteer for bell ringing for Salvation army, have made dog toys for a local shelter, have an annual dinner for senior citizens before our school play, helped at Moreau State park, etc. We try to do at least one service project each month,” she said.
Aside from teaching, Moore-Palumbo is a very active volunteer in the community. For six years, she served as the timing chief and in other capacities for the Saratoga Rowing Association, where her son was on the team. She was also a Cub Scout Leader, a Literacy Board member, Boy Scouts of America Science Merit Badge Counselor, and with her husband, Wilton Rotary Club Volunteer of the Year in the 1990s. Moore-Palumbo was also instrumental in the creation of Rebuilding Together Saratoga County as a founding board member. Though she no longer serves on the board, she is still a site captain and volunteer coordinator each year.
“If there is a need, Susan is the first person to raise her hand and offer to help. She is compassionate, caring, and willing to go the extra mile for folks in need,” said Michelle Larkin, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Saratoga County.
Moore-Palumbo met her husband of 31 years, Frank, at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. Frank is a landscape architect and they have two sons, Colin and Peter. In her free time, she loves to be outside, either walking, hiking, or skiing. She is also an avid traveler, having been to several countries in Europe, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, and the Czech Republic.
“Costa Rica is a biologist’s dream come true. It’s fabulous because of that. To be in a rain forest was amazing,” she said.
In the summer, Moore-Palumbo teaches an aquatic eco course and an environmental science course through St. Rose. She is retiring from South Glens Falls in June 2018.
“Going into education is a great career and I think sometimes as teachers we dissuade kids from going into education but it’s a wonderful field if you love it and I’ve always loved what I’ve done. I have incredible colleagues. It’s a lot of fun to be an educator,” Moore-Palumbo said.
