Troy High School Principal Recognized for Diversity Initiative

Principal Mark Dziatczak was named a 2012 Diversity Champion Thursday at the 13th Annual Diversity Champion Honor Roll, which was sponsored by Birmingham's Community House Race Relations and Diversity Task Force. Principal Dziatczak accepted the award along with others at an award breakfast Thursday morning. 

Troy High School parent Jennifer Hilzinger submitted the nomination with the following description of Mr. Dziatczak's diversity work at Troy High School: 

It is my great honor to nominate Mark Dziatczak for a Diversity Champion Award for 2012. Mark Dziatczak, in his seven short years as principal of Troy High, has not been satisfied to sit back and reap the rewards offered to his school annually for their high achieving students.  He certainly could.  However, Mark has chosen to peek under the rugs, analyze data and more data, consult with experts, and learn what he needed to know to live up to the school's mission of learning and respect for all.  Mark is a leader in every sense of the word and is very deserving of this honor of 2012 Diversity Champion.

Awards recipients were encouraged to bring guests to the award ceremony, and Dziatczak chose to invite current Troy Diversity Project (TDP) leader and counselor Ms. Jesse Allgeier, and student TDP leaders Katlyn Moss, Baraka Nasari, Isiah Dillard, and Usman Mirza. Dziatczak cited the work of parents, students and all staff members at Troy High School as the ones truly responsible for the positive work on Troy's diverse campus.

"It is our job to work together to make sure that every student at Troy High School is an accepted member of this wonderful learning community," he said.

The school continues to monitor data and work with constituents to make every classroom the most inclusive it can be for each student. Annually, the student-led Troy Diversity Project hosts special events, guest speakers, and inclusion activities on campus to promote acceptance for all. 

Recently, the school held a diversity performance night featuring 17 individual and group student numbers showcasing the diverse singing, musicianship, dancing, and poetic talents of the Troy High School students.  Keynote speaker Dr. Jay B. Marks of the Oakland Intermediate School District delivered a powerful keynote address to the packed audience using the TDP motto to reinforce that "It's Not Cool" to contribute to intolerance in our society.

Mr. Dziatczak has served the Troy School District for his entire 15-year career as and educator and leader while spending the last seven years as principal at Troy High School.  Prior to his current position, he worked at Athens High School as an assistant principal after spending three years teaching mathematics, science, and technology courses at Athens.  He cites the work of others as critical to the creation of an accepting environment on a high school campus. 

"Acceptance cannot be achieved without understanding, and understanding is only facilitated when people come together, have courageous conversations, and recognize the positive differences of others," he said. "Without our constituents' willingness to make a positive difference, our diversity initiatives would not have been as successful. 

"Troy High has such an amazingly diverse and forward thinking community. We are very fortunate."

The preceding information was submitted by Kerry Birmingham/Troy School District.