The East Greenbush Central School District regrets to notify the school community of the untimely death on Friday of John Sawchuk, a devoted teacher and former Columbia High School administrator.
After joining Columbia in 1999, Mr. Sawchuk held the position of principal from 2006 until his retirement in 2018. He was a pillar of the Columbia community and a supporter of every student.
In order to introduce new alternative programs like the Columbia Alternate Program, JumpStart, the Center for Therapeutic Academic Excellence Program, and Operation Graduation—a program for 12th graders who are at risk of not meeting their graduation requirements—Mr. Sawchuk worked with staff, administrators, and school board members during his time as principal. These programs are still in place today and continue to support children who require more encouraging surroundings in order to succeed in high school.
Additionally, through conferences and school events, Mr. Sawchuk gave students chances for leadership and service. He arranged all-day leadership conferences featuring speakers from a variety of industries, including business, law enforcement, and sports. He created the Columbia Rainbow Games, a sports competition for special education children that resembled the Special Olympics. Additionally, he collaborated with the NYS mentorship Program to offer Goff and Columbia students peer-to-peer mentorship.
When he broke the tragic news about Mr. Sawchuk to the staff via email on Friday, Superintendent Jeff Simons wrote, “I had the good fortune to work with John in my first two years.” “During our brief collaboration, I got the impression that John would stop at nothing to support a child’s success.”
Mr. Sawchuk gained notoriety outside the neighborhood for putting a halt to a school massacre in 2004 when he confronted a student inside Columbia who was brandishing a shotgun.
After 14 additional years of employment at the school, Mr. Sawchuk retired in 2018 to relocate to North Carolina with his spouse, Kathy.
“John did excellent work at Columbia High School and the East Greenbush CSD,” according to Terrance Brewer, the previous superintendent. His emphasis in education was always on children. John led Columbia with distinction during extremely difficult circumstances. His capacity to collaborate with faculty, staff, and the community to elevate Columbia High School to a preeminent academic institution will live on in his memory.
Though Mr. Sawchuk may have been a formidable presence in the Columbia corridors, his genuine concern for children was always apparent.
Mr. Sawchuk congratulated the students at the 2017 Operation Graduation commencement event, saying:
“It has been a pleasure working with you all. I am aware that our discussions haven’t always been the most enjoyable. Many of you, I seem to recall, asked, “Why don’t you just back off?” I used to tell you that when someone simply walks away from you, it’s a surefire indication that they’ve given up on you. Here, we never give up on our pupils. We also didn’t give up on you.
We offer our sympathies to his friends, coworkers, and family. When details about the arrangements become available, we will notify the school community
