On Friday, John Sawchuk, a devoted educator and former principal of Columbia High School, passed away unexpectedly. Sawchuk joined Columbia in 1999 and served as principal from 2006 to 2018, when he retired. He was a fervent supporter of all students and a prominent figure at Columbia.
During his time as principal, Mr. Sawchuk worked with staff, administrators, and school board members to establish new alternative programs, including the Columbia Alternate Program, JumpStart, the Centre for Therapeutic Academic Excellence Program, and Operation Graduation. Operation Graduation is a program designed for 12th graders who are at risk of not meeting their graduation requirements. All of these programs are still in operation today and are assisting students who require more supportive environments to succeed in high school.
Additionally, Sawchuk offered students opportunities for leadership and service through conferences and school events. He arranged full-day leadership conferences that featured guest speakers from a variety of sectors, including business, athletics, and law enforcement. He established the Rainbow Games at Columbia as a form of Special Olympics for special education students to engage in athletic competition. Additionally, he collaborated with the NYS Mentoring Program to offer peer-to-peer mentoring to Columbia and Goff students.
Sawchuk was most renowned for his role in averting a school massacre in 2004. He tackled a student who was firing a shotgun inside Columbia, thereby putting an end to the threat.
Sawchuk would continue to serve at the school for an additional 14 years before retiring in 2018 to relocate with his wife, Kathy, to North Carolina.
