Barbara F. Zimmerman

Remembering a dear friend and colleague

Barbara (Zim) Zimmerman, a dear friend and admired colleague to so many in the BOCES organization, died at Albany Medical Center on August 30 at age 51 as a result of the illness she courageously fought for many years.

Zimmerman began her career with the Capital Region BOCES Special Education division as a classroom teacher and ended here as a well-respected behavioral specialist. In 1991, Zimmerman developed and marketed her own unique consultant service through BOCES and was a tireless advocate for students with special needs and their families.

Zimmerman was a nationally recognized speaker on positive behavior management for children, presenting at conferences throughout the U.S. including the annual conference of the Council on Exceptional Children. She was also an accomplished author whose books included On Our Best Behavior: Positive Behavior-Management Strategies for the Classroom; Why Can't They Just Behave? A Guide to Managing Student Behavior Disorders; and The Best Fit: Creating the Right LRE for Your Students with Special Needs.

“It is not enough to say that Barb will be missed,” said Inge Jacobs, Special Education division director. “We all learned a great deal from her as did the many, many students that she helped as a behavior support consultant.”

“Barb was a compassionate and spirited educator who loved her work and was proud to have dedicated so much of her life to it. We're all very sorry to have lost her,” Jacobs concluded.

At her funeral, an inspirational letter composed by Zimmerman was read for her family and friends. To read more from Barbara Zimmerman, click here.
 

Funeral services for Zimmerman were held at the Levine Memorial Chapel in Albany on Monday, September 1, 2008. Those wishing to make contributions in Zimmerman’s name can do so to the Scleroderma Foundation, 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923.