Thumbs up Ivana Hite, Westfield Academy and Central School principal, for being named School Administrators Association of New York State High School Principal of the Year for Region 12, which covers Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. Hite has served at Westfield Academy and Central School for 32 years in positions ranging French and Spanish teacher to principal. Hite was nominated for the award, which encompasses 140 schools, including the districts of Rochester and Buffalo, by Brocton Principal Liz Antolina. “I wanted these larger schools to realize that there is a lot of good things going on in my building and I’m proud of that,” Hite said. “We graduate anywhere from 55 to 60 kids every year, but we are Middle States accredited. We have the first music educator to win a Grammy Award. We have a New York state master teacher, and many other distinctions. I am fortunate to work with some of the best educators.” Westfield Academy and Central School is, indeed, all of those good things — due in part to the career of Ivana Hite. Kudos on a well-deserved honor.

Thumbs down to the removal or theft of political campaign signs in Jamestown. The city has a contested Republican primary for mayor on June 26, and according to the Friends of Andrew Liuzzo Facebook page, his signs are among those that have been coming up missing. Whether one agrees with a candidate or not, the theft of campaign signs is simply not acceptable. The Jamestown Police Department said in a news release earlier this week that those caught stealing campaign signs can be charged with petit larceny and trespass.

Thumbs up to good neighbors on Chautauqua Lake who helped prevent a bad situation from becoming tragic. On Sunday, a 28-foot boat sunk about a half a mile away from the Ellery overlook. The boat’s occupants were taken to shore by a passing boat and no injuries were reported. One never knows what will happen if they are stranded in the middle of the lake, so thank goodness for the passing boater who chose not to simply pass by the stranded and sinking vessel.