S U L L I V A N
BOCES
W H E R E
F U T U R E S
FALL
(845)
B E G I N
&
D R E A M S
A R E
A C H I E V E D
2022
295-4000
|
SCBOCES.ORG
INDEX Sullivan BOCES Recognizes Staff Milestones BOCES Bids Farewell & Newly Tenured School Board Appreciation Week
Nov. 1 Conference Day (No Students)
District Administrators Come Together for County-wide Retreat
Nov. 11 Veterans Day (BOCES Closed)
Career & Tech to Launch New Programs
Nov. 23-25 Thanksgiving (No Students) Nov. 24 & 25 Thanksgiving (BOCES Closed)
Meeting the Needs of our Changing Students & Community
Dec. 23-Jan 2 Winter Recess (No Students)
Striving to Increase Family Engagement
Dec. 23, 26 Christmas (BOCES Closed)
Sullivan County School Boards Association Honors BOCES Outstanding Educators and Friend to Education Rubin Pollack Education Center Transforms to Accommodate Elementary Programs Classes at Garnet Health and SUNY Sullivan are Back in Session Students Have a Sense of Pride Career & Tech Expo Halloween 2022
The Edge is a publication of the Sullivan BOCES Communications Division
ABOUT SULLIVAN BOCES Sullivan County BOCES delivers a wide-range of instructional and management services to its eight component school districts and several other districts outside the county. Our three hundred staff members collaborate with our partners to create solutions to educational challenges, increase operational efficiencies, and reduce costs. We improve student success by providing quality educational experiences, helping students achieve their goals, learn skills, increase knowledge and develop a work ethic for the 21st century.
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BOARD OF EDUCATION Linda Berkowicz, President - Fallsburg Linda Fisk, Vice President - Livingston Manor Carol Bliefernich - Eldred Susan Horton - Monticello Kenneth Hilton - Sullivan West Carol Park - Roscoe Anthony Sinacore - Liberty Keith Stryker - Tri-Valley Simmie Williams III - At-Large
Where Futures Begin & Dreams Are Achieved!
SULLIVAN BOCES RECOGNIZES STAFF MILESTONES For thirty-six staff members, the 2022-2023 school year started with special recognition. District Superintendent Robert M. Dufour, Ed. D. shared his gratitude and recognized each for reaching distinct years of service milestones in their careers. Dr. Dufour also shared some memorable facts regarding the year each group started working at Sullivan BOCES.
5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Years of Service Dennis Barnett
Todd Kotkin
Jennifer Buschmann
John Larson
Samantha Damms
Jessica Olsen
Jessica Dayton
Justin Orapello
Robert Dufour
Adam Riehl
Sara Haynes
Stacey Sattler
Jacqueline Johnson
Maria Sommer
Years of Service Jacqueline Gieger
Frederick Muller
Kurt Mall
Jennifer Pantel
Cynthia McKay
Years of Service Laura Crowley
Rebecca Stanton
Stacey Bendle
Laura White-
Bonnie Peters
Henderson
Years of Service Lisa Bercze
Debra Ladenhauf
Erin Hadjstylianos
Bernard Lohmann
Donna Hemmer
Dawn Parsons
Years of Service Willow Atkins
Elise Wilkerson
Alan Morgenstern
Years of Service Teri Knight
Years of Service Margaret Lindstadt
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Barbara Robinson
BOCES BIDS FAREWELL
u o y k Than
for your Knowledge & Dedication!
Sullivan BOCES bid farewell to two dedicated employees as they started a new chapter in
Lori Ansbro, Sr. Typist
life - Retirement! It is always sad to see staff leave, but BOCES wishes each of the retirees a wonderful retirement.
Retirees: Lori Ansbro - Business Office (23 yrs.) Christina Jurgens - Career & Tech Ed (6 yrs.)
Christina Jurgens, Culinary Instructor
NEWLY TENURED!
Patricia Hoag, Kayla Legnini, Amy Wolcott, and Lacy Jones
Sullivan BOCES is proud to announce the tenure appointment of Amy Wolcott, Career & Tech Teacher; Anna Nelson, Special Education Teacher, Kayla Legnini, Special Education Teacher; Lacy Jones, Speech Pathologist; Kaitlin Lacey, Social Worker; Jennifer Walsh, Social Worker, and Patricia Hoag, Teaching Assistant. The Board of Education honored their accomplishment at the October Board meeting.
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School Board Appreciation Week
Seated: (Left to right) Linda Fisk, Carol Park, Linda Berkowicz, Carol Bliefernich, and Susan Horton Standing: Keith Stryker, Kenneth Hilton, Anthony Sinacore, and Simmie Williams, III
October 17-21, 2022, was School Board Recognition
“It takes strong schools to build a strong
Week. During this week, school districts across the
community, and these men and women devote
state had the chance to recognize the people who
countless hours to making sure our schools are
volunteer their time to help guide educational
helping every child learn at a higher level,” said
practices to achieve the highest student
Robert M. Dufour, Ed. D. District Superintendent at
performance.
Sullivan BOCES. “They make tough decisions
At Sullivan BOCES, this is also a time for the students to show their gratitude to the nine community members who comprise the BOCES Board of Education. Students from our elementary
monthly and spend many hours studying education issues and regulations to create the kind of accountability our component districts and parents expect.”
and secondary programs, along with the Career & Tech (CTE) students, crafted items for the Board to show off the skills they have learned in their respective programs. This year, the Board received artwork from students, CTE gift certificates, paperweights, and painted blocks.
Thank you
to the BOCES board and our component district board members for everything you do!
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All school districts have a diverse student and community population!
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS COME TOGETHER FOR COUNTY-WIDE RETREAT
School administrators across Sullivan County came
Dr. Bradwell told a story about a recent Ithaca Public
together in August for a County-wide Administrative
Schools Board of Education meeting. Students
Retreat to discuss educational equity, staffing,
across the district were asked what they thought
conversational engagement, and participate in a
schools should do to promote a feeling of belonging
county-wide school safety forum.
for all students. A fifth grade class asked if they could do a presentation to the school board. The night of
The keynote for the session was Dr. Sean Eversley
the presentation, the entire class attended. There
Bradwell, an assistant professor in the Department of
was just one slide in the presentation. It said, “We
Education at Ithaca College, faculty associate for
need to be Seen, Known and Heard.”
Ithaca's Martin Luther King Scholars Program, and President of the Board of Education in the Ithaca City School District. Dr. Bradwell held the room's attention as he spoke of the theory and action behind educational equity. During the discussion, he gave a different perspective and suggestions on how districts can expand their existing efforts by using an equity framework to provide educational equity amongst all students regardless of their barriers. “When you are an educator, you always need to be conscious about being inclusive in your actions and provide equity to all students,” stated Dr. Bradwell.
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Roberta Greene, from the Mid-Hudson School Study Council (MHSSC), provided information on the research the MHSSC has been doing related to the changing landscape in staffing schools, particularly in administrative positions. She outlined opportunities for aspiring administrators to earn advanced leadership degrees leading to certification as School Building Leader (SBL) and/or School District Leader (SDL) through a program developed by MHSSC in partnership with SUNY New Paltz.
Engaging communication practices is something every organization strives toward, especially when addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The group at Huelife gave an overview of how you can unlock genuine engagement when you understand individual personalities and use an inclusive conversation framework (HUE™ Conversations). During this presentation, administrators learned how to lead discussions for engagement and discovery resulting in shared appreciation and understanding that drives teams toward better-informed decisions and actions. They were also introduced to a web-based personality assessment called Lumina Spark, which identifies strengths and areas that may need development in regard to several personality traits.
The afternoon featured a School Safety Forum with Sullivan County District Attorney Meagan Galligan, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department, the Sullivan County Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security, the Sullivan County Bureau of Fire, and local Chiefs of Police from Liberty, Fallsburg, and Monticello. This interactive session allowed district administrators time to discuss critical safety practices with the panel of Law enforcement agencies and establish a plan to share district information that will improve response time and overall safety for students and staff.
“Having conversations like this is so important. We are fortunate to have such a great group of law enforcement organizations dedicated to working with our districts to keep our students and staff safe,” said Robert M. Dufour, Ed.D., District Superintendent at BOCES.
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CAREER & TECH TO LAUNCH NEW PROGRAMS
The Career & Tech Center at Sullivan BOCES is proud to announce two new programs for the 2023-2024 school year Electrical Trades and Fire Science/EMT. Both programs will provide students with the training needed to fill vital positions and positively impact the workforce of Sullivan County. As many know, an electrician is a skilled tradesperson that plays a vital role within the construction industry - and the need for these skilled workers is quickly growing. Electric is a current unit of study within the BOCES Construction program, but the new Electrical Trades Program will expand that knowledge and solely focus on wiring and installations of residential and commercial electrical systems using current industry standards, materials, and procedures to support current green technology practices. Students in this program will work alongside industry professionals in their work-based learning projects and learn basic safety procedures, blueprint reading, and the tools used within the industry while getting OSHA certified and their Home Energy Analysis Technician (HEAT) certification. All of which will prepare them to excel in college, apprenticeships, or eventually opening their own business.
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“The Career & Tech Center, continually looks to expand its program offerings based on communal needs and the interests of our students. I am confident that these two programs will spark a lot of interest among future students and help fill vital roles within our workforce.” Jeffrey Molusky, Executive Principal at the Career & Tech Center.
The Fire Science/EMS Program is designed for students interested in becoming volunteer or professional firefighters or working in the emergency medical services(EMS) field - positions that are always in high demand. Sullivan BOCES has partnered with Sullivan County to provide this valuable course for students, hoping that it will help generate more interest and assist local departments in training future volunteers. According to John Hauschild, Sullivan County Fire Coordinator 53-1, Emergency Services Training Center Coordinator at the Division of Public Safety/Bureau of Fire, the Sullivan County Bureau of Fire enthusiastically supports this new program, as it promises to draw students who will pursue a career in the fire service, whether volunteer or paid. “Instead of having to choose between afterschool activities and firefighter training, our local young people will be able to take fire service classes during the day and still participate in sports and clubs in the afternoon and evening. The end result is that we’ll have more well-trained members in our local fire departments, who themselves will be able to help us recruit even more critically-needed volunteers through our “Join Sullivan Fire” task force,” said Hauschild. This unique program consists of one year of study for each component. Year one focuses on Fire Science, and year two focuses on emergency response and becoming an emergency medical technician (EMT). Throughout both years, students will learn from industry professionals and follow the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control curriculum and the New York State EMT curriculum, allowing them to sit for the following industry exams. New York State Basic Exterior Firefighter Operations (BEFO) SCBA/Interior Firefighting Operations (IFO) National Firefighter 1 New York State Certified First Responder (CFR) Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) As with other CTE programs, the new programs will allow students to earn credits toward graduation and get training that will benefit them throughout their
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lives.
MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR CHANGING STUDENTS & COMMUNITY Students attending Sullivan BOCES come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have a broad range of
Diversity asks, “Who’s in the room?” Equity responds, “Who is trying to get in the room but can’t?”
needs. They attend BOCES to learn the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in an increasingly diverse workplace, community, and society. Because of this, BOCES is committed to implementing strong diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices.
Inclusion asks, “Has everyone’s ideas been heard?”
Maria Sommer, Assistant Superintendent and
The group remained engaged as they heard real-life
Coordinator of the DEI Committee at Sullivan BOCES
examples and shared their own experiences of how
stated, “Our efforts to provide our students and staff
to deal with situations revolving around the impact
with a safe place where they are welcomed, valued,
of diversity. The session also included several
and respected for who they are as individuals is just
breakout activities where participants could practice
the beginning to our DEI efforts. We are also
anti-racism methods and use their new skills to
committed to providing our staff with resources to
create a culture of accountability.
continually evolve their knowledge and help make a “I hope that after today’s presentation and activities,
difference in society.”
people will become more comfortable talking
On October 7, the staff at BOCES heard firsthand from
through conversations relating to identity and
Dr. LB Hannahs, from Tangible Development, on how
privilege. These types of conversations can be
to meet the needs of our changing students and
difficult, so having this workshop today will make
community. The goal of the session was to develop a
people more at ease to be able to approach these
common understanding of and the distinction
conversations in a safe and respectful way,” added
between diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and anti-
Hannahs.
racism language and practices. The group also explored the impact of culture, socialization, and
According to one participant, “The session was
identity on accountability while practicing skills that
extremely engaging and helpful. Our student
lead to creating a culture of accountability.
population is very diverse, and we do our best to accept our students for who they are, so today’s
Dr. Hannahs set the tone for the day by expressing
presentation reinforces that element of what we do
how elevating the understanding of DEI is so
and has given us another perspective and additional
important, especially in the educational setting where
tips on how we can provide students with a safe and
students are exposed to diverse populations and are
respectful learning environment.”
coming into their own as young adults.
Points of Interest Diversity focuses on numbers. Equity focus on policies and practices. Inclusion is the work to make sure everyone feels like they belong.
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SULLIVAN BOCES STRIVES TO INCREASE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT Over the summer, Sullivan BOCES released its Strategic Plan for the 2022-2025 school years. Within the plan is the goal of increasing family engagement. BOCES has taken several steps to meet that goal, one has been to create a Student/Parent Support Council, and the other is utilizing ParentSquare as its new communication platform. The Support Council is a group of parents, teachers, staff, board members, and community stakeholders meeting three to four times a year to educate families and improve the educational experience at Sullivan BOCES. Its meetings will consist of sharing information on current topics and processes and allow time for its members to give invaluable input on the needs of our students and their families. ParentSquare is a school communication tool that allows school districts to communicate with parents, guardians, and staff. The new platform will not replace the traditional phone calls, emails, and text messages sent in the past, but instead will promote enhanced communication for everyone involved. ParentSquare permits parents and staff to either log into their online account or download the app, so they can view all messages in one centralized location. It will also allow for real-time language translation and grant families the ability to easily update their contact information as needed. Parents and guardians with students currently enrolled at Sullivan BOCES should automatically receive messages from ParentSquare. To provide parents with a complete experience, BOCES has sent
Download the ParentSquare App
email invitations to all parents to activate their ParentSquare account. Parents who create an account can interact by viewing posts, downloading attachments, leaving comments, messaging teachers, signing permission slips, and managing their communication settings and preferences. Those who do not register will still receive text, email, and phone notifications, but their experience will be limited. “BOCES hopes that ParentSquare’s intuitive, two-way platform will foster greater communication and family involvement,” said Donna Hemmer, Director of Communications at Sullivan BOCES.
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ParentSquare can also be accessed via the website at
www.parentsquare.com
SULLIVAN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION HONORS BOCES OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS AND FRIEND TO EDUCATION
Sullivan BOCES is honored to have three individuals recognized by the Sullivan County School Boards Association as Outstanding Educators or Outstanding Friend to Education. All three of these individuals were nominated for their contributions and dedication to educating the students of Sullivan County. Catherine Freda, Career & Tech Allied Health and New Vision Health instructor at Sullivan BOCES, joined the BOCES team in 2003 as the Career & Tech Licensed Practical Nurse instructor and has held several positions within the Health Occupations programs. Under Catherine’s guidance, her students continuously meet and exceed expectations. She has led her students to significant accomplishments academically and at SkillsUSA Regional, State, and National competitions. “I can not think of another teacher who commits as many hours, devoting countless evenings and weekends to create a program for her students to thrive,” said Jeffrey Molusky, Executive Principal of the Career & Tech Center. “Her dedication to making a difference in her students' and community members’ lives is commendable.” “I have many colleagues who are outstanding teachers, and it is truly humbling to have been selected for this award. The amazing team I work with in Health Occupations and throughout Career and Tech has always supported and inspired me in my teaching career. I want to express many thanks to all of them.” said Freda.
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Laura White-Henderson, School Social Worker at Sullivan BOCES, has worked in the Special Education Program since 2007. Laura demonstrates a high degree of skill, knowledge, and ethics in her daily practice to meet the mental health needs of students and is highly respected by her peers. Her dedication to her students and their families does not end at the school day. She often provides follow-up, support, and guidance to students and families beyond the scope of the typical school social worker. She utilizes available resources and diligently works to connect families with these resources to benefit her students. “Ms. White-Henderson is a leader among her peers and often provides guidance and direction for other team members. She provides structure and believes in empowering children to make choices, learn from missteps, and reflect on their experiences to attain tangible growth. She is truly an asset to Sullivan BOCES,” said Adam Riehl, Executive Principal of Administration at Sullivan BOCES. “The opportunity to work with my students and their families for the past 15 years has been one of my most profoundly rewarding experiences. Being honored for doing what you love makes this award so incredibly meaningful to me,” stated WhiteHenderson.
OUTSTANDING FRIEND TO EDUCATION Jean Hewlett has been the Executive Assistant to the District Superintendent and Board Clerk at Sullivan BOCES since 2019. During this time, she continually goes above and beyond in her dual role. Jean is known for her friendly and gracious personality and makes everyone feel welcome. Her ability to handle various tasks is impeccable, and her dedication is unwavering. Jean is truly a team player and takes on any role needed for the organization. During the pandemic, she filled a vital role and coordinated the testing and reporting of the data to the state. “I have come to think of Jean as magical,” said Linda Berkowicz, BOCES Board President. “She finds the answers to every question and is a great resource for BOCES and the BOCES Board of Education.” "I am honored to have Jean as my assistant,” said District Superintendent
“It is an honor to work for such a wonderful organization whose main
Robert M. Dufour, Ed.D., “We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and
priority is the education and well-being
professional team at BOCES.”
of the students of Sullivan County, and to represent all of the amazing staff that work for Sullivan BOCES,” Jean Hewlett.
RUBIN POLLACK EDUCATION CENTER TRANSFORMS TO ACCOMMODATE ELEMENTARY PROGRAMS The BOCES operations and maintenance staff had a busy summer transforming several areas within the Rubin Pollack Education Center to create new spaces for the students and staff moving from the White Sulphur Springs School. They did a phenomenal job building areas to house a counseling suite, an elementary nurses’ office, and a comfort closet, just to name a few. These new areas will benefit our students and provide them with locations that will support their individual needs. Front row (Left to right): Thomas Moran, Martin Meyer, and Justin Tate Back: Kurt Mall, Fahim Basic and Christopher Sullivan
According to Mary Lederman, Elementary School Nurse at Sullivan BOCES, “Our new elementary nurse’s office is ideal for our students. It’s located in the elementary wing, which makes it ideal for those times when our little ones need a little health care.”
“I am proud of our maintenance team. They did a fantastic job transforming existing rooms into spaces that meet the Counseling Suite
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needs of our students and staff,” said Kurt Mall, Interim Director of Facilities at Sullivan BOCES.
CLASSES AT GARNET HEALTH AND SUNY SULLIVAN ARE BACK IN SESSION FOR CAREER & TECH STUDENTS Through BOCES’ partnership with Garnet Health and SUNY Sullivan, students attending the Career & Tech Allied Health, Health Occupations, New Vision Health, Broadcasting & Music Production, Innovative Design, and Public Safety Services have had classroom settings that allowed them to study in real-life work environments or have given them exposure to higher education collaboration opportunities. During the pandemic, due to various restrictions, the students attending these programs had to be masked and vaccinated or relocated to another facility. Now that the restrictions have been reduced and the facilities are returning to everyday operating practices, the students have returned to their classrooms. For the programs located at Garnet, this has had a sizable impact, as students are now able to work in a healthcare setting and have the opportunity to shadow healthcare professionals, giving them an enriched educational experience. According to Jeff Molusky, Executive Principal at the Career & Tech Center, “Garnet and SUNY Sullivan’s COVID requirements over the last two years have made it difficult for students. However, with continued collaboration, our students are all back in their respective classrooms.” “I am very happy that we can have our classes at Garnet Health, said a New Vision Health student. “I’ve been looking forward to the opportunities it offers our class. Garnet Health is great in allowing us to shadow people in the various departments and see what it’s like to work in the healthcare field.”
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STUDENTS HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE As the students entered the Career & Tech Center for the first time this school year, they had a sense of unity. Throughout the hallway, students were greeted by welcoming staff as well as current and historical images, mascots, and jerseys from each of our component school districts and Ellenville CSD. According to Lindsay McCoy, Data Base Clerk for the Career & Tech Center and coordinator of the hallway project, “The districts were excited to contribute to our project, and the students were thrilled and proud to see the items from their home schools.” The project has not only created a sense of pride among the students, but it has also created an environment for all to enjoy.
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CAREER & TECH EXPO Over nine hundred 5th & 8th-grade students from Sullivan County school districts visited the Career & Technical Education Center to learn about potential career opportunities through programs offered at the Career & Tech Center. Not only did the students learn about different careers, but it was also a perfect opportunity for them to explore and see first-hand the educational options available to them when they enter high school.
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HALLOWEEN 2022 Students and staff had a great time during the Elementary Halloween parade. The older students participated in the festivities by decorating a haunted classroom and handing out treats as the elementary students passed. Several of the older students even dressed for the occasion.
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HALLOWEEN 2022
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15 Sullivan Avenue, Suite 1W, Liberty New York 12754
YOUR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY BEGINS AT SULLIVAN BOCES
WHERE FUTURES BEGIN & DREAMS ARE ACHIEVED!
T
(845) 295-4000 | SCBOCES.ORG