Sullivan BOCES Edge Newsletter - Fall 2021

S U L L I V A N

BOCES

W H E R E

F U T U R E S

B E G I N

&

D R E A M S

A R E

FALL

A C H I E V E D

2021

Back to School (845)

295-4000

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SCBOCES.ORG

INDEX Sullivan BOCES Recognizes Staff Milestones Community Partnership Gives Students a New Learning Environment In-Person Classes Brings Spark Back to Students Sullivan County School Administrators Benefit from Unconference ISS Providing Different Forms of Professional Learning Experiences Mobile Classroom Transitions to Help Community Coming Back to Make a Difference Overdose Awareness Day Vigil Sheds Light on Addiction Struggles

The Edge is a publication of Sullivan BOCES Communications Division

Nov. 11

Veterans Day (BOCES Closed)

Nov. 24-26

Thanksgiving (No Students)

Nov. 25 & 26

Thanksgiving (BOCES Closed)

Dec. 24-31

Winter Recess (No Students)

Dec. 24, 27

Christmas (BOCES Closed)

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 Cathy Russo - Tri-Valley Anthony Sinacore - Liberty Simmie Williams III, - At-Large

Where Futures Begin & Dreams Are Achieved!

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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SULLIVAN BOCES RECOGNIZES STAFF MILESTONES For forty-one Sullivan BOCES staff members, the 2021-2022 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 mentioned some of the most notable events for each group during the year they started working at Sullivan BOCES. At the September Board meeting, four individuals also received tenure. (listed on page 3)

5

15

Years of Service

Teresa Katz

Robert Adams

Catherine Lorino

Jamie Ahearn

Tammy Ludwig-Miller

Paula Arbelaez

Adam Malfetano

Edna Vidal

Tracey Argent

Jeffrey Molusky

Karen Werlau

Lisa Banks

Jesse Morrill

Rosa Zweck

William Coy Sr.

Janine O’Connor

Shirley Dorman

Susan-Ann Ponesse

Kristin Halpin

Julia Stuhlmiller

Jillian Jonas

Kathleen Wilcox

30

Mark Cook Joanne Evans Deborah Frey Kathleen Garlick Kathleen Poppo Jeanette Smith

Years of Service Linda Bahr Sabrina Burton Cheryl Johnstone Paul Maopolski Ashlea Prouty Lorraine Scardino

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Katherine Morrow

Years of Service Jeanne Abbott Madeline Paciga April Schmidt

Years of Service Andrea Falcone

20

25

Years of Service

Barbara Stephenson

35

Years of Service Theresa Panny

! d e r u n e T y l New Sullivan BOCES bids farewell to three dedicated employees, as they are starting a new chapter in life

Retirement!

Jillian (Jonas) Trinidad Special Education Teacher

Michael Stratton Health/Physical Education Teacher Keith Menges, Business Office / Central Business Office (18 yrs)

Lynn Miller, School Library Services (30 yrs)

Julia Stuhlmiller Shirley Dorman Special Education Teaching Assistant Special Education Teaching Assistant

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Nance Poyer, Central Business Office (11 yrs)

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GIVES STUDENTS A NEW LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Sullivan BOCES prides itself on building community partnerships to provide countless experiential learning opportunities for its students. Over the years, New Hope Community has been a valued resource and community partner. This year New Hope helped add another opportunity for our students.

During our extended year program, our Career Academic Program (C.A.P.) classes had the unique opportunity to participate in a farming program with the New Hope Community. During this experience, the students were actively engaged in hands-on learning in their extended classrooms at the Hope Farm, based at SUNY Sullivan and the Greenhouse, located on the New Hope Community campus. Students learned a variety of ways to grow fresh fruits and vegetables and how to maintain a garden. They also learned how to work as a team to complete tasks, and developed relationships with community members. On a different level, the students were exposed to new foods, an expanded vocabulary, and learned the importance of eating nutrient-rich foods.

“This experience allowed students to practice their socialemotional learning (SEL) skills in an authentic setting. It also gave them skills and knowledge that they will carry with them throughout their lives,” said Colleen Lynch, Extended Year Coordinator / Assistant Principal at Sullivan BOCES. According to Stacey Bendle, Special Education Teacher at Sullivan BOCES, “These real-world, hands-on tasks give students meaningful skills, which they will need as they transition into adulthood.”

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Back to School

IN-PERSON CLASSES BRINGS SPARK BACK TO STUDENTS Being back in school may have been just what the students needed to become engaged in learning again. From the moment they stepped off the bus, you could see their excitement. They were glad to be back to school!

Although masks and social distancing are still required to keep everyone safe, the students are ready to be part of the familiar school structure and be with their classmates. At Sullivan BOCES, students and staff are already in the swing of things and are knee-deep in various lessons. Regardless of the grade level or program, the teachers at BOCES have done an amazing job transitioning back to five days per week instruction while maintaining an online learning component for students who have remained remote due to medical restraints or being quarantined.

At the Career & Tech Center, the students enrolled in programs located at the Garnet Health - Catskills campus and the SUNY Sullivan campus started their year at the Rubin Pollack Education Center until the everyone was able to meet those facilities’ vaccination requirements. The New Vision Health students are already back at the Garnet Health campus, and the remaining impacted programs returned to their respective campuses in midOctober.

We have found that the one thing the pandemic has done for society is create a new norm. People are used to adapting and remaining flexible to address the current situation. Although this is challenging, the students and staff at Sullivan BOCES are doing an excellent job!

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SULLIVAN COUNTY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS BENEFIT FROM UNCONFERENCE On August 26th, 2021, Sullivan BOCES hosted a County-Wide Administrative Retreat at the Michael Ritchie Big Barn at The Center for Discovery in Hurleyville. Over 60 attendees gathered to learn, collaborate, and share ideas before school opened in September.

The retreat was organized as a modified version of an unconference. An unconference differs from a traditional conference in that the agenda is participant-driven, with informal and flexible programming. Attendees suggest topics of their own interest and can choose which sessions they would like to attend.

Planning for a flexible, participant-driven day may seem like a contradiction, but the planning started back in April. Sullivan BOCES partnered with Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES to utilize Thought Exchange, a software platform with advanced analytics that allows groups of people to confidentially respond to a question and rate other participants’ answers. The software uses its analytics features to identify common themes and insights.

Some of the top themes that emerged from the exchange for the August 26th event were Addressing Learning Gaps, Employee Recruitment and Retention, Social and Emotional Learning, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Data-Driven Instruction, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).

The day started with a greeting via Zoom from the Board of Regents Vice-Chancellor, Josephine Finn. Her message of encouragement to educators and emphasis on the importance of success for all students was a perfect introduction to the keynote speaker, Dr. Anael Alston, from the Office of Access, Equity and Community Engagement in the New York Education Department.

Board of Regents Vice-Chancellor, Josephine Finn

“It’s so valuable to be away from the office and have time carved out to talk. We would never be able to have this level of discussion with the constant interruptions and distractions of being in the building.”

~ District Administrator

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Dr. Alston spoke about the importance of early childhood experiences in brain development and creating and sustaining safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environments to grow healthy brains. He stressed that we need to ensure all students are welcomed and supported, have opportunities to succeed, and all cultures, languages, and experiences are valued as assets for our schools and communities. He suggested that not only are these things essential for the healthy development of our children. It also means that our students must be prepared to participate in a global economy that is becoming more and more complex and diverse. "As educators, we are charged with making sure they have the resilience and skills to navigate an unknown future, " stated Alston.

Community and regional partners were on hand to share resources and plans for the year, including Ruairi Gribbon from the Mid-Hudson Regional Partnership for Special Education, Adrienne Jensen, Executive Director of the Sullivan County Human Rights Commission, Jeffrey Urbin, Education Specialist from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum in Hyde Park, NY, and Amanda Langseder, Director of Sullivan 180. In the afternoon, Sullivan 180 hosted a screening of the documentary, Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope, which discusses the connections between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), including abuse, Retreat Themes

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Dr. Anael Alston, Office of Access, Equity and Community Engagement in the New York Education Department.

neglect, and toxic stress, and increased risk for disease and mental health issues later in life. A discussion led

by Ms. Langseder followed the screening. There have been many requests to show the film again to larger and diverse audiences, and plans are in the works to do so.

During the self-organized portion of the day, sessions were offered to discuss employee recruitment and diversity, equity and inclusion topics. Additionally, smaller, more informal gatherings of people found a space to sit together and work on pressing issues.

Under the direction of Assistant Superintendent Maria Sommer, the instructional support team did a fantastic job mapping out the day to create an ideal platform for administrators to address topics of concern and learn ways to incorporate new methods into their current practices.

ISS PROVIDING DIFFERENT FORMS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES Arundhati Roy, a novelist from India, wrote an opinion piece in the spring of 2020 entitled, The Pandemic is a Portal.

In it she states, “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew.

This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.”

We have to ask ourselves, now that we’ve emerged from eighteen months of remote and hybrid learning environments, to consider what we’ve come to know about ourselves, students, families, and learning in general. Not only to ask what worked and what didn’t, but more importantly, why some things worked, and others didn’t, and why some students struggled; others got by, and still others thrived. What does this tell us about how we all learn best?

Asynchronous workshops are often the key for motivated, self-directed learners giving teachers 24/7 access to professional learning.

The answer is that everyone needs flexible, supportive, on-demand, engaging, interactive, personalized learning experiences. What exactly people need at any point in time changes depending on the circumstance. Relationships matter. Relevance matters. Access matters.

We also offer workshops that are not the typical “one and done” but meet multiple times over weeks or months to follow a theme or topic in-depth. Examples include the Mentor and New Teacher workshops, Families as Partners, Early Learning, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and Social and Emotional Learning.

Although traditional in-person or online workshops are still conducted after school, in the evening, or if requested by the districts. We have been experimenting with different professional learning experiences in the Instructional Support Services Division at Sullivan BOCES.

Data shows that coaching is the most valuable form of professional development. Sullivan BOCES has Instructional Coaches available that can come to the classroom and work alongside teachers to plan, teach, track student progress and reflect on the next steps.

Coaching is not only for struggling teachers; everyone can benefit from working with a coach. Ask any professional athlete! If you are a teacher interested in setting up coaching sessions, contact your principal and have them contact the BOCES Instructional Support Services Division. Support is available for any content area or grade level.

For months, short, topic-specific synchronous online sessions were very popular. Our professional development specialists were busy running several sessions a week to share strategies and resources for remote learning. As teachers transitioned back into face-to-face learning, it became much more difficult for teachers to find the time to attend even online workshops.

We have also offered asynchronous workshops, that can be accessed on-demand.

To support those folks who like structure or enjoy interacting with others synchronously, we’ve offered blended sessions that may start with a Zoom or Google Meet, give time for offline independent work and then come back together to debrief and reflect on the learning.

For information on the courses or workshops being offered or to register, please check the Sullivan BOCES course catalog in Frontline. The majority of our offerings are free to teachers from our component districts.

We are here to help!

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Click here to view the Spectrum News Video Clip

MOBILE CLASSROOM TRANSITIONS TO HELP COMMUNITY The next phase of the project will run from October 8 through November 19. During this phase, the Mobile Classroom will be located at housing developments with large senior populations throughout the county.

When Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Rolling V Bus Corp., Sullivan 180, and Sullivan BOCES partnered to create the ‘Mobile Classroom,’ an innovative remote-learning environment providing Internet access for students, their vision for the mobile classroom stretched beyond the pandemic. The group envisioned the bus to be used to benefit the community.

Over the summer, Sullivan 180 and the Office of the Aging worked with Rolling V and BOCES to create a mobile resource to reach seniors throughout the county. The project is called the ‘OFA on Wheels,’ which uses the slogan “Are you 55+? GET ON THE BUS!” The initiative’s first phase ran from August 5 through September 24, positioning the Mobile Classroom in each township throughout the county for two days. The effort successfully reached 120 seniors. Allowing seniors to sign up for Office of the Aging’s services, register for the COVID-19 vaccine, receive farmers’ market vouchers, in addition, to having their blood pressure checked, and completing prediabetes risk assessments.

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According to Amanda Langseder, Sullivan 180 was pleased to support the OFA on Wheels project, understanding that any opportunity to bring resources and vital health screenings such as blood pressure and pre-diabetes screenings to people in their communities is critical to improving health in Sullivan County. “Not only has the project served well over one hundred seniors, but it also proved that by working together, we can achieve far more than working in our silos. Special thanks to the Office for the Aging, Sullivan BOCES, Rolling V, Action Towards Independence, Independent Living, Veterans Services, and Public Health for supporting this essential pilot project,” said Langseder.

In the upcoming months, the Career & Technical Education program at BOCES will use the Mobile Classroom to showcase its programs to potential students throughout the county.

Throughout the 2021-2022 school year, Rolling V and BOCES will continue access to schools and community organizations for job fairs, education tours, showcasing of community programs, and other considerations that will benefit the community.

COMING BACK TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE For thousands of students, Sullivan BOCES has made a lasting impression on their lives, and for others, it has changed their lives and created a sense of home and extended family.

This year, we had three former students come back to Sullivan BOCES, not as students but as employees. For each of these individuals, their lives have taken different paths that have led them back to BOCES. Darryl Emmett attended the Career & Tech Construction Technology program in 1996-97. Upon completion of the program and graduating high school, Darryl went straight into the workforce and joined the apprentice program at the Carpenters’ local 279 union. Because of his education at BOCES, the union credited him 6-months towards his 4-year apprenticeship. From there, he became a journeyman carpenter for Schumacher Systems in Callicoon. During his time at Schmacher’s, Darryl advanced to the foreman position, where he has worked on many schools and commercial buildings throughout the state.

Although Darryl had a successful career, he wanted to give back to the program that helped him get started. So when his teacher, William Drasher, retired, Darryl Emmett took over as the instructor of the Construction Technology program at BOCES. Darryl is driven to help the future workforce thrive.

He wants to make sure “There is no better way to improve the workforce than to teach future employees the skills they need to be successful.”

~Darryl Emmett.

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the students coming out of school are well educated, and skilled in the trade.

“My goal is to do what I can to help them succeed in life,” said Emmett.

Ryan Smith has a passion for cooking and singing. He attended the Culinary Arts program at the Career & Tech Center in 1999-20. After graduating from the Tri-Valley CSD, Ryan continued in the culinary trade at Fleischmann’s Bakery in Liberty. From there, Ryan expanded his skills into a different fields, including landscaping for Granite Associates and masonry work with Patrick Kelly Masonry & Design.

Ryan continued to grow his knowledge and certification credentials at the Center for Discovery when he worked in their housekeeping department.

When Ryan learned of an opening at Sullivan BOCES, he didn’t hesitate to apply for a cleaner position. For him, BOCES made a lasting impression on his life and is like family. “BOCES is such a welcoming place, and the comradery of its employees is amazing,” said Smith, “The environment at BOCES is like no other, and I wanted to be part of an organization that embraces its students and staff.”

“The environment at BOCES is

Although Ryan put his dream of working in the food industry on

like no other, and I wanted to be

hold to raise his family, he plans to go back to college to get his

part of an organization that

culinary degree and eventually open a bakery.

embraces its students and staff.”

~ Ryan Smith

Harley Sennett joined the BOCES team this fall as a teacher aide.

Harley first came to BOCES in 11th grade in 2017 when she attended the Animal Science program at the Career & Tech Center. Although Harley chose to go directly into the workforce vs. continuing her education in Animal Science, it was her experience at CTE that steered her down a path to find her passion in life. While she was in the Animal Science program, several BOCES special education students came to the farm to work and care for the animals. On those days, she was assigned to assist them in working with the animals. It was this experience that sparked her interest in teaching.

After graduation, she started working at the Center for the Discovery in their residential program before transitioning into their education program as a teacher aide. From that moment, she decided that she wanted to work with children.

When a teacher aide position opened at Sullivan BOCES, Harley jumped on the opportunity to work with children. “Being at BOCES allows me to see what it is like to work with students of all ages and abilities,” said Sennett. “I really enjoy working with the children.”

Harley is currently attending SUNY Sullivan to become a teacher.

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OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY VIGIL SHEDS LIGHT ON ADDICTION STRUGGLES On August 31, Sullivan County Public Health Services, Sullivan 180, Sullivan BOCES, the Sullivan County Drug Task Force, the Kingfisher Project, and other community partners held a vigil for individuals who have lost their lives to addiction and those currently battling addiction.

Speakers also discussed how Sullivan County is rolling out the Hope Not Handcuffs program, with volunteers willing to meet and aid those seeking substance use services. Several attendees also learned how to use Narcan via Sullivan County Public Health Services and other partner agencies.

In addition to the vigil, the group hosted a press conference announcing the NaloxBox Project, which will put a potentially life-saving, overdose-reversing NaloxBox in each public school district throughout Sullivan County. The project was made possible through the efforts of Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Sullivan BOCES, the Rotary Clubs of Monticello and Liberty, and the United Way of Sullivan County, who raised over $7,000 to purchase a NaloxBox for each school.

“Drug addiction has reached epidemic proportions within the United States, with opioid overdose being the leading cause of death among teens and adults,” noted Sullivan County Drug Task Force Co-Chair Wendy Brown. “Addiction has no barriers, and it affects individuals in all demographics. The event was the perfect platform to inform the public of what Sullivan County is doing to help those in need.”

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One person in attendance mentioned that the event allowed them not to feel ashamed to say that a family member was battling addiction. "We want to remove the stigma so that people can find the help they need," added Brown.

For more information about the many resources available, call 1-866-832-5575 or visit Sullivan County’s real-time services dashboard at https://secure.scgnet.us/portal/apps/opsda shboard/index.html#/0ee5f663422b42509 fc14d5c331d22f4

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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!

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(845) 295-4000 | SCBOCES.ORG