BOCES Employee Newsletter

Although summer has just begun, I wanted to take a moment to share something I’m looking forward to as we begin the 2026-27 school year.

I am excited to share that our Opening Day Convocation on Monday, Sept. 8 will feature nationally recognized education leader Joe Sanfelippo.

Joe recently retired after 26 years in education, including 12 years as superintendent of the Fall Creek School District in Wisconsin. Throughout his career, he has become known for reminding educators of something we sometimes forget in the middle of our busy days: extraordinary things happen in our schools every single day, and those stories deserve to be told.

Too often, the public’s perception of education is shaped by outdated assumptions or by people who don’t fully understand the work taking place inside our schools and programs.

How many times have you told someone you work for BOCES and been greeted with an outdated perception of what happens in our buildings? Joe believes it’s our responsibility to change that narrative by celebrating students, sharing successes, and helping our communities see the impact of our work.

That message could not be more fitting for BOCES. This year our theme is "Our story will shape the future."

Every day, I have the privilege of seeing the passion, expertise, and commitment our employees bring to their work. Whether you teach in a classroom, support students, maintain our facilities, provide technology services, prepare meals, transport students, or serve our districts in countless other ways, you are making a difference in the lives of children and families across our region.

As New York continues implementing NY Inspires and Portrait of a Graduate, BOCES has an important opportunity to lead. We know that preparing students for the future means much more than academic success. It means helping them become communicators, collaborators, problem solvers, innovators, and engaged members of their communities.

Joe’s message is about leadership. It is about leading with purpose, building relationships, supporting one another, and recognizing that every person has the ability to positively influence those around them. I believe those values reflect who we are as an organization and who we strive to be.

I hope you’ll be able to attend Opening Day on Sept. 8 at the Forum as we come together to celebrate the beginning of another school year. Additional information about Opening Day will be shared later this summer.

If you’d like a preview of what’s to come, I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch a short video message from Joe. In it, he shares why he is excited to join us and offers a glimpse into the themes he will explore. I think you’ll find his enthusiasm contagious, and I hope it leaves you looking forward to Opening Day as much as I am. Click the link below to watch Joe’s message.

Until then, thank you for everything you do to support our students, our districts, and one another.

Dr. Rebecca Stone

Sunshine, teamwork, and plenty of laughs made this year's BOCES Unplugged a day to remember!

On Friday, July 10, our 12-month employees gathered at Chenango Valley State Park to step away from the office, connect with colleagues, and strengthen the relationships that help make Broome-Tioga BOCES such a special place to work!

From nature walks and volleyball to wiffleball, bingo, board games, painting, CPR classes, and the always competitive cornhole tournament, there was something for everyone. Employees also searched the park for hidden golden tickets, adding an extra element of fun throughout the day.

One of this year's biggest hits was the new pizza-making seminar, where participants learned new skills while enjoying the delicious results! 🍕

Thank you to everyone who helped organize another outstanding event and to all who joined us for a day of fun, friendship, and team building!

The addition is really beginning to take shape! Sitework is nearly complete, and crews continue to make significant progress on the structural steel installation.

In Area D, where the new addition will connect to the existing building, demolition is nearly complete. Exterior walls are being removed to create the connection between the new and existing spaces.

Work is also progressing in the courtyard area near Cosmetology. Foundation work has been completed, structural steel is arriving on site, and contractors have begun abatement and demolition activities. Temporary plastic barriers have been installed to safely separate construction areas from occupied spaces.

Below is an updated schedule:

Thank you for your continued patience as construction progresses. We look forward to sharing more updates as this exciting project moves forward!

When the school year ends the Health and Safety Department gets to work preparing for the return of students in September. During the month of July this year annual fire inspections were completed, and reports were submitted to New York States office of Facility Planning portal.

This year 6-month periodic asbestos inspections were due to be completed at the same time fire inspections were this year, so it was an exceptionally busy July. The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) is a U.S. federal law enacted in 1986 to protect students and school staff from asbestos exposure in educational facilities. AHERA requires public and private non-profit schools to inspect for asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), develop and maintain asbestos management plans, and implement actions to prevent or reduce asbestos hazards Schools must conduct initial and periodic inspections of all buildings for asbestos-containing materials. Schools are required to develop, maintain, and update asbestos management plans, documenting the location of asbestos, recommended response actions, and any repairs or removals performed. AHERA helps ensure a safer learning environment and reduces potential health risks for children and staff. Periodic inspections for all our component school districts have been completed and reports have been filed. All AHERA records for Broome-Tioga BOCES facilities can be found in the Director of Facilities Office.

The next project to be tackled this month is completing the Remedial Action Plans for Broome-Tioga BOCES Lead in Drinking Water testing for the 2025-2028 testing period. The Department of Health now requires all school districts to have a written remedial action plan to address any issues with lead in drinking water in our buildings. Part of this remedial action plan involves educating students and staff of the hazards of drinking water that contain lead amounts greater than the accepted level of 5 ppb. We have worked with our Communications and Public Relations team to create an informative video on lead in drinking water to use as an educational tool. The remediation plans will be available on our district website in the very near future.

At the beginning of the 2026-27 school year, employees will receive a new emergency quick reference card designed to be kept with their BOCES ID badge.

The card provides condensed guidance on the Standard Response Protocol and the actions employees should take during an emergency. It does not attach directly to the badge but fits behind the ID badge in a lanyard holder. Keeping the card with your badge will ensure that important information is readily available when needed.

The cards will be highlighted during the start of school presentation and distributed to departments once they are available. Employees who need a Spanish-language card should reach out to their supervisor, who can order them directly through Document Services.

Please keep the card with your BOCES ID badge throughout the school year and review the information so you are familiar with the appropriate response during an emergency.

To improve efficiency and support our organization's ongoing efforts to go digital, the Operations and Maintenance team has integrated student transportation requests into the Q-Ware work order system.

This new process streamlines all transportation requests into a single location, making it easier to:

• Submit transportation requests
• Track the status of your trips
• Receive timely updates
• Improve communication and overall service

We understand that transitioning to a new process can take time. To make this change as seamless as possible, we have incorporated the student transportation module into the same Q-Ware system you are already familiar with.

The student transportation module is now live, and we encourage everyone to begin submitting transportation requests through Q-Ware and become familiar with the new process.

Our goal is to fully transition to digital transportation requests by Oct. 1, 2026.

• Now through Sept. 30, 2026: We will continue to accept transportation requests through our current methods, including mail, email, and other existing submission processes.
• Beginning Oct. 1, 2026: All student transportation requests must be submitted through the Q-Ware Work Order System. Requests submitted through other methods will no longer be accepted.

If you would like a refresher on using the Q-Ware Work Order System, don't worry O&M's very own AI assistant, Aria, is here to help. Aria provides a quick, easy-to-follow tutorial that walks you through the process of submitting a Student Transportation Request in under four minutes.

Please watch the tutorial video below to learn how to submit your requests through Q-Ware.

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Broome-Tioga BOCES is updating the way employee badge access is assigned across our buildings. These changes are part of our ongoing commitment to keeping our schools and workplaces safe and secure and comply with audit findings.

Before school starts, employee badge access will be updated, and will be based on where employees work and the responsibilities of their position. This will create a consistent process for all BOCES locations while making sure employees have the access they need to do their jobs. The cut-off date for badge access will be Friday, Aug. 28.

Most employees will not notice a change. If your job requires you to work in more than one building, you will continue to have access to those locations. If additional access is needed, your supervisor can request it through a new approval process (more to come).

Managers and Human Resources will review employee work locations before the changes take effect. There is nothing you need to do at this time.

These updates will help make sure building access stays current when employees change positions or work locations. They will also help remove access that is no longer needed, improving safety across all BOCES facilities.

More information, including answers to common questions, will be shared with staff throughout the summer as the new process is put in place.

Like any change, we may experience some bumps along the way. Please extend patience and grace to us as we roll this out BOCES-wide. Once we have updated the system, we will share information on the steps to remedy badge access.

As another fiscal year comes to a close and a new one begins, the Business Office continues to be hard at work behind the scenes to keep operations running smoothly across Broome-Tioga BOCES.

The Human Resources and Payroll teams have been busy preparing our financial systems to ensure employees are paid accurately under the new contractual year. At the same time, the Purchasing team has been working diligently to wrap up orders for the 2025-26 fiscal year while also ordering for the 2026-27 year.

Our Accounts Receivable team has partnered closely with the Benefits Department to notify retirees of updated health insurance rates and process retiree billing. Meanwhile, the Contract Billing team has been reconciling payments for services provided through other BOCES and preparing billing for the many services our component districts and BOCES partners have selected through Broome-Tioga BOCES for the coming year.

The Accounts Payable team is also working diligently to process invoices for goods and services received during the 2025-26 fiscal year, helping ensure our districts maximize the state aid available to them.

The Internal Claims Audit Team, in partnership with the Accounts Payable Team, has successfully implemented an electronic claims auditing process within WinCap, enhancing operational efficiency and improving workload management.

The fiscal managers have completed their year-end financial reporting responsibilities and are diligently reviewing and approving purchase orders for the new fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the accounting team is working conscientiously to finalize the fiscal year-end close, prepare for the annual external audit and complete the submission of BOCES State Aid reports, ensuring compliance with reporting requirements and a successful start to the new fiscal year.

Year-end and the start of a new fiscal year are among the busiest times for our Business Office teams. While the workload can feel overwhelming at times, these dedicated professionals continue to approach their work with positivity, commitment, and a strong sense of teamwork. Their efforts often happen behind the scenes, but they are critical to the success of our organization.

We are incredibly grateful for their hard work and dedication. Broome-Tioga BOCES could not provide the level of service and support it does without them. Thank you to all of our Business Office staff for everything you do each day to support our employees, districts, students, and programs.

We are pleased to welcome Jen Mullins to the BBO Budget and Finance Team. Jen brings valuable financial experience from her work with the School Nutrition Team. In her new role, she will continue supporting School Nutrition Services while also providing support to the CBO, CPR, Document Services, and the PLIC. We are delighted to have Jen on the team and look forward to the expertise and dedication she brings to these departments.

Our purchasing department processes nearly 40% of total PO’s for the year in the month of June. This year that was close to 11,000 PO’s being processed/issued for the upcoming year.

Our payroll department processed nearly 16,000 checks and direct deposits for the 15 component districts.

The CBO recently celebrated our annual Luau, one of the most anticipated events of the year! It's a tradition our staff looks forward to—a chance to step away from the busy office, reconnect with colleagues, and recharge before our busiest season begins. The Luau is all about enjoying great food, great company, and a little time to relax together.

This year's celebration featured an extra special surprise: an ice cream truck! It was a big hit with everyone and made an already fun tradition even sweeter. We look forward to making more great memories together at next year's Luau!

Aaron Taft - Promoted to Payroll Specialist

Although students are enjoying summer break, Document Services remains hard at work. The summer months are one of our busiest production periods as we prepare instructional materials and other printed resources for the upcoming school year.

Our finishing department has already bound more than 18,000 books since school let out, with thousands more still to come. Throughout the facility, projects continue moving through every stage of production, helping ensure districts receive the materials they need before the start of school.

Keeping production moving requires more than printing equipment, it also takes planning and preparation. Our warehouse is stocked with paper and supplies to support the high volume of work completed throughout the summer. By maintaining inventory and preparing materials in advance, our team is able to respond quickly to district needs while keeping projects on schedule during one of the busiest times of the year.

Need to review a printed proof before your job goes into production? WebCRD makes it easy.

To request a proof:

• Upload your file into WebCRD.
• Select Preview/Change Options and carefully review your job.
• Check "Provide a sample of the item before processing my order."
• Submit your order.

When your proof has been printed, you will receive an email containing a View Your Order link.

Important: Wait until you have received and reviewed the printed proof before clicking the link. Opening the link before reviewing the proof will automatically release your job into production.

After reviewing the proof, simply select Approve or Reject.

Summer is not an off-season for Communications and Public Relations. Our team has been busy preparing for the 2026-27 school year while continuing to tell the BOCES story.

This summer, we are covering enrichment activities, participating in professional development, creating publications, developing campus designs and producing videos. We are also planning upcoming communications, events and projects to ensure BOCES starts the new school year informed, connected and ready.

There is plenty happening across BOCES this summer, and our team is working behind the scenes to capture it, share it and prepare for what comes next.

The Union-Endicott Central School District video “Helping Sebastian Play,” created by the Communications and Public Relations Department, shows NY Inspires in action. High school engineering students designed and 3D-printed a custom brace that allowed Sebastian, an elementary student with limited use of his right arm, to play the viola alongside his classmates. The project is a powerful example of performance-based learning and the Portrait of a Graduate, demonstrating creative innovation, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and empathy to solve a meaningful, real-world challenge.

Each year, the National School Public Relations Association hosts a national conference, welcoming in school PR professionals from around the country to share their expertise and grow together. This year, three members of the BT BOCES Communications and Public Relations team are in New Orleans for this annual event!

Lynette Whitman (Harpursville/Chenango Forks) and Chris Whalen (Binghamton) are in the Big Easy representing our organization well! Joining them in NOLA is Regina Felice (Susquehanna Valley/Whitney Point), who won a trip down to Louisiana at the NYSPRA Conference earlier this year! These three should bring back plenty of knowledge to help our team continue to showcase the great work happening across BT BOCES and our component districts!

More than 60 Broome-Tioga BOCES students in our carpentry, electrical, and building trades & plumbing programs spent the past school year constructing two tiny homes that will create affordable homeownership opportunities right here in Broome County. This innovative partnership with Broome County, the City of Binghamton, and the Broome County Land Bank gives students real-world experience while helping address a critical community need. Once completed, the approximately 480-square-foot homes will be placed on Truesdell Street and sold to income-eligible homebuyers through the land bank.

This project is proof that career and technical education changes lives by preparing students for high-demand careers while making a lasting impact in our community.

As the 2025–2026 school year comes to a close, the School Nutrition Services team is proud to reflect on another year of providing reliable, nutritious meals to students across our 15 component districts. Thanks to the dedication of our entire team, we successfully served over 2,250,500 breakfasts and 3,289,000 lunches this year.

Behind those numbers is a tremendous amount of coordination, menu planning, staffing, inventory management, vendor relationships, nutrition compliance, and student engagement. Our staff worked hard to balance rising food costs, meet updated regulations, and continue offering meals students actually want to eat. Whether it was piloting new menu items, supporting Farm to School initiatives, or making sure kitchens had what they needed each day, the focus remained on keeping students nourished and ready to learn.

Looking ahead to summer, our team is actively running the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in both Broome and Tioga Counties at 50 locations. These open sites provide free meals to all children 18 and under, helping ensure consistent access to food during the summer break. Summer meals are an important part of what we do and we continue our commitment to supporting students beyond the school year.

As we turn the page, we’re already deep into planning for fall. That includes staffing, training, equipment updates, and placing critical orders to make sure every site is ready for day one.

The Southern Tier Teacher Academy (STTA), coordinated through Broome-Tioga BOCES, continues to serve as a powerful pathway for cultivating the next generation of educators. Designed to inspire and prepare high school students for careers in education, STTA blends academic coursework with real-world, experiential learning opportunities in collaboration with local institutes of higher education. Through STTA, students earn up to six college credits through dual enrollment, hands-on coursework with SUNY Broome Community College and Binghamton University. Students engage in school visits, observe classroom instruction across districts, and explore local teacher preparation programs.

To close out the year, approximately 88 students, alongside teachers and administrators, gathered on May 20 to celebrate their accomplishments. Representation spanned 11 participating districts, including Binghamton, Broome-Tioga BOCES, Chenango Forks, Chenango Valley, Corning-Painted Post, Deposit, Harpursville, Johnson City, Maine-Endwell, Susquehanna Valley and Windsor. The event also welcomed former STTA students and guests from Binghamton University and SUNY Broome.

During the event, students shared insights from their experiences, engaged in collaborative discussions, and heard from educational leaders and peers about pathways into the profession. Dr. Tonia Thompson provided an inspiring and encouraging keynote address. A panel of STTA graduates followed, highlighting the lasting impact of the program. The event concluded with recognition of student achievements and appreciation for retiring educators who have contributed to the growth and success of the Southern Tier Teacher Academy.

The South Central Regional Information Center (SCRIC) is fully engaged in completing a wide range of critical summer projects. While we are often asked whether summer is a busy time for our team, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Once students leave, and often even before, significant work begins to prepare districts for a successful start to the new school year. This includes application rollovers, implementation of new services, data integrations, infrastructure upgrades, classroom readiness efforts, and many other essential projects.

Thank you to all SCRIC staff for their professionalism, dedication, and ability to deliver this important work within a very limited time frame.

Have you recently moved offices or classrooms? Please note that ServiceNow contact information does not update automatically. We need your help to ensure we have your current details so we can promptly address your technological needs.

To update your contact information, follow these steps:

1. Access ServiceNow: Go to MyApps and open ServiceNow.

2. Find the Update Contact Info Tile: Under "Popular Request Types," locate the tile labeled "Update Contact Info." If you cannot find this tile, you can use the search function to find the ticket type you need.

3. Update Your Information: Fill out only the portions of your contact information that have changed.

Take a moment to verify that your contact information, including your phone number and location, is accurate. This helps us provide better support to you. Thank you!

If you are sitting on a massive 50-page industry report, a dense academic paper, or a long-form article that you just don't have the time to read, you can turn it into an engaging, banter-filled, radio-style podcast in about three minutes using Google's free AI tool, NotebookLM.

The "Audio Overview" feature creates a shockingly realistic conversation between two AI hosts who synthesize, debate, and joke about your uploaded documents.

Here is exactly how to do it.

🛠️ The Step-by-Step Setup

Since strict ordering is essential to configure the AI hosts correctly before they start generating, follow these steps in order:

1. Create Your Notebook: 1 minute.

Go to notebooklm.google.com and log in with your Google account. Click the New Notebook button to create a fresh workspace.

2. Upload Your Long Document: 1-2 minutes.

A window will pop up asking for sources. You can upload PDFs, Google Docs, copy-pasted text, paste a website URL, or even drop a YouTube video link. NotebookLM will instantly process the text.

3. Open the Studio Panel & Customize: 30 seconds.

Look to the right-hand side of the screen and find the Studio panel. Click on the Audio Overview card. Before hitting generate, click the pencil icon to choose your format:

• Deep Dive: A 6-15 minute, comprehensive conversation (best for long articles).

• Brief: A quick, 2-minute executive summary.

• Critique / Debate: Perfect if you want the hosts to aggressively stress-test the document's arguments.

4. Inject Custom Focus Instructions (The Secret Sauce): 1 minute.

Don't leave the prompt box blank! Giving the AI explicit focus notes makes the audio significantly more useful. Use a targeted prompt in the customization box.

5. Generate and Steer: 2-5 minutes.

Click Generate. Once it's ready, you can hit play, download the audio as an MP3 for your commute, or activate Interactive Mode to text-chat or interrupt the hosts live with clarifying questions.

*article assisted by Gemini