Our work in schools can often come in waves. Some days you are happily swimming to shore with nice, easy, broad strokes while other days you might feel as though it is taking all of your energy to stay above the water.

There is something about March that has always felt like a difficult month for me, at least personally, as an educator. Maybe it's the impact of a long winter, access to less sunshine, or the absence of any scheduled downtime in the month. It's also the point where we are able to look back on a school year and see how much we have accomplished but at the same turn how much there is still to do.

But, the difference is the proverbial finish line that June brings. We all know, whether we like it or not, what we planned or were even assigned to accomplish this year is now connected to an imaginary stopwatch that is counting down that time. We can see the end to the year and that can be stressful.

What about all the things still left to do?

I've seen this every year of the last 34 years in education and still haven't figured out a way to prepare myself for it. But, I am trying harder to do so this year. Maybe this will be the year I can recognize that March is always hard. Always has been. This difficulty isn't a reflection of our abilities and efforts as educators. It's a reflection of how massive the work we do is!

Instead of counting all the things still left to do, maybe March is the perfect time to start counting all the things you've already done. Maybe instead of writing a new to do list, we force ourselves to write a gratitude list.

What are the top 10 things you are most proud of this year?

What will you remember most from this year?

Who has helped you tackle the work?

Let's reframe our thinking this March and stop to take a big, deep breath.

Our brains and hearts will be better for it.

Take Care,

Lisa

On Thursday, March 6, 2025, students from the FLTCC and WTCC Culinary Arts Programs catered the Annual Superintendent Awards Dinner at The Conference Center. By participating in this event, students earned valuable work-based learning hours while showcasing their culinary skills. They provided an array of impressive appetizers and desserts for over 150 attendees. Special thanks to their dedicated teachers, Chef Mattice, Chef McDonald, and Chef Moll, for attending and supporting the students. The food was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

Greetings!

My name is Greg Maine, and I am the new Coordinator of Instructional Technology for P-16. Many of you may recognize me from some of my previous roles occupied here at the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES over the past 18+ years: Instructor, Incarcerated Education @ the Ontario County Jail; Coordinator of Incarcerated Education Programs; Coordinator of Incarcerated Education, Adult Literacy and Health Careers Programs; Principal of Special Programs; and now Coordinator of Instructional Technology!

As I become more familiar with the responsibilities and nuances of the position, I will work with building administrators and Edutech staff to best support the technology needs of each program. I look forward to becoming immersed in yet another area of our BOCES assisting building and classroom staff in providing the best possible educational experience for our students and enhancing opportunities for communication with families with the technology assets at our disposal.

I can always be reached via email and my work cell.

Email: Gregory.maine@wflboces.org

Cell: 315-573-3351

Here is a listing of some special projects and collaborations in the works. We will dive deeper into many of them in a future P16 Newsletter. The list below reflects some projects we hope to see to fruition for the 25-26 school year.

Bloomfield

up to 3 new special educations classrooms for K-2 level

Relocating one section of Ed Professions to be at Bloomfield Elem

Marion

Alternative Ed program for 9th and 10th grades for full day, Agriculture based program open to Wayne County Schools

FLES

Opening adding additional classrooms at FLES

Arc Ontario

College Experience Program

ESY classroom field based experience at their center

Lisa Meade and Lisa Brockhuizen have been meeting monthly with our TCI-S Trainers to calibrate efforts across the organization. One of the recent projects that has been completed is our "Portrait of a Trainer" document. This allows us to identify what our roles are within each of our buildings. The document is linked below. Please work with your trainer to ensure you have earned at least the 10 hours of refresher training that is required.

As we step into March, we welcome the spirit of renewal, growth, and fresh opportunities. Spring symbolizes new beginnings, making it the perfect time to reflect on our approaches to crisis prevention, de-escalation, and fostering positive school environments.

Recommitting to a Culture of Safety and Support

The changing season invites us to renew our commitment to the core principles of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS). This is a great time to refresh our skills, revisit intervention strategies, and strengthen relationships within our school communities. By doing so, we create safer and more supportive spaces for students and staff alike.

Tips for a Reflective Spring Reset!

✔ Reflect & Reset – Take a moment to assess past interventions. What worked well? What can be improved? Small adjustments can make a big impact. Our simple interactions make big differences!

✔ Rebuild Connections – Strengthen relationships with students and colleagues. Go visit a peer and ask how they are doing! A supportive network enhances crisis prevention efforts.

✔ Refresh Your TCIS Skills – Review core techniques and attend refresher sessions to ensure confidence and consistency in interventions. Post the 4 questions someplace you can see them in the classroom, on your badge or even on your car dash!

✔ Embrace a Positive Mindset – Encourage a culture of growth, resilience, and positive reinforcement in every interaction. Self-Talk is a powerful tool! What is your self talk!

The Vision Department shared this wonderful book with our students with visual impairments this winter. It's a heartwarming story about a deaf blind puppy who is brave and helps his pup siblings in an emergency. As a follow up, we have shared several lessons focused on perseverance and accommodations. The students are looking forward to having a "Pink Piglet" party in May to celebrate their accomplishments.

Through P-16's participation in the Media Library CoSer, all of the sites have access to a number of resources that can help support the transition away from YouTube.

Additionally, some of our sites subscribe to databases like PebbleGo which can be fun for students to explore. There are new resources integrated like ClickView and Streamable Learning. Please check out the link below for some resources you may find helpful!

6th grade students worked hard making shamrocks to brighten the days of others. Students were able to choose to make them for a veteran or a resident at Clark Meadows. We discussed how we can show our appreciation and respect to those that are serving our country or have served. The students love to make the residents at Clark Meadows happy but making them cards, gifts and some write letters to them throughout the year. This is just a demonstration of one of the many community services that our students at FLSS engage in.

7th graders worked together in Mr. Pratt's room to do a restorative circle about how to be good citizens and friends with each other. Students discussed what that means and how to show being a good citizen and friend. They gave great examples of bad friends and what qualities a good friend should have. We use these circles at FLSS to create an inviting environment for students to feel comfortable and confident while sharing with their peers. These are used for all sorts of activities throughout the building to help promote positive relationships between staff and students. This is one example of how we collaborate as teams to work together to create these strong relationships.

On February 15, 2025, Gregory Kesel, a PTECH student and member of the Stantec Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) mentor program, worked with other students from the Rochester area to successfully complete playhouses that will be donated to young children with disabilities or terminal illnesses! Gregory's team created playhouses resembling an imaginative rocket ship, while others designed and built a fish surf shack, a school bus, a block of Legos, and a rock-climbing wall. Outside roofers will soon install the rubber roofs as the next step in preparation for their delivery. Throughout this project, the students have achieved remarkable feats including design, construction, presentation, public speaking, communication, confidence, team building, and leadership. Each team has a mentor, and these mentors play a crucial role, guiding the students and operating the saws and routers to ensure safety and precision.

According to their website, the ACE program’s mission is to “engage, excite, and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering, and construction through mentoring and continued support for their advancement into the industry.” Overall, the program’s goals are to help build a large, diverse, and better-prepared workforce, prioritize engaging students and communities traditionally underrepresented in the industry, and assist and guide students by providing scholarships, internships, and mentoring as they pursue career pathways into the industry.

ACE is not just about building playhouses; it is about building futures. The program equips students with the tools they need to succeed in their careers and personal lives, fostering a sense of accomplishment and community.

Our Exceptional Learners Division, along with our partners in HR, have been working extremely hard at ensuring full staffing at our special education sites. Here is an update of staffing needs as of 2/27/25 in the area of aides/TAs.

FLES – 0

FLSS – 0

MEC – 1

RJEC – 0

WEC – 0

NEC – 9 positions

We have multiple committees meeting regularly to move our curriculum and program work forward. In this edition of our newsletter, we'd like to THANK the members of our Reading Committee and Code of Conduct Committee.

Reading

April Seeley

Kelly Barnes

Amanda Bommelje

Brittany Cornell

Erin Delavak

Kristin Graham

Nick Hogan

Vanessa Holzapfel

Bolina Laber

Andrea Smith

Lisa Meade

Code of Conduct

Jonathan Giglio

Anna Harasimowicz

Deanna Tones

Kate Haywood

Stacy Marasco

Malinda Byrne

Ingrid Lagoe

Shannon Brown

Tyler Sweeting

Lisa Meade

FLSS is preparing to welcome Jared Campbell to school on March 31, 2025. One of Jared's songs is called "You Will Never Know" and it perfectly captures the impact all of you make on the lives our students every day. Need a pick me up? Take a listen below.

We are on track to open Big Picture Learning Academy this Fall 2025. Students who have Resource Room or Consultant Teacher can be considered for this Regents track program.

• Each student at a Big Picture Learning school is part of a small learning community of 5-10 students called an advisory.
• Each advisory is supported and lead by an advisor, a teacher that works closely with the group of students and forms personalized relationships with each advisee.
• Each student works closely with his or her advisor to identify interests and personalize learning.
• The student as the center of learning truly engages and challenges the student, and makes learning authentic and relevant.

We are starting with grade 9 this Fall and plan to add a grade each year. Reach out to Dr. Tammy Jones or Shannon Brown for more information.

We’re excited to announce that the Everyday Math Learning Walks have begun! This is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable insights into how the program is progressing, celebrate successes, and discover ways to better support you as we head into the second half of the year.

What Are Learning Walks?
Think of learning walks as a chance for a small group of educators to observe teaching practices across classrooms. We’ll rotate through different rooms—not to evaluate, but to learn from you, see what’s working, and identify areas for growth!

Why Do Them?

It’s a chance to learn together and be inspired by what’s happening across different classrooms. We’ll use the anonymous data we collect (rest assured, teachers’ names will not be documented) to inform our mid-year Math Committee Review and brainstorm ways to enhance Everyday Math across our organization. At BOCES, fostering a sense of belonging means ensuring everyone feels supported, and this is one of the ways we plan to do that.

By September 2025, all districts will need to certify that they are using a reading program that is based on the Science of Reading. In our Literacy survey, it has been identified that some of our sites are not using a vetted program for literacy. With that in mind, and while the P16 LIteracy committee decides next steps, we are recommending that our programs begin using UFLI for it's Tier 1 program as an interim solution.

Introducing UFLI: A Tool for Building Foundational Reading Skills

This may be a resource familiar to some, as it was mentioned in our P-6 literacy survey, but new to others. Either way, UFLI is a valuable addition to your literacy toolbox and worth exploring.

What is UFLI?

UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) offers evidence-based free resources that help students master key reading skills. UFLI Foundations targets the following reading skills:

• Phoneme blending and segmentation practice

• Accuracy and automaticity of grapheme-phoneme correspondence

• Decoding automaticity of words with previously learned concepts

• Explicit introduction of new concepts

• Decoding and encoding practice

• Reading and spelling irregular words

• Reading and spelling connected text

If you're interested in exploring UFLI, learn more by visiting their website and be sure to check out their Foundations Toolbox here. We will be purchasing some manuals as well. Let Lisa or April know if you want one!

• Parent Square
• Updating our Field Trip Request process
• March Superintendent's Conference Day
• Observations/Evaluations
• Code of Conduct Review
• PDP Plan Development
• Regional Summer School
• ESY Planning

Certification – We are now also cross contracting with Cap Region BOCES for an EXCELLENT resource to assist with all certification questions. Reach out if you need assistance.

Regional Certification Office

900 Watervliet Shaker Road, Suite 102

Albany, NY 12205

certification@neric.org

518-862-4918 phone

518-862-4903 fax

P-16 will align systems, resources and practices to ensure at least a 50% reduction of students, from our component districts, on waiting lists no later than January 2025.

P-16 will hire a CTE Director to create alignment and equitable systems, processes and resources as well as program offerings for the two CTE Campuses as evidenced by a BOE and CSO presentation no later than March 2025.

P-16 will audit, review and update all special education programs, descriptions and ratios. We will reimagine what our classrooms look like by piloting a new ratio (8:1:3) beginning in October 2024. (This new ratio will only apply to NEWLY created classrooms, opening for the first time this year. In addition, this ratio does not apply to NEC at this time as well.)

P-16 will work collaboratively with building leaders and associations to create three new programs to serve the needs of the WFL Region in the area of autism, secondary alternative education and an additional CTE option for students with disabilities, no later than June 2025; as evidenced by the creation of FLES, Big Picture Learning Program and a redesigned "Career Academy" Program for secondary students.

P-16 will increase professional development available to all BOCES Special Education and CTE programs; this will include an emphasis on understanding the why around Restorative Practices, no later than June 2025.

P-16 will increase communication to all stakeholders by launching Parent Square across all sites, publishing a monthly newsletter and curating a semi-regular podcast to increase communication, celebrate highlights and provide transparency with P-16 stakeholders and component district representatives beginning no later than October 2023 and occurring every month (newsletter and Parent Square) or every other month (podcast) of the school year.