BOCES Employee Newsletter

This past month, Broome-Tioga BOCES had the honor of hosting several important visitors from the New York State Board of Education. In July, NYS Board of Regents member Patrick Mannion and New York State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa, Senior Deputy Commissioner Jeff Matteson, and Assistant Commissioner David Frank toured our campus. These visits highlight the strong partnerships we’ve built and the essential role we play in preparing students for life beyond the classroom.

Commissioner Rosa toured special education programs, witnessed our Summer Youth Employment students at work, and visited four different sites for our CTE elementary school camp. The commissioner also spoke with students at our hospitality, masonry, electrical, and HERO locations. After a morning of interacting with students, the Commissioner and Senior Deputy Commissioner attended our PLIC Leadership Academy for lunch and a fireside chat. Topics included leading during challenging and ever-changing times, the newly approved portrait of a graduate, and thoughts about the future of education.

The updated Portrait of a Graduate, released in July by the New York State Education Department, will make pathways to graduation more personalized. This updated vision outlines the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions all students should possess before graduation. The focus is clear: students need more than academic content. They need to be thinkers, communicators, collaborators, and engaged citizens who are ready for college, careers, and life. This blueprint will serve as the state’s educational framework, creating a shared understanding of the skills and knowledge students are expected to demonstrate upon high school graduation.

This updated portrait aligns directly with the work we do at BOCES. Every day, we help students develop real-world skills in fields like healthcare, trades, digital media, and public safety. We support critical thinking and teamwork. We connect students with industry professionals and real job sites. Our role is no longer limited to workforce readiness; it’s about whole-student readiness.

The new Portrait of a Graduate outlines six key traits every student should develop before graduation. These new graduation measures won’t be fully phased in until the 2029-2030 school year. Once implemented, a New York State high school graduate will be expected to be:

• Academically Prepared: by demonstrating a strong foundation in the New York State learning standards and being equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve success in college, careers, civic engagement, service, and life.

• A Creative Innovator: by utilizing imagination, curiosity, and flexible thinking to solve problems creatively, and develop new ideas and products, while adapting to evolving circumstances and challenges.

• A Critical Thinker: by analyzing information thoughtfully, evaluating evidence critically, and identifying patterns and connections between different pieces of information (across multiple content areas) to address complex issues and navigate the world with insight.

• An Effective Communicator: by articulating ideas clearly and confidently through speaking, writing, and the use of different types of media for various purposes, while engaging with diverse audiences and actively listening to different perspectives.

• A Global Citizen: by acting responsibly and ethically within local, global, and digital communities, employing civic knowledge, skills, and mindsets to promote global sustainability and contribute positively to a culturally diverse, democratic society.

• Reflective and Future Focused: by engaging in self-reflection to identify strengths and areas for growth, setting meaningful goals, using social awareness to maintain supportive relationships, and demonstrating responsible decision-making that prioritizes social, emotional, and mental well-being.

The Portrait of a Graduate sets a statewide vision, but at BOCES, we will bring it to life.

Greetings from Health and Safety!

The summer months are a busy time for the Health and Safety Department. With the start of a new school year, we are completing fire inspections, eyewash, drench shower, fume-hood inspections, as well as playground inspections. Emergency response plans must also be updated. We are assisting our districts with the completion of those as well. Some of our districts are doing the required Lead in Drinking Water testing. We are helping them with their test results and getting any non-compliant sources remedied.

Just a couple of notes moving into the new school year:

School Dude is no longer functional. If you need to put in a work ticket, please use Q-Ware moving forward.

Below are a few ways to learn how to use Q-Ware:

Q-Ware software:

https://qware.app/#/login/BROOMETIOGABOCES

Work ticket tutorial:

https://btboces.brightspace.com/d2l/home/7256

Our floor team is expeditiously refinishing floors throughout the building. If, for some reason, you come across a room labeled "Do Not Enter Wet Wax," please do not enter. This is for your safety and our sanity.

Finally, Maria Keesler and Jon Wdowiak did a fantastic job passing their fire inspection for the fifth year in a row since my arrival here.

I am pleased to announce that, for the first time in five years, the Ed Center has passed its fire inspection on the first attempt and will not require re-inspection.

Special thanks to the Communication and Public Relations Department for creating the best fire safety video on the planet, and our Health and Safety staff for their excellent communication skills.

We’re in the home stretch! The final phase of the project is underway, and we officially have electricity in the building! Contractors have installed the flooring during the week of July 21.

The conduit for the solar field is also in place, and everything is moving full steam ahead. We’re on track to wrap up the entire project by the end of August—we can’t wait to cross the finish line!

Foundation work has begun. Contractors are busy preparing the footers and excavating for the retaining wall.

Thank you for your continued support of this project, and please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

The BOCES Business Office had a great time connecting and relaxing at Unplugged 2025 even at this crazy time of year. We enjoyed the nature walks, the CPR course and won the trivia game, just to name a few events.

We extend a special THANK YOU to Lisa Besemer and the entire committee for all the planning volunteering their time!

Fun Fact: Our Purchasing department processes almost 40% of the total purchase orders for the entire year in the first few weeks of July - close to 9,500 purchase orders!

Fun Fact: Our Payroll department processed almost 22,000 payroll checks in June 2025!

The leadership team at the CBO would like to take a moment to recognize and express our appreciation for our staff. You are among the most dedicated, committed, and hardworking individuals we have the privilege and honor to work alongside.

Your passion and unwavering focus on our mission make a difference every single day. Thank you for all that you do.

The Document Services team has been hard at work this summer making improvements and preparing for the year ahead. One major upgrade currently underway is the transition to a new version of WebCRD, our online print-ordering system. The updated platform is more intuitive and user-friendly, making it easier for staff to submit and track print jobs. We anticipate full implementation by the start of the school year.

In the meantime, production is in full swing. Our team is printing classroom materials, student handbooks, and instructional content to support teachers as they gear up for the first day of school. We are also ramping up calendar and back-to-school print jobs for districts across the region.

Beyond the print room, our graphic installation team has been busy helping districts bring their spaces to life. In Harpursville, we recently installed custom wall clings and are working on new banners for the athletic fields. These visual elements allow districts to showcase school pride and create welcoming, engaging environments.

As always, we are proud to support the work of educators and help districts communicate their unique identity. We’re looking forward to another strong year of service.

Hundreds of BOCES students began their two-week-long Summer camps in July, with both the CTE and STEAM Summer Camps getting underway.

FOX40 came by the main campus to talk to a few campers, as well as CTE Assistant Principal Kori Smith.

Check out the story below!

WBNG came out to BOCES to put the spotlight on our Extended School Year program! The story focused on the students and what they like best about keeping their learning going over summer break. The story also features Director of Special Education Marie Meagher and teacher Michelle Black.

Click the link below to check out the story!

Broome-Tioga BOCES School Nutrition Services, Rock on Cafe, the Food and Health Network, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County hosted a hands-on Farm-to-School Culinary Experience for BOCES and area school nutrition staff, managers, and directors. The event was held June 25-27 at the SUNY Broome Culinary & Events Center in Binghamton.

Over three days, approximately 175 school nutrition professionals from the 15 districts in the Southern Tier participated in a hands-on skill-based training to support the NY Thursday and Farm-to-School Program. The experience kicked off with Ryan Kennedy, Director of Chef Operations at Brigaid, a team of chefs that work to advance safe, efficient, and successful food service operations. The chefs bring the systems and solutions they’ve learned working in professional kitchens to help take programs to the next level.

The training was divided into four key sections: knife skills, cooking techniques, kitchen operations, and food safety. The knife skills portion focused on preparing fresh fruits and vegetables, both for direct serving and recipe use. The cooking segment centered on practicing recipes featured in upcoming NY Thursday menus. Kitchen operations covered batch cooking, accurate measuring, and food presentation. The food safety section provided a refresher on essential practices to help ensure students receive safe, high-quality meals.

For both the training and the provided lunch, local food was prioritized. This not only supported local farmers by purchasing their products for the event, but also reinforced the commitment to incorporating locally grown ingredients into school menus throughout the year. The menu included a chopped NY beef & cheese sandwich, chicken riggies, NY maple baby carrots, and Brussels sprouts, seasoned broccoli, NY kale & romaine Caesar salad, and a NY black bean brownie sundae.

The preparation and cooking skills gained by attendees will be applied to NY Thursday meals and other locally inspired recipes served to students in Broome-Tioga BOCES schools throughout the 2025-2026 school year and beyond. This training was made possible through the support of the Farm-to- School Grant Program at the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The Communications and Public Relations department put together a highlight reel of the event:

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the Hello ED Program this July, an innovative initiative from Broome-Tioga BOCES PLIC. This program is designed to empower teachers with the tools and training needed to integrate AI tutors into classrooms, specifically to support high school English Language Learners (ELLs).

Funded by the New York State Learning Technologies Grant, Hello ED aims to explore how AI can enhance English language acquisition and content learning for ELL students. Participating educators will receive comprehensive training in both high-quality ENL (English as a New Language) practices and effective strategies for using AI in instruction.

Each teacher will also be paired with a dedicated teacher leader from their district, ensuring ongoing support throughout the school year.

We’re excited to see the impact this program will have on student learning and teacher development. Stay tuned for updates as we begin this transformative journey!

Congratulations to Alex Ackerman and Jenn Weston for their outstanding presentation at the New York State Association for Women in Administration (NYSAWA) conference on “Insights in Building Supportive Networks.” They showcased the impactful work being done by the Women in Technology group at Broome-Tioga BOCES. Upon returning home, they received a nice message from a colleague at another BOCES, who was inspired by their presentation to initiate a similar group at her institution.

We’re excited to announce that our 3rd Annual Leadership & Innovation Showcase is happening on Oct. 29, 2025, 🙌 and we’re inviting programs across BOCES to share their unique achievements and innovative projects involving technology in education.

This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the amazing work being done in your program and inspire others with your ideas. 💡 We’re looking for presentations centered around:

• 🔐Instructional Leadership: How technology enhances teaching and learning.
  
  

• 📊Data Privacy and Security: Approaches to protecting student and staff data.
  
  

• 🧑‍🏫Data Leadership: Leveraging data to make informed decisions and drive accountability.
  
  

• 🖥️Technology Procurement and Planning: Creative solutions for acquiring and implementing educational technology.

If you or a representative of your program is interested in presenting, please let us know by contacting LIS@btboces.org or clicking below to fill out a proposal form. Feel free to visit our webpage if you have any questions or need more information.

We hope many of you will take advantage of this opportunity to highlight your district’s leadership and innovation. Thank you for your consideration!

In July, Public Information Coordinators Michelle Buchanan and Regina Felice attended the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) seminar in Washington, D.C. They returned with new strategies and best practices to strengthen our communication efforts across the region. A highlight of the conference came when one of Michelle’s award-winning photos was selected as the visual opener for the general session. The image, featuring students from the Vestal Central School District, was a proud moment for both Michelle and our entire team.

Need an updated headshot for badges, social media, etc.? You can now book a time to come into the Communications and Public Relations office to get a new photo. Head to the staff page on the Broome-Tioga BOCES Staff website and scroll down, you'll find the booking schedule on the right side of the page.

Here are a couple quick tips to help you refine outputs when using AI.

• Create a persona of who you want the AI to be.
• For example, if I am trying to diagnose an issue with my car before asking AI questions, ask it to be an expert car mechanic with deep knowledge in diagnosing issues with Ford vehicles.
• For Example, "can you be an expert principal of a rural school district who values a culture of inclusion and welcomeness for all students and parents," then have it write or edit for you.
• After you get your input, ask AI to refine changes for you.
• For example, "that looks nice. Can you make this more inclusive of all students and families?"
• For Example, "can you translate this letter for me to x language?"

These are just a couple quick tips to help you get better results from your AI outputs.