Registration still taking place for March 25 event
Nassau BOCES will bring together more than 20 leading organizations
representing all facets of early childhood education at its third annual
Learning in the Early Years conference to be held on Thursday, March 25, at
Hofstra University. Dr. Craig T. Ramey, director of the Center for Health
and Education at Georgetown University and author of Right from Birth, will
present the keynote address to hundreds of teachers, parents and
administrators interested in early childhood education.
"We have the research and data that confirms the importance of early
childhood education," said Dr. Laura Lustbader, supervisor of Nassau BOCES
Programs for Youth and conference organizer. "We must work together from the
earliest point if we're going to raise children who are socially,
emotionally and cognitively healthy." Nassau BOCES is doing just that as
evidenced by the more than 20 organizations on Long Island that have signed
on to support the event.
The conference committee created a program that takes advantage of Ramey's
presence at the event. In addition to his keynote address, he will
participate in the full day's conference which includes seven discussion
groups lead by noted Long Island early childhood advocates. Attendees will
have the opportunity to participate in sessions that focus on different
areas of early childhood education utilizing Ramey's "evidence-based"
approach.
In his 30 years in the field of early childhood research, Ramey has
published more than 225 papers and articles, plus five books and has been a
consultant to both federal and state governments. Ramey's work has brought
him a National Parenting Publication Award among other honors. His writing
and teaching have always focused on the practical, as will the Learning in
the Early Years conference.
"Our goal is to give our attendees information that they can use
immediately, including ideas and implementation strategies that they can
take back to their organizations and families," said Lustbader.
The Learning in the Early Years Conference will bring many of Long Island's
most influential groups in early childhood education together. Anyone
interested in high-quality care and education for the youngest learners may
register.
Oceanside teen uses green energy knowledge to win
regional essay contest
Oceanside High
School senior Ranfis Fernandez enjoys hands-on learning in Barry
Tech’s construction electricity class.
Studies construction electricity at
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech
Oceanside High School Senior Ranfis
Fernandez, who studies construction electricity at Nassau BOCES Barry Tech,
was recognized for his award-winning essay on solar power by the India
Association of Long Island.
The association, along with the Sierra Club of Long Island, conducted the
essay contest themed "Going Green on Long Island Through Alternative
Energy." Ranfis received honorable mention and a $50 award during a special
ceremony at Antun's in Hicksville after competing against more than 100
students.
"To write the essay, students used research skills, explored Web sites and
wrote bibliographies, footnotes and end notes," said Trish Sergi, Barry Tech
English teacher. "All the students who entered the contest benefited from
the experience by learning more about alternative energy sources and
strengthening their writing skills."
According to Ranfis, he entered the contest because he wanted to learn more
about alternative energy sources and how to install them.
"My dad is a building superintendent, and many times I would help him with
plumbing, electric and carpentry," Ranfis said. "His influence, and my
willingness to help, got me interested in it as a career. I really enjoy
this program, and I'm glad I found Barry Tech."
From teenagers earning certification as computer network technicians to
adults learning new trades, the Nassau BOCES Department of Career and
Technical Education gives people the skills they need for success in the
workplace. Each year, thousands of high school and adult students attend
classes at Barry Tech, the state-of-the-art career and technical education
center in Westbury. Specialized job training services for adults with
disabilities, English as a second language and basic education classes for
adults new to our country are also offered at St. Bernard's School in
Levittown.
>>Added 3/12/09
Annual gang awareness conference rescheduled
On Tuesday, April 27, Nassau BOCES
and the
Safe and Supportive Schools
Consortium will bring the conference "Working Together to Strengthen our
Communities: Preventing Youth Violence and Gangs" to Hofstra University.
This annual event provides educators, childcare workers and community
members with a candid look at gang activity in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Registration is required for the event, which was rescheduled after a
February snow storm.
For details, please call Barbara Calvo, Office of Field Services, Hofstra
University, at 516-463-5750, or e-mail her at barbara.calvo@hofstra.edu.
>>Added 3/12/09
Board welcomes 58 newly tenured staff members to the
'BOCES family'
Karen Ellis, executive
director for Special Education, and Joan Siegel, associate
superintendent for Business Services, are congratulated by Dr.
Robert J. Hanna, deputy superintendent. Full Video
The agency's inaugural tenure
celebration served as a tribute to the accomplishments of 58 staff members
who reached this important milestone within the last six months.
Initiated by the Nassau BOCES Board, the recognition ceremony brought
together employees who hold a broad range of job titles with varying
responsibilities — from school principals, program supervisors and support
personnel to teachers, guidance counselors and information technology
technicians.
"On behalf of the Board, I extend our congratulations and wish you all
continued success at Nassau BOCES," said Stephen B. Witt, president of the
Board. "We want you to know that in our hearts and minds, you are all part
of our family. We need you, our students need you, and the state and country
need you."
The event attracted a visit from New York State Board of Regents member
Roger Tilles, who applauded Nassau BOCES for its energy and innovation. It
also included performances by Long Island High School for the Arts' singers,
desserts by Barry Tech's culinary arts students, and buttons created by
youngsters at the Rosemary Kennedy School.
"This achievement signals your accomplishments, your commitment to this
organization and, in turn, its commitment to you," said Dr. Thomas Rogers,
district superintendent. "Of all the assets this organization builds, its
people are the most important. We look forward to you sharing your energy,
enthusiasm and ideas with colleagues and students at Nassau BOCES."
>>Added 3/2/09
Free March events for technology leaders
Technology Resource
Solutions connects hundreds of schools in Nassau County with services
vital to technology leaders and educators: digital media content for the
classroom, technology support and collaboration for school districts,
college planning for guidance counselors, and home-school communication and
Web site development for schools. Join Nassau BOCES in March to learn how
you can meet your district's needs while keeping expenses down.
Wednesday, March 10
Noon-2 p.m.
Lunch and Learn: MY Access!
MY Access! is Vantage Learning’s award-winning, Web-delivered instructional
writing program designed to improve students' writing skills in as few as
six weeks. Learn how this system motivates students to write frequently and
enables teachers to make timely, data-driven decisions for differentiated
instruction.
Register with MyLearningPlan.
Friday, March 12
12:30-2:30 p.m.
Digital Media in the Classroom
Explore a range of solutions for integrating digital media into your
school's classroom lessons. Compare high-quality Web-based video content
resources as well as tools for saving, organizing and sharing media.
Register with MyLearningPlan.
Tuesday, March 16
9-11 a.m.
Breakfast Briefing: AlertNow
AlertNow is a rapid communication service designed to help school
administrators increase attendance, build community relations, improve
parental involvement and ensure campus safety.
Register with MyLearningPlan.
Tuesday, March 23
Lunch and Learn: Smart Science
Noon-2 p.m.
Join us for a demonstration of Smart Science -- the online, inquiry-based
virtual lab that teaches students to think like scientists. Smart Science is
correlated to the New York State Learning Standards and is required by New
York State Regents Labs.
Register with MyLearningPlan.
>>Added 3/2/09
Nassau BOCES mentors help new teachers 'tea off'
Mary Schultz of Hearing
and Vision Services (left) displays her "Proud to Be a Mentor" pin
while enjoying tea with mentee Kathleen Callahan.
Starting off the year in a new school
can be a daunting experience for any teacher. And because of the uniqueness
of Nassau BOCES schools and the students they serve, there's even more for
newcomers to learn. But with the help of wise and trusted advisors — their
mentors — first-year teachers at Nassau BOCES always have access to the
support they need.
Through the Department of Human Resources (HR) mentoring program, all new
teachers and occupational and physical therapists are paired with
experienced colleagues to help them have a successful first year with the
agency.
"Everyone knows what it's like that first day, first month and first year of
a new position," says Dr. Joseph T. Centamore, assistant director for HR.
"When you're getting acclimated to an organization's culture and learning
its norms, procedures and protocols, it's critical to have someone you can
turn to."
The Mentor Tea is the agency's way of honoring the mentors and mentees for
the relationships they've established and the students they have served.
This year, 35 teacher mentors were honored and thanked by administrators,
Board members and their protégés during the January event, which was held in
the Administrative Center's brightly decorated cafeteria.
At the tea, Board members and administrators expressed their appreciation
for the vital support mentors provide, while mentees took the opportunity to
thank their advisors directly.
"I've been very fortunate to have Sharon (Seltzer) as my mentor," says
Salvatore Gambino, technology teacher at the Eagle Avenue Middle School.
"She's very helpful and caring, and always is right next door whenever I
need her."
Denise Corby, an itinerant teacher for Hearing and Vision Services, adds, "I
want to thank Nassau BOCES for letting me have a mentor, and I want to thank
Marlyn (Appelt) for all the help she's given me."
There are currently 35 mentors in locations throughout the agency, including
most Special Education schools, Barry Tech, the Seaford Academic Center and
CIT's Health and Allied Services.
>>Added 3/2/09
Nassau BOCES helps Massapequa Public Schools reboot
its technology
CIT Supervisor Patricia
Iannacone counsels school administrators during a professional
learning session designed by Nassau BOCES for Massapequa Public
Schools.
One of the most ambitious technology
initiatives ever attempted by a school district on Long Island went
off without a blip this year as Nassau BOCES helped Massapequa
Public Schools completely refresh the equipment in all nine schools.
Every single computer in the district was recycled to make room for
more than 2,000 replacements. In addition, the district added more
than 200 SMART Boards, 200 projectors and video conference
capabilities. Now, Nassau BOCES is providing district administrators
with the training they need to use the technology effectively as
well as to be able to evaluate the appropriate use of it in the
classroom.
Robert Schilling, district executive director for assessment, came
to the Nassau BOCES Department of Curriculum, Instruction and
Technology (CIT) in May 2009 with the $1.5 million computer
replacement initiative. The catch? He wanted it completed within
three months. Thanks to the project management skills of CIT's
Dominic Potenza and his team, the last computer was up and running
in two months.
"A project of this magnitude is only possible through the hard work
and dedication of multiple individuals," Schilling wrote in a letter
expressing his thanks. "From project coordination by Dom Potenza to
installation by Pete Siegmann and his team, and every detail in
between, the project was handled with the utmost care and
professionalism."
The scope of the project was enormous, taking into account the
schedules of staff members from the nine schools, the delivery
capabilities of multiple vendors, and the time it would take not
only to account for, assemble and install the new computers, but
also to remove all of the existing
computers, which included shredding 2,100 hard drives and arranging
for the parts to be recycled.
"You have to trust your people, empower them to do their jobs, and
give them what they need to get the work done," Potenza said. "The
people involved in this project were absolutely phenomenal."
Massapequa administrators explore technology tools, trends and
resources — including the 21st Century Skills Framework and the International
Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards for school administrators.
21st-century education
By the time students returned to school in September, all of the
technology was up and running, and district administrators were
starting ongoing technology training. "Massapequa's
students have access to technology that allows them to have a
21st-century education," said Clifford Steinberg, one of the CIT
supervisors leading the training sessions. "Our job, now, is to
ensure that these tools are used effectively."
Prior to the start of the training, Superintendent Charles V. Sulc,
Steinberg and a team of other district and Nassau BOCES leaders sat
down to outline the desired outcome. Their goals included building
the administrator's awareness of the technologies available for the
classroom as well as training the administrators on how to use these
tools and evaluate their effectiveness in the classroom. "The
administrator will be able to observe a class and provide
constructive feedback as well as provide them with additional
resources," said CIT supervisor Patricia Iannacone.
Called the Massapequa Administrators Academy, the training sessions
began in mid-December with a look at the standards of the
International Society for Technology in Education. Through a series
of exercises, participants are taught how to turn these guidelines
into "real, practical tasks that can be accomplished in the
classroom," said Iannacone.
"We focused on harnessing the power of the technology available to
them, and they left the first session with the knowledge and tools
necessary to create their own personal learning networks," said
Steinberg. "Now, instead of having to look for information on the
Web, it comes to them."
>>Added 2/19/09
Kaye earns top honors from state association
Martin R. Kaye, who
serves on the boards of Nassau BOCES and the West Hempstead School
District, earned a Master of Boardsmanship Award from the New York
State School Boards Association.
Martin R. Kaye, a public education advocate serving on the boards of
Nassau BOCES and the West Hempstead School District, recently received a
Master of Boardsmanship Award from the New York State School Boards
Association (NYSSBA).
This award — the highest honor bestowed by NYSSBA's Leadership Development
Recognition Program — recognizes exemplary board members who strive to
expand their knowledge of education and develop skills in school district
governance. To qualify for this distinction, Kaye completed NYSSBA's School
Board Institute program of eight intensive courses on leadership of New York
school boards. He also spent many hours participating in workshops,
conventions and academies to strengthen his abilities as a board member.
"I am delighted to be serving with both Nassau BOCES and West Hempstead,"
says Kaye. "It is an honor to work with these two outstanding groups of
education leaders."
Kaye joined Nassau BOCES in August 2009. He has served on the West Hempstead
board since 1991, holding leadership positions such as president (1999-2001)
and vice president (1997-1999).
At the state level, Kaye has been active with NYSSBA in a variety of ways.
He has been a legislative liaison for the State Legislative Network since
1998 and a voting delegate at the association's annual convention since
1992. In the past, he has received numerous awards, including certificates
of achievement and merit, an Award of Distinction and the Developmental
Achievement Citation.
A Fairleigh Dickinson University alumnus, Kaye has a bachelor's degree in
history and a master's degree in political science. He is the owner of
Meridian Industries Inc. and Intercollegiate Designs Inc. Kaye has lived in
West Hempstead since 1977, and he and his wife of 40 years have four adult
children.
>>Added 2/17/09
Carman Road School painters draw inspiration from Jackson Pollack
Proud Carman Road School students display their works of art, created with the help of SMART Board technology and the Web site, www.jacksonpollock.org.
Students and teachers at the Carman Road School made a splash when they
participated in a nationwide campaign to celebrate the paintings of Jackson
Pollack.
Students were introduced to Pollock's unique style of abstract art
with a photo slideshow created by Pamela Doyle, environmental education
teacher. They were then invited to digitally "paint" their own
Pollock-inspired creations using an array of state-of-the-art assistive
technologies, including SMART Boards. Finally, the students with special
needs used Pollock's "drip" technique to paint a 7-foot mural — the
centerpiece of the art exhibit.
"For our students, many of whom have physical challenges, this was authentic
artistic expression," said Doyle. "Using SMART Boards, alternate keyboards
and switches, they had the opportunity to design beautiful artwork
completely on their own."
Describing his own inspiration, Pollock himself once said, "The modern
artist ... is working and expressing an inner world — in other words —
expressing the energy, the motion, and other inner forces."
"You also would see that reflected in our students' artwork," Doyle added.
>>Added 2/12/09
Long Island High School for the Arts alums star
in off-Broadway teen musical
"Most Likely To: The Senior
Superlative Musical" featured a cast made up entirely of Long
Island High School for the Arts alumni.
Thirteen students from the Nassau BOCES
Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA) classes of 2008 and 2009
are taking to the stage at New York’s historic Players Theatre in Greenwich
Village. The talented and passionate all-alumni cast is back for an encore
showcase of "Most Likely To: The Senior Superlative Musical."
"Most Likely To ..." opens Saturday, Jan. 16, and runs through Sunday, Jan.
24, for five performances. Tickets and a complete schedule of show times are
available at
theatermania.com.
Written and composed by LIHSA drama teacher and established playwright
Michael Tester, and directed by LIHSA teacher Abbe Gail Gross, "Most Likely
To …" offers a fresh alternative to teen musicals while showcasing LIHSA's
talented alumni. The all-teen cast and their home towns are: Andrew J. Beck
and Gina Marie Bilardi, Bethpage; Samantha Chastain,
Locust Valley; Alex Greif, Lynbrook; Christopher Hlinka, Northport; Katie
Hoffmann, Massapequa; Lyle Colby Mackston, West Hempstead; Melissa Rapelje,
Glen Cove; Lauren Renner and Joe Weggman, Harborfields; Sarah Sixt, Locust
Valley; and Jessie Zeidman, Port Washington.
Tester, who also authored "Hollywood Exposed!" and co-authored "The Awesome
'80s Prom," exemplifies the dedication of the LIHSA staff – all experienced
performers and artists who bring impressive real-world credentials to their
classrooms.
>>Added 1/15/10
Nassau BOCES welcomes new district superintendent
Dr. Thomas
L. Rogers joined Nassau BOCES on Tuesday, Jan. 19, as its new
district superintendent.
Dr. Thomas L. Rogers took the helm at Nassau BOCES on Tuesday, Jan. 19,
when he officially started as district superintendent.
Rogers assumes responsibility for leading the largest BOCES in New York,
serving the 56 school districts in the county, which enroll 212,000
students. As district superintendent, he also represents the
commissioner of education and the State Education Department in their work
with the school districts of Nassau County.
Nassau BOCES employs 4,315 staff members who work on 20 campuses throughout
the county, housing 4,778 BOCES students, including 1,306 Nassau County
adults enrolled in a variety of literacy, career and technical programs. In
addition to its nationally-known programs in special education and career
and technical education, Nassau BOCES also provides a variety of technical
support programs for local school districts, including electronic and
assistive technology, in-service training for staff, interscholastic
athletics, public communications, data warehousing and analysis, distance
education, cooperative bidding and purchasing, and a variety of other
services that can be offered more efficiently and less expensively through
Nassau BOCES than by the school districts acting independently.
Since 1993, Rogers has provided leadership for the New York State Council of
School Superintendents in Albany, serving as its executive director for the
past six years. Prior to that, Rogers was a program associate in the New
York State Senate Majority Program Office, where he worked on a wide variety
of public policy issues. In his work for the Council of School
Superintendents, Rogers led the transformation of a traditional membership
association into a public policy advocacy think tank that emphasizes
professional development for all school superintendents and other school
district administrators in New York.
His recent work as a co-founder of Public Schools For Tomorrow, a newly
formed organization of public school leaders seeking to reassert a strong
professional presence in state and federal policy discussions, has kept him
in the forefront of trends in classroom instruction and measurement.
Rogers received a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Education from Teachers
College at Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude
from the University of Buffalo. He is the author of several publications,
has lectured at the College of St. Rose on educational leadership and public
communications, and serves on the boards of several education-related
organizations.
>>Added 1/15/10
It's never too late to find the artist within —
sign up for adult courses at the Long Island High School for the Arts
Whether you’re a budding artist or merely up for something new and
different, spend your Tuesday evenings exploring your creative side at the
Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA) in Syosset.
The school is opening its doors to the community by offering 17 unique and
interesting classes this spring as part of its Arts for Adults program. New
classes include: Singers Studio Collective, which focuses on the basics of
commercial pop and jazz vocal production; Un Poquito de Español – A little
bit of Spanish, where participants have fun learning conversational Spanish
through cooking, films, music, literature, dancing and art; and Ballroom
Dancing, where you can energize both your mind and body in your favorite
dancing shoes.
Additional offerings focus on the basics of guitar or other instruments,
poetry writing, film history (which highlights Hollywood’s Golden Age),
acting techniques, stage lighting, photography, drawing, painting, body
conditioning and Broadway dance styles. No matter where your talents or
aspirations lie, there’s bound to be a class for you.
Download the brochure for a full schedule of courses, or call
516-622-5678 to request one by mail. Register in person Monday-Friday from 8
a.m.-4 p.m., by phone or by mail. Courses run for an eight-week session on
Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. or 8:30-10 p.m. Spring classes begin on
Tuesday, Feb. 9.
Nassau BOCES is part of the public school system, and its Long Island High
School for the Arts has been offering intensive training in the visual and
performing arts for more than 35 years. Students from both Nassau and
Suffolk counties may attend and can choose to major in art, dance, drama,
theatre technology, instrumental or vocal music, musical theatre, film or
playwriting. Many attend for half the school day, taking academic courses at
their home high schools; others enroll full time and take all of their
academic courses for high school graduation at LIHSA. More than 90 percent
of the graduates go on to colleges or conservatories, including the
Juilliard School, Boston Conservatory and the American Academy of Dramatic
Arts (just to name a few).
>>Added 1/15/10
College prep opens doors for special education
students
Nassau BOCES offers college course at high school thanks to
collaboration with Nassau Community College
Many students
attending Nassau BOCES high schools are starting their college experiences a
little early thanks to a collaboration between the agency and Nassau
Community College (NCC). These seniors are taking a one-credit course
focused on how to adapt successfully to college life.
The idea was the brainchild of Nassau BOCES Alternative Learning Program
(ALP) Principal Steven L. Sitkoff and the program's psychologist, Dr. Linda
Lopez. ALP is a high school program for students who have average or
above-average intellectual potential but have learning or emotional
disabilities that cause them to have difficulty relating to a traditional
high school environment.
The program has an impressive record of success, with most students
graduating with high school diplomas and more than half going on to four- or
two-year colleges.
"However, the students were often worried and nervous about the next step
after graduation and needed extra help with the skills necessary in a
college setting," says Sitkoff. "The natural solution was to turn to
longtime education partner NCC."
For years, ALP has been sending some of its most exceptional students to NCC
for one or two classes. Now, Sitkoff asked the college to come to them.
Eleven students from the four high school programs in the Department of
Special Education participated in the program's pilot class, which was
taught at the Nassau BOCES Greenvale Center by a veteran NCC professor.
Several of these students are now college freshman.
A freshman seminar offered to all incoming students at NCC, "The College
Experience," also teaches students how to make social connections and manage
academics along with other responsibilities such as laundry and dealing with
a budget.
Learning how to live without a built-in support system was key for Katherine
Cortali, an NCC freshman. "I learned how to be my own advocate," she said.
"If I had a question, I had to go meet with my professor — to be the one to
make the decisions and do what was best for me."
In addition to students from ALP, the course is open to seniors from the
Nassau BOCES Center for Community Adjustment in Wantagh, the Hearing and
Vision Services program in East Meadow and the Career Preparatory High
School in Westbury.
Seventeen students have already signed up for the spring session.
>>Added 1/8/10
Barry Tech students earn Statesman Awards
At the New York State SkillsUSA Leadership Conference in Liverpool, N.Y.,
seven Barry Tech students earned Statesman Awards for demonstrating their
leadership skills through a variety of team activities.
The annual conference is a collaboration of students, teachers and industry
leaders working toward providing a skilled workforce for America's future.
The students, along with their home schools and courses of study, are:
Kristi Confortin, East Meadow High School, veterinary science
Dena Elsayed, North Shore High School, cosmetology
Marshall Goldstein, Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High
School, culinary arts
Mike Jean-Batiste, Freeport High School, physical therapy aide
Angela Moore, Baldwin Senior High School, physical therapy aide
Ashley Skeffrey, Baldwin Senior High School, pharmacy technician
Dena Sotiriou, Syosset High School, culinary arts
The seven teens who attended the conference, along with the other members
of the Barry Tech SkillsUSA team, will continue to put their leadership
talents into practice during a series of SkillsUSA competitions, with the
eventual goal of attending the National Leadership and Skills Conference in
June.
From teenagers earning certification as computer network technicians to
adults learning new trades, the Nassau BOCES Department of Career and
Technical Education gives people the skills they need for success in the
workplace. Each year, thousands of high school and adult students attend
classes at Barry Tech, the state-of-the-art career and technical education
center in Westbury, and other locations. Specialized job training services
for adults with disabilities as well as English as a second language (ESL)
and basic education classes for adults new to our country, also are offered
at St. Bernard’s School in Levittown.
