Dear Orleans/Niagara BOCES Community:
This will be my last community letter due to my pending retirement as the Senior New York State District Superintendent (DS) after 35 years serving the Orleans/Niagara BOCES and 53 years as an educator. I have great appreciation and gratitude for the years of support from the Board of Education, component school districts, community members/partners, students and the highly competent staff that have contributed to the outstanding success of this BOCES organization. I remain inspired by the dedication and hard work exhibited daily by the faculty and staff; they are creative, resilient and committed to the BOCES mission while delivering services that our clients request and today’s workforce requires.
The Orleans/Niagara BOCES Board of Education is currently in the District Superintendent search process. This is mandated by law to employ a highly-qualified individual to lead the O/N BOCES into the future. Mr. Kevin MacDonald, District Superintendent of the Genesee Valley BOCES has been appointed by the Commissioner of Education to conduct the search.
Mr. MacDonald was the Assistant Superintendent at this BOCES for eight years and is well acquainted with our organization.
Our Orleans Career and Technical Education Center (OCTEC) is completing a $4 million renovation project which will improve security, safety and air quality. This will include air conditioning of all classrooms and shop areas. This BOCES is one of the first in New York State to incorporate these state-of-the-art upgrades. This project will make our facilities equal to today’s modern business facilities, such as automotive, welding, childcare and healthcare, along with our 22 other career and technical educational (CTE) offerings. This will ensure that our graduates are ready to enter their chosen fields of work, higher education or the military. Our students will continue to maximize their high school years by gaining life-long skills that serve them into the future in our newly upgraded sites. This year marks our initiative that all CTE graduates will be certified in CPR and First Aid as part of their preparation. We are proud of the fact that we remain the third largest BOCES CTE program in New York State and can be benchmarked as a world-class training facility.
Our special needs population continues to be offered placement options and related services thanks to the great support of our staff. Our special programs are in high demand with school districts utilizing our improved shared services accessibility to meet social and emotional needs in their schools. Unfortunately, the employment markets are most challenging and have constrained our program availability necessitating some waitlists for placements. We continue to seek substitutes, teachers and support staff from across Western New York. If you are interested in a position, check us out at www.onboces.org
Our adult/continuing education program was most recently cited for the highest award granted by the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the Magna Award, from over 10,000 school districts in the United States. Congratulations to all of our staff who service adult students, the incarcerated, GED and those considering career re-entry opportunities.
I also would like to thank Mr. Wayne M. Van Vleet, who will retire this June after 30 years as General Counsel and Executive Director of Personnel, Human Resources and Labor Relations.
Be aware that the National Center for Disease Control has modified the COVID-19 protocols to no longer require masking or isolation. The newest guidelines state that the COVID-19 virus will be treated like any other respiratory illness. Please use good judgment if you become ill and stay away from others in order to be vigilant to safety concerns.
As you know, quality regional educational services require the teamwork and support of our clients, community and staff. I remain proud of our record of service and appreciate the tremendous support you have given us. I look forward to continuing to admire and cheer your efforts as you pursue excellence for our clients.
I extend my best wishes to all of you for continued success, prosperity and good health.
