BOCES recently inducted students into the National Technical Honor Society.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 7, at the Herkimer BOCES William E. Busacker Complex to recognize Career and Technical Education students.

The purposes of the National Technical Honor Society are to reward excellence in career and technical education, develop self-esteem and pride, encourage students to reach for higher levels of achievement and champion a stronger, more positive image for workforce education in America.

National Technical Honor Society members and inductees are listed below under their Herkimer BOCES program and with their home school district by their names:

New junior members:

Automotive Technology: Frank Castardi (Frankfort-Schuyler), Jeremiah Decker (Little Falls), Jackson Kenyon (Central Valley), James Mody (Little Falls), Damian Seifried (Frankfort-Schuyler) and Trenton Talarico (Central Valley).

Building Construction: Joseph Koch (Little Falls).

Child Family Services: Abigail Becker (Central Valley), Aleah Chabrier (Herkimer) and Isabella Maass (Herkimer).

Conservation: Cooper Jordan (Herkimer), Kacie Owen (Mount Markham) and Caileigh Youker (Dolgeville).

Cosmetology: Sarah Huyck (Herkimer).

Criminal Justice: Amiee Baker (Richfield Springs), Madison Barretta (Central Valley), Lee Comstock (Poland), Brianna Conti (Frankfort-Schuyler), Joseph Crossway (Herkimer), Aubri Doggett (Central Valley), Lauren Dye (Central Valley), Madison Jeffers (Dolgeville), Carlee Nichols (Dolgeville), Rocco Santomassino (Frankfort-Schuyler) and Gabriel Slawson (Frankfort-Schuyler.

Culinary and Hospitality: Sierra Atwater (Central Valley), Samantha Bormann (Central Valley), Navy Escamilla (Mount Markham), Gabriella Grems (Frankfort-Schuyler), Ruslan Kurganov (Frankfort-Schuyler), Alina Lisovets (Frankfort-Schuyler), Faith McGurk (Mount Markham), Amanda Scheiderich (Central Valley), Dezirae Schlaepfer (Mount Markham) and Amber Van Alstine (Central Valley).

Health Science Careers: Kadence Lamica (Central Valley), Coleigh Lape (Central Valley), Mikaela Turner (Central Valley), Molly Vickers (Dolgeville) and Iris Wick (Little Falls).

Heavy Equipment Repair Operations: Lorenzo Brown (Central Valley), James Graziano (Central Valley), Evan Gross (Herkimer), Kyle Henzel (West Canada Valley), Jakob Keeler (Central Valley), Gabriel Leskovar (Dolgeville), Trig Ludwig (Central Valley), Emma Tripple (Frankfort-Schuyler) and Victor Walter (Little Falls).

Network Administration: RaVonn Burks (Herkimer), Preston Harvey (Herkimer), Kaden Kleist (Dolgeville), Ross Richard III (Herkimer), Trey Stack (Dolgeville) and Caiden Trask (Poland).

Power Sports & Agricultural Mechanics: Richard Hartmann II (Mount Markham), Conner Herringshaw (Central Valley), Elijah Jones (Poland) and Shawn St. Onge (Mount Markham).

Visual Communications and Media Arts: Keirsten Avery (Little Falls), Lillian Brownrigg (Frankfort-Schuyler), Royston Clarke (Richfield Springs), Jayden Davis (Frankfort-Schuyler), Madison Goodhines (Frankfort-Schuyler), Laila Groomes (Central Valley), Allyson Lamica (Central Valley), Sarah Rearick (Central Valley), Kathryne Reynolds (Central Valley), Cheyenne Tanney (Mount Markham) and Aspen Ward (Mount Markham).

Welding and Metal Fabrication: Isabella Barrows-Drennen (Poland), Arianna Bevers (Owen D. Young), Samuel Dunham (West Canada Valley), Logan Eck (Mount Markham), Colin Haver (Poland), Samuel Johnson (Dolgeville), Moises Magana (Frankfort-Schuyler), Morgan Marriott (Richfield Springs) and Gavin Pizer (Herkimer).

New senior members:

Automotive Technology: Danny Bleaking (Herkimer), Tyler Hansen (Herkimer), Dustin Shannon-Dineen (West Canada Valley) and Virginia Spellman (Poland).

Building Construction: Pierson Hand (Owen D. Young).

Conservation: Isabele Horan (Poland), Tristan Klotz (Frankfort-Schuyler) and Brady Saunders (Herkimer).

Cosmetology: Izabelle Lyon (Dolgeville).

Culinary and Hospitality: JayMike Crichton (Herkimer), Nathaniel Dawley (Herkimer), Carter Doolen (Frankfort-Schuyler), Brandon Maine (Herkimer), Cadence Moxham (Richfield Springs), Xavier Palmieri (Herkimer) and Matthew Pickens (Frankfort-Schuyler).

Health Science Careers: Josephine Aney (Central Valley), Ella Barnes (Dolgeville), Amela Dervisevic (Frankfort-Schuyler), Claire Keady-Dooley (Herkimer), Gabrielle Slater (Little Falls), Stephanie Tucker (Mount Markham), Kavonna White (Herkimer) and Mason Yost (Poland).

Heavy Equipment Repair Operations: Michael Anderson (Poland), William Bolster (Dolgeville), Caydon Dager (Dolgeville), Harley Palmeroni (Dolgeville), Ethan Plonka (Dolgeville), William Pomichter (Poland) and Owen Yost (Poland).

Power Sports & Agricultural Mechanics: Andrew Carney (West Canada Valley), Matthew Cotton (Little Falls), Maxwell Pullis (Owen D. Young) and Owen Smith (Mount Markham).

Visual Communications and Media Arts: Troy Haver (Poland), Kelsey Makuch (Richfield Springs) and Azeliah Saunders (Herkimer).

Welding and Metal Fabrication: Cooper Mower (Central Valley).

Returning senior members:

Advanced Manufacturing: Santino Luce (Herkimer).

Automotive Technology: Dayton Dupont (West Canada Valley), Michael Ferguson (Frankfort-Schuyler), Brayden Hall (Frankfort-Schuyler) and Dallas Miller (Richfield Springs).

Child Family Services: Kate Helmer (Dolgeville), Tiffany Kretchman (Central Valley) and Julia Llewellyn (Central Valley).

Conservation: Emily Hartman (Mount Markham).

Cosmetology: Victoria Galletta (Dolgeville) and Alexa Pope (Poland).

Criminal Justice: Jarrett Coffey (Frankfort-Schuyler), Baleigh Eysaman (Central Valley), Kighlah Klawonn (Dolgeville), Yuanita Leavitt (Frankfort-Schuyler), Kadence Lyman (Central Valley), Abigail Myers (Little Falls), Jonathan Sobers II (Richfield Springs) and Ashton Talbot (Little Falls).

Culinary and Hospitality: Marshall Chandler (Little Falls), Rory Clanton (Herkimer), Nathan Cornacchia (West Canada Valley), Caleb Edson (Mount Markham), MaKenzie Farrington (Central Valley), Paige Maida (West Canada Valley), Chyanne Miller (Little Falls), Anthony Smith (West Canada Valley) and Liam Vivlamore (Herkimer).

Health Science Careers: Kaylee Callahan (Little Falls) and Sofia Hazeltine (Frankfort-Schuyler).

Heavy Equipment Repair Operations: Wyatt Carnright (Central Valley), Brayden Darrow (Central Valley), Makala Makuch (Mount Markham), Derek Newtown (Central Valley), Aidan Prokopienko (Central Valley), Carolyn Schrader (Poland), Blake Sprague (Dolgeville), Zane Synenki (Little Falls) and Dylan Tripple (Mount Markham).

Network Administration: Michael Gauthier (West Canada Valley) and Tyler Ossont (West Canada Valley).

Power Sports & Agricultural Mechanics: Steven Lewosko Jr. (Mount Markham).

Visual Communications and Media Arts: Joshua DiPierro (Herkimer), Jillian Hutchinson (Herkimer), Lilia McLean (Herkimer), Darrius Monroe (Dolgeville) and George Rodger (Little Falls).

Welding and Metal Fabrication: Kaleb Davis (Herkimer), Chase Harrer (Little Falls), Noah Izzo (Dolgeville), Mark McGowan Jr. (Dolgeville), Stanley Swanson (Poland) and Kaden Vincent (West Canada Valley).

Herkimer BOCES Career and Technical Education seniors participate in the National Technical Honor Society induction ceremony.

Herkimer BOCES Career and Technical Education juniors participate in the National Technical Honor Society induction ceremony.

Submitted by Zane Mahar, Director of Career and Technical Education

Submitted by Tim Johnston, Director of Special Education at the WEB Complex and Related Services

Submitted by Tracy Facchini, Director of Special Programs at Pathways Academy and Central Valley 5-12

Pathways Academy Principal Cory Pike presented the Herkimer BOCES Outstanding Community Partner Award to the Ilion Police Department during the Herkimer BOCES Annual Meeting. This award recognizes the department’s dedication to supporting Pathways students and fostering a safe and collaborative school environment.

Intramurals have officially started and take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. Under the supervision of Mr. Pike and Mr. DeBiase, students have the opportunity to engage in various physical activities, including basketball, whiffle ball and weightlifting in the gym. This initiative aims to promote physical health, teamwork and engagement beyond the classroom.

Staff members recently participated in a Drug Impairment Training for Educational Professionals (DITEP) session provided by the state police. This training focused on equipping school personnel with the knowledge and skills to recognize signs of drug impairment in students. By enhancing early recognition and intervention strategies, staff members can better support student wellness and ensure a safe school environment.

Pathways brought students to the CTE Cosmetology program at the WEB Complex, where they received free haircuts and manicures from the 12th grade Cosmetology students. Our students were bused over in the morning and had a great time – it was a really positive experience for everyone involved.

CVA staff participated in a "Professionalism: The Importance of Good Communication Skills for Educators" workshop on March 26. Staff members fully participated and understood that these skills benefit their delivery of quality instruction to students.

Submitted by Melanie Welch, Director of Early Childhood Education and Itinerant Services

Submitted by Ruth Leavitt, Director of Instructional Support Services and Adult Education

Herkimer BOCES hosted three hybrid events with the New York State Education Department this spring to support our districts with state initiatives.

P-3 literacy instructional best practices: Literacy leaders and administrators from Central Valley, Dolgeville, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Little Falls, Mount Markham, Poland, Richfield Springs, West Canada Valley and BOCES participated in a hybrid event with NYSED staff to walk through the newly released Literacy Best Practices guide that is part of new NYSED literacy attestation process, which requires districts to ensure literacy instruction and interventions align with Science of Reading.

Uplifting all students: equity, opportunity and access: NYSED Commissioner Betty A. Rosa and Chancellor Lester W. Young Jr. led a discussion along with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, along with six exemplary districts across New York state to illustrate ways to engage in collaborative team building, promote student well-being and advocacy, and foster family and community engagement.

Release of New York state numeracy briefs: Mathematics leaders across Herkimer County join Dr. Deborah Loewenberg Ball from the University of Michigan in May to focus on evidence-based practices for teaching mathematics to support high-quality teaching of mathematics across grades PK-12.

With the many changes in both 3-8 and Regents-level science assessments, Instructional Support Services continues to support districts through these changes.

Science assessment writing: New York state science teacher presenter Angela Francis led the first of two sessions on elementary, middle school and high school changes in the New York State Science Learning Standards and corresponding assessments. Participating teachers from Central Valley, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Little Falls, Mount Markham, Owen D. Young, Poland, Richfield Springs and West Canada Valley engaged in collaborative resource sharing and gained valuable materials from 32 other districts. 

Science assessments data dive: Teachers and administrators from Central Valley, Herkimer, Little Falls, Poland, Richfield Springs, West Canada Valley, Town of Webb and BOCES gathered this month for a science assessments data dive with instructional coaches Laura Mikus and Kelly Cave, looking at district-specific science assessment data.

Living environment and earth science investigations: Kelly Cave hosted regional science teachers at Central Valley during the March 14 Superintendent’s Conference Day to work with the new mandatory living environment and earth science investigations, which will replace the mandatory labs.

Pictured in the photos above: science teachers analyzing differences between the “old” science exams and “new” exams.

Pictured above: science assessments data dive.

Pictured above: living environment and earth science investigations.

Future Pathways at CVA: Central Valley partnered with School to Careers with several events for their high school students. A panel of human resources professionals and an admissions representative from SUNY Polytechnic Institute worked with the senior class. This panel provided invaluable insights and answered student questions regarding the transition to college and careers, covering topics such as on-campus vs. off-campus living, the role of salary in career decisions and navigating potential career changes. At the same time, the dynamic speaker Duncan Kirkwood delivered a powerful message to grades 9-11 students centered on resilience, self-belief, kindness and empathy. Kirkwood's impactful presentation was enthusiastically received by both students and staff, with many engaging further with him after the session. 

8 to Great: Every eighth grader in Herkimer County got to explore all 14 Career and Technical Education programs, engaging students with hands-on demonstrations and guidance from current CTE students.

Frankfort-Schuyler’s first-ever “Alum-Knights” career panel: Speakers were secured for this career panel, highlighting successful alumni from Frankfort-Schuyler who spoke about their career journey. As speakers presented to students, their senior yearbook pictures and class year were displayed so that students would know that these speakers were truly once sitting in the exact same seats as them.

Mount Markham mock interviews: This year, Mount Markham set the goal of making sure that every senior received a mock interview prior to graduation, and with the help of STC, this goal was achieved. Students were scored on a rubric and also received immediate feedback at the conclusion of their mock interview, in order to better understand where they shined and what they needed to improve on for future interviews in the real world.

Journeys Beyond Jarvis: For Central Valley’s career day for all students in grades 5-8, we brought in approximately 40 professionals from across the Mohawk Valley, including student leaders from our CTE programs, for a Friday of interactive career presentations. The keynote speaker was Rob Evans, a senior secured hospital treatment assistant at the CNYPC Forensics Unit. He shared his personal story of resilience in a talk titled, “The Power of Our Choices,” delivering a message of hope for students who may not believe they can overcome the challenges they face in life.

West Canada Valley Middle School Career Day: We are always so pleased with the West Canada Valley Alumni who show up to this event every year. It’s such an inspiration to the students to see graduates of their school come back and share their career journey. For this event, professionals from various industries convened in the gym, setting up interactive presentations for West Canada Valley students in grades 5-8. One of the highlights of the day was that West Canada Valley seniors from the CTE programs were also in attendance.

Dolgeville Business Tours: STC arranged tours of businesses across the Mohawk Valley for 300 students in grades 7-11. Students toured companies in the fields of manufacturing, construction, healthcare, education, arts, agriculture, law, business and finance, culinary arts, computer science, athletics and more. The senior class received a personalized tour of SUNY Polytechnic Institute to learn more about their program offerings. The purpose of the tours was to raise awareness about all the amazing opportunities we have right here in our own “backyard,” the greater Mohawk Valley.

Internship placements: Many of our Advanced Career Immersion Experience (ACIE) interns have embarked on the second half of their internship journey, having completed the first 12 weeks of their internship placement choice, and choosing to spend the final 12 weeks exploring a different career. Basic internship requests continue to come into the office of STC for shorter placements.

Thirty-three educators from Owen D. Young, West Canada Valley, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Central Valley, Richfield Springs and Herkimer BOCES completed their final workshop of New Teacher Seminar, where new teachers learned about lesson design, research-based practices, state teaching standards and teacher evaluations. Each new teacher in the program was assigned an instructional coach, who helped each teacher for the entire year.

Participants provided positive feedback regarding the series, such as:

• "Great coaches that find time to reach out to me, especially when I feel overwhelmed and forget to reach out."

• "Working with people who are just like me, new to the teaching world."

• "There were many different resources available for us as new teachers to help us in our classrooms."