The Common Core State Standards are designed to help all children – no matter who they

are – learn the same skills. They create clear expectations for what your child should know

and be able to do in key areas: reading, writing, speaking and listening, language and

mathematics. If you know what these expectations are, then you can work with the teacher

and help your child prepare.

A critical component of a student’s success in school is

dependent on what and how they learn at home. Because

this component is so critical the State Education Depart-

ment created a toolkit of resources for families to get a

better understanding of their role. The toolkit is a collec-

tion of materials and resources that will help parents and

families understand the New York State education reform

initiatives and how the changes will help your child

graduate from high school ready for college and careers.

The Toolkit includes:

• Parent's Backpack Guide to the Common Core

• Frequently Asked Questions

• What Parents Can Do to Help their Children Learn

• Common Core Resources for Parents to Learn More

• Guides to the Common Core Standards

• Educational Activities

• Videos

Families are encouraged to use these tools in conjunction

with resources and information you receive from your

child’s school and teachers. For more information visit

http://www.engageny.org/parent-and-family-resources

Commun i t y C o n n e c t i o n

In This Issue

• What Does the Common

Core Standards Mean to a

Parent?

• BOCES Staff Recognized

• Sport Court Ground

Breaking

• Annual Meeting

• Student Achievement

What Does the Common Core State Standards

Mean to You as a Parent?

Wher eAch i ev ed!

Futu r e s &Beg ina r e

Dreams

A newsletter for the community, partners and school districts of Sullivan BOCES

Lawrence Thomas

District Superintendent

Board of EducationLinda Berkowicz

President, Fallsburg

Paul Burckard

Vice President, Eldred

Donna Bright, Clerk

Herbert Bauernfeind - Sullivan West

Frank Conklin - Liberty

Linda Fisk – Livingston Manor

Scott Mickelson - Tri-Valley

Bernard Olff - Roscoe

Steven Sharoff - Monticello

Simmie Williams - At-Large

Spring 2013

Don’t miss out

on a learning

opportunity that

could change

your life. View our

online catalog at

scboces.org

or scan

6 W i e r k A v e n u e , L i b e r t y , N e w Y o r k | ( 8 4 5 ) 2 9 5 - 4 0 0 0 | s c b o c e s . o r g

Adult & Continuing Ed.Summer Course Catalog Released

&

Sullivan County BOCES

Source: http://www.engageny.org/parent-and-family-resources

Staff Contributions

Recognized

2013 NYSUT

Community

Service Award

Debra Charlton, Special

Education Teacher was

recognized by New York

State United Teachers

(NYSUT) for her contribu-

tion to the growth and well-being of her

community. Debra’s tireless efforts have

touched the lives of many and enhanced the

overall quality of life in her community.

2013 NYSUT

Life Line

Honor Roll

Jeff Molusky, Physical

Education Teacher was

recognized by NYSUT for

his actions which resulted

in rescuing one of the

BOCES students who fell through a frozen

pond in January 2012. The Honor Roll is

designed to recognize a NYSUT or staff

member whose quick thinking and

bravery assisted in saving the life of another

person.

NYSAWA Leadership Award

Barbara Blakey, Assistant Superintendent for

Instruction was awarded the 2013 NYSAWA

Leadership Award. NYSAWA (New York

State Assoc. for Women in Administration)

recognized Barbara and a handful of other

recipients at their annual conference for

being models of the NYSAWA’s mission.

The Association’s mission is to promote

gender-balanced leadership and advancing

equity and diversity in schools.

Sports Court

Breaks Ground

On April 8th, work on the Sports

Court kicked off with a ground

breaking ceremony. Larry

Thomas, District Superintendent;

Debra Fuchs Nadeau, Director

of Clinical and Specialized

Services; Sharon Branning, PEP

Grant Coordinator; Bill Coughlin

from Hudson Valley Sports

Court, and the Natural Resources

Class attended the ceremony.

The 50’ x 100’ Sports Court,

which is part of the PEP Grant

initiative, will have both a

basketball court, complete with

hoops and nets, and a volleyball

court complete with adjustable

net poles and a multi-sport net.

Students will also be able to play

tennis, pickleball, shuffleboard,

and floor hockey using portable

goals and lay-down court lines.

The C&T Natural Resources

class in addition to the Adult

Education Heavy Equipment class will work hand-in-hand with Hudson Valley

Sport Court, Inc. to complete the project. The tentative completion date will be

in May 2013.

Photo captions: left to right: Debra Fuchs Nadeau,

Jonathon Conkling, Natural Resources student,

Larry Thomas, and Sharon Branning

Newly Elected Board MembersAt the Annual Meeting, attendees also heard from the new BOCES Board

candidates as they introduced themselves and discussed why they wanted to sit

on the BOCES Board. On April 23rd, each school district voted to elect the new

candidates. The new board members will officially take office at the July 9th

Re-Organization Meeting.

Carol Park,

newly elected

2013-14 board

member representing

Roscoe CSD

will fill the seat of

Bernie Olff.

Dr. Kenneth Hilton,

newly elected 2013-

14 board member

representing

Sullivan West CSD

will fill the seat of

Herb Bauernfeind.

Photo caption: left to right Pilar Sokol, Deputy

General Counsel at the NYS School Board

Association, Barbara Blakey, Jane Bullowa,

President-elect of NYSAWA, and Debra Fuchs Nadeau.

C&T Natural Resources Class

Scott Mickelson,

board member

representing Tri-Valley

CSD joined the board

last year to fill the

remaining term of Gene

Ganz when he retired.

In July, he will start his

first full term.

C o m m u n i t y C o n n e c t i o n Sullivan BOCES

W h e r e F u t u r e s B e g i n & D r e a m s a r e A c h i e v e d !

Annual Meeting Honors Retiring

Board Members

On April 9th, BOCES held its Annual Dinner Meeting for its component

school districts. The meeting was attended by the Boards of Education

and Administrators from each district.

During the welcoming reception, students from our Career & Tech

Programs and a student from our Parents4Parents Group interacted

with the attendees as they discussed and represented their respective

programs. Students from our Public Safety Program greeted and

escorted our guests as they made their way through our art-filled

hallways to the reception location. Our guests were dazzled by the

talents of our culinary students as they enjoyed everything from

appetizers to dessert.

The meeting consisted of a sad farewell to three of our longtime board

members who have or will retire at the end of the school year. Our Past

Board President, Herbert Bauernfeind is retiring after 38 years on the

BOCES Board. Bernard Olff is retiring after 15 years on the Board and

Eugene Ganz, who retired in 2012 was honored for his 41 years on the

Board. Mr. Ganz, who recently passed away, was represented by his

wife Lorraine and son Jay.

Susan Schmidt, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Management

Services and Larry Thomas, District Superintendent addressed the

crowd as they presented the tentative 2013-14 budget and discussed

what’s on the horizon for the upcoming school year.

C o m m u n i t y C o n n e c t i o n Sullivan BOCES

Linda Berkowicz, Board President and Herb Bauernfeind

Linda Berkowicz, Board President and Bernie Olff.

Linda Berkowicz, Board President,

Lorraine Ganz and Jay GanzMatt Szmidt, took on the role as spokesman

for the Parents4Parents Program at the Annual Meeting

C o m m u n i t y C o n n e c t i o n Sullivan BOCES

W h e r e F u t u r e s B e g i n & D r e a m s a r e A c h i e v e d !

Student AchievementsSpring 2013

Sullivan BOCES Students Compete

at SkillsUSA Competition

Twenty-four students from the Sullivan BOCES Career and Technical

(C&T) Education Program attended the Annual New York State

SkillsUSA Spring Conference which was held in Syracuse, NY on

April 24th, 25th & 26th.

While at the conference, students from across the state competed in

various categories testing his or her vocational knowledge and skills.

In addition to their knowledge, the students were also judged on their

resume and professional appearance.

The BOCES Health Team once again took first place in the Health

Knowledge Bowl competition. The team members include Janelle

Laguio, Fallsburg CSD; Melanie Reisner, Livingston Manor CSD;

Zachory Park, Roscoe CSD; and Alexa Buday, Sullivan West CSD.

In addition to the rigorous requirements of Career and Technical

Center’s New Vision Health Program (taught by Cathy Freda), the

four participants had to practice regularly and learn over 150 medical

concepts to ensure their success against the other teams in the

competition.

The health team will now have the privilege of representing New York

State SkillsUSA and the Sullivan County Career and Technical

Educational Center at the SkillsUSA National Conference held in

Kansas City, Missouri at the end of June.

William Smith (Liberty Central School) took second place in

Residential Systems Installation and Maintenance (formerly known as

Electronics Applications). William completed the Broadband Program

at BOCES last year, and is currently in the Computer Networking

class.

Melissa Roberts (Fallsburg Central School) Health Occupation’s

student took third place in her competition for Basic Health Care Skills.

SkillsUSA is a national vocational club that places an emphasis on

leadership skills and offers students the opportunity to work together to

accomplish goals. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and

industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.

Left to right: New Vision Health Students Alexa Buday,

(SWCS); Janelle Laguio, (FCS); Melanie Reisner,

(LMCS); and Zachory Park, (RCS)

William Smith (LCS)

took second place in

Residential Systems

Installation and Maintenance.

Melissa Roberts (FCS)

took third place for

Basic Health Care Skills.

The following students also competed at the

conference. Although they did not place in their

respective competitions, they are still considered

winners for being selected to compete.

• Alixandra Goodell (ECS)

• Robert Weber III (ECS)

• Courtney Andrew (FCS)

• Joseph LaCatena (FCS)

• Joshua Conlon (FCS)

• Lori Copeland (LCS)

• Marissa Benton (LCS)

• Maria Lourdes-Romero (LCS)

• Andrew Martinez (LCS)

• Kassie Gugliotta (LMCS)

• Caitlyn Cillis (LMCS)

• Tatyanna Phillips (MCS)

• Brandi Gilmore (MCS)

• Toribio Rodriguez (MCS)

• Blain Redish (SWCS)

• Donald Klinger (SWCS)

• Gregory Calkin (SWCS)

• Samantha Cook (SWCS)