State Ed Commissioner visits Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Photos courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES – Building Trades teacher Anthony Molinaro, left, speaks with NYS Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, as part of a tour that also included Niagara Career and Technical Education Center Principal Anedda Trautman and Orleans/Niagara BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Clark Godshall.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
SANBORN – After visiting schools in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Sweet Home school districts, New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia made her final stop on Wednesday at Orleans/Niagara BOCES’ Niagara Career and Technical Education Center.
Dr. Clark Godshall, superintendent of Orleans/Niagara BOCES, invited Elia and representatives from the component districts in Orleans and Niagara counties to visit the center to give the commissioner a chance to address issues facing administrators and teachers in education.
She talked to the audience about teacher evaluations, the Common Core, state standardized testing and then answered questions from the audience members.
Dr. Clark Godshall is pictured with Commissioner Elia and Orleans/Niagara BOCES Board of Education member Edward Grabowski, who represents the Medina school district.
Elia also had a chance to tour the career and technical education center and talk to teachers and students about the benefits of career and technical education.
One Building Trades students shared that even though she was planning on going to college, she wanted the skills so that she could work construction in the summer months to make money to help her pay for tuition. Commissioner Elia told her it was a wise choice to learn a skill and shared with the teachers her own experiences as an educator.
Dr. Godshall said that the commissioner shared with him how impressed she was with the programs and the success rate of the students.
“She was invigorated with her discussions with the staff, students and the component districts and enjoyed her interaction with them,” Godshall said. “We appreciate the time she spent with us.”
Computer Technology teacher Joe DeMerle, next to Niagara Career and Technical Education Principal Anedda Trautman, talks to Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, as part of a tour with Director of Career and Technical Education Joseph Steinmetz and Orleans/Niagara BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Clark Godshall.
