HFM
BOCES Regional Superintendents’ Conference Day
Collaboration leads to successful effort
 Hundreds
of administrators, teachers and staff members from HFM BOCES’ 15
component school districts stepped out of their daily routines
to participate in a Regional Superintendents’ Conference Day on
Feb. 11, 2010.
Nine area schools hosted the participants, divided into groups by subject or
area of expertise, for a full day of presentations and workshops
designed to address important topics and issues for grades 7-12
educators.
While English teachers met at Mayfield High School, math
teachers formed a sub set in Johnstown, Special Education
teachers met at Gloversville High School, and art teachers
worked together at Arkell Museum in Canajoharie.
Other schools — Fonda-Fultonville,
Broadalbin-Perth, Fort Plain, Amsterdam, Northville and HFM
BOCES — hosted science, social
studies and music teachers, guidance counselors, social workers
and school nurses, school psychologists, library media
specialists, and others. Everyone had a place to go and a
selection of workshops designed specifically for them.
According to HFM BOCES Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lorraine
Hohenforst, the day would not have been possible without the
collaboration of a large number of people from all the
participating districts.
“The presentations and programs were developed by a
cross-section of teachers and staff members who volunteered to
develop and lead these sessions, using their expertise in the
key content they covered,” Dr. Hohenforst said.
“Their hard work and dedication paid off. The conference day was
an invaluable learning experience for educators throughout the
region.”
Most sessions were designed to enrich understanding in each
specific subject area. Additional workshops fleshed out the day
with topics related to health and wellness issues, using
technology effectively, library resources, working with disabled
students, and how to integrate new ideas into the classroom.
Guest speaker Dr. Sherry Guice, a professor of reading
instruction and children’s literature in the Reading Department
at the University at Albany, spoke to English teachers about
literature choices that engage reluctant teen readers. In the
audience were Wells Central School teacher Susan Chittendon.
“I took an online class with Dr. Guice that was phenomenal,”
Mrs. Chittendon said. “I was excited to hear her presentation
today and to finally meet her in person.”
Content-specific sessions gave teachers and staff the chance to
participate in workshops that would have a direct and immediate
impact in their classroom. Spending the day with colleagues in
the same subject area provided an opportunity to learn from each
other as well as the guest speakers.
Student teacher Janelle Taylor, who is teaching English to
students in grades 10-11 in the Greater Amsterdam School District, was most
impressed by the "many opportunities to share ideas with other
teachers" at the day-long program.
“As a new teacher, I was really affected by the strong
collaborative spirit I felt during the day,” Miss Taylor said.
“There is so much to gain when teachers can share ideas and
classroom experiences.”
An online survey developed to allow participants to evaluate the
impact of the regional conference day model is available
here. Everyone who participated is asked to complete the
short five-question survey to provide valuable input for
planning future staff development. |
