Category: CABOCES News

CA BOCES Donates Supplies to Local Medical Facilities

Published on April 3, 2020April 4, 2020

Olean, NY – April 2, 2020 – With schools closed indefinitely as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in New York, the Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES (CA BOCES) organization saw an opportunity to help the community, specifically medical facilities in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, with the donation of a variety of medical supplies.

Currently, many local and state-wide medical facilities are experiencing shortages in protective gear for front-line healthcare workers including masks, gloves, gowns, and cleaning supplies due to the outbreak. Several programs at CA BOCES Career and Technical Education Centers and in the Adult Learning sector focus on the medical or care fields including Animal Science, Medical Assisting, New Visions, Dental Assisting, Practical Nursing, Home Health, and Phlebotomy. With the extended closure, medical supplies normally used in the training of students in these areas was stockpiled.

CA BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Career and Technical Education Programs, James Schifley, said it just made sense to help the community. “These are unprecedented times and we need to be creative,” he said. “We have several training programs that require a wide-range of medical supplies. With CA BOCES CTE locations in Belmont, Ellicottville and Olean, it seemed liked a great way to support our various communities – the communities our students and staff live in – in a very concrete way.”

Both county emergency services departments were contacted and provided an inventory list of available equipment and supplies. Cattaraugus County reached out and needed supplies immediately while Allegany County said they would review the list and contact CABOCES as the need for particular items arrive.The donations included gloves, masks, gowns, cleaning supplies, Tyvex suits, medical instruments, and even hospital beds.

As the regional leader in education services, CA BOCES offers state-of-the-art programs for learners of all ages and abilities as well as cost-effective shared services for 22 component school districts. CA BOCES empowers students to achieve their maximum potential by offering a wide variety of innovative programs and support that include special education, career and technical education, adult and continuing education, technology support, and instructional support services. To learn more, visit www.caboces.org.

CA BOCES – Focused on Technology & Community

Published on March 26, 2020March 26, 2020

Olean, NY – March 26, 2020 – In day-to-day operations, the team at Cattaraugus Allegany BOCES (CA BOCES) focuses on providing top-notch customer service, treating all people with respect, and providing an environment of innovation. As the COVID-19 health emergency continues to impact our State and region, that focus has become even more important – particularly in the Information Technology Department.

One area of importance for CA BOCES teams and students, and for component school districts, was staying connected and making sure strong access was available for a multitude of technological needs. Michael Graf, Director of Information Technology at CA BOCES, said that his teams moved quickly to brainstorm and create solutions for the surrounding communities and component districts. ““I have the best team, and within a couple of days we had a pretty good idea of needs and created action plans. From expanding Wi-fi zones, to delivering flash drives to school districts, to managing an all-day Help Desk – we have been working hard to stay ahead of the needs of our community in this time of change.”

Donation Benefits CABOCES Students at CTE Center in Olean

Published on March 11, 2020

Olean, NY – March 10, 2020 – Students in the Collision Repair and Auto Body Technology program at the CA BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center in Olean recently benefitted from a donation from the local business community.

Guy Sisson, owner of Sisson’s Body Work in Delevan, NY, recently visited the center to donate a sanding unit for future student training. In addition to learning about the equipment, students also visited Sisson’s shop to learn about the daily operation of his business.

Students in the CA BOCES program learn all aspects of collision repair and finish work on vehicles. In the shop setting, students experience the methods of complete auto collision repair. Throughout their program, they also learn several methods of custom design finish work and accurate estimating procedures

CA BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Career and Technical Education Programs, James Schifley, was grateful for the generosity from the local business. “We are grateful for Mr. Sisson’s generosity,” he said. “On top of the equipment donation, he also spent time with our students and helped them understand what a “day-in-the-life” might look like at an operating body shop. This experience is so valuable for them.” Schifley added, “Guy has also been a member of our program advisory board for many years and we so appreciate the time and expertise he has offered to our programs.”

sisson donation

Max Gross (right), Collision Repair/Auto Body Instructor at the CA BOCES CTE Center in Olean accepts a recent donation from Guy Sisson, owner of Sisson’s Body Work. (CA BOCES photo)

Local Students Place at Area Skills USA Regional Competition

Published on March 11, 2020

Alfred, NY – March 3, 2020 – Several local students were recently honored as top competitors in their fields in the area Skills USA regional competition held at Alfred State College.

The Skills USA events are competitive events showcasing the best career and technical education students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. Key areas of competition include communication, construction, heavy equipment operation, welding, animal sciences, health sciences, hospitality and tourism, human services, information technology, leadership, manufacturing, and STEM.

Many CA BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) students from centers in Belmont, Ellicottville, and Olean competed in the annual competition with several of the students placing.

Belmont Center:

2^nd place – Jordan McDonald – Nail Tech & Model

2^nd place – Makayla Kreamer – Nail Tech & Model

3^rd place – Elise Petrichick – Animal Careers/Animal Science

Ellicottville Center:

1^st place – Brooke Wagatha – Esthetics

1^st place – Harmony Booth – Food Prep/Culinary Arts

1^st place – Hunter Barber – Job Demo/Power Equipment Technology

1^st place – Amanda Graham – Nail Tech & Model

1^st place – Sam Giardini – Precision Heavy Equipment

2^nd place – Gabe Hauri – Power Equipment Technology

2^nd place – Abby Papke – Early Childhood

Olean Center:

2^ndplace – Dylan Booker – Criminal Justice

2^nd place – Malachi Cleveland – CNC Milling

2^nd place – Kyle Griffin – Audio/TV Production

2^nd place – Jocelyn Decker – Audio/TV Production

3^rd place – Destiny Rung – Prepared Speech

CA BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Career and Technical Education Programs, James Schifley, was pleased with the level of participation and the overall performance of student competitors. “We had many students from our three centers compete in their respective areas, and I was impressed with the level of skill they demonstrated,” he said. “We train our students to be “career-ready” in their fields, and instances like this allow them to put their skills to the test.”