New and current Dutchess BOCES staff gathered together in Salt Point Center’s gym on Sept. 2 for the annual Convocation where they were informed of the agency’s goals and vision for the 2026-27 school year.
This day, and the following Superintendent’s Conference Day, gives staff a chance to reconnect, learn and prepare for the students’ return. “There is something special about this time of year – the energy of a new beginning, seeing our colleagues again and most importantly, getting ready to welcome our students back,” District Superintendent Dr. Jodi DeLucia said. “You are the most amazing team in Dutchess County, if not all of New York State, so be sure to welcome each other back.”
Board of Trustees President Ralph Chiumento, Jr., recalled that last summer, the board and the administrators devised goals for the agency’s strategic plan. These were guided by wanting excellence from everyone, being the experts so people come to BOCES for the answers, and assuring that every decision is student-focused. For Chiumento, it is crucial this plan does not become stagnant. “One of my goals was to make sure that does not happen; it took too much work and effort to bring it to fruition,” Chiumento said. “You guys did fabulous work last year, it was a wonderful year and I’m hoping this year is as excellent … we might come up with a goal here and there, but you’re the community that puts that work together.”
This year’s focus is to build off the momentum from last year’s successes and assure all BOCES programs are well implemented, sustainable and produce desired results. DeLucia noted that every employee’s role matters as they all play a part in assisting students, whether that be teaching them, preparing lunch or providing them with important technology, among others. While some students have clear goals, others do not, and DeLucia highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for students who are the furthest from it, while imploring everyone to think about what they want students to experience. “You never know how your interaction with a student is going to change their life … we help students discover things they didn’t know they were good at,” DeLucia said. “There is a lot to be proud of and there is even more opportunity ahead of us.”
District Deputy Superintendent Dr. Sal Contes Jr. highlighted how innovation pushes boundaries, but it is not always perfect, so he asked everyone to extend grace to each other. “Grace means giving your team the benefit of the doubt … it means creating a culture where it’s safe to say ‘Hey, I’m struggling with this’ or ‘I made a mistake, can you please help me fix it?’” Contes explained. “Grace isn’t about lowering our standards at all, it’s the view that allows us to reach high standards without burning out.”
For the rest of the day, staff split up based on roles. They participated in professional development sessions, had time to set up their classrooms and spaces and completed mandatory trainings.
Support With Purpose
This session was designed specifically for teacher’s aides, assistants and crisis intervention staff at the Resilience Academy and SPC so they can support students by fostering independence, consistently responding to behavior, supporting regulation and deregulation, communicating effectively as a team and maintaining dignity, safety and confidentiality.
SPC Principal Melissa Murphy noted that educators’ primary objective is not to do things for students, but teach them as much as they can, so they can be independent. Staff must consistently self-reflect, think of ways to prompt students to do the work asked of them and give them time to process. “Most of our students have some sort of goal on their IEP [Individualized Education Program] that talks about independence … by doing things, we’re creating dependence, which we don’t want,” Murphy said. “By supporting students to do things themselves, we’re supporting that independence and we’re meeting that IEP goal.”
RA Principal Kiesha Tillman noted that staff have to de-escalate themselves before they help de-escalate students who are facing an issue, as they notice when adults are in a bad mood. She shared how she leaves behind any issues she is facing on her way to work to be fully present at RA. “I have a routine to make sure I am regulated, so that when things happen I’m not responding on a level 5, when the situation is a level 2,” Tillman said. “You have to be mindful and be regulated because when there is a student in crisis that you have to respond to, you won’t be able to follow these different prompts because you yourself are dysregulated and will take it up a notch.”
Frances Cappillino, a 1:1 aide at SPC, enjoyed this session where she learned about de-escalation techniques with students and when to walk away from a situation if she is not needed. “I did learn some new things that I didn’t know last year,” Cappillino said.