New York State Education Commissioner Visits OCM BOCES

On Wednesday, November 14, 2012, New York State Department Commissioner of Education Dr. John B. King, Jr. visited the OCM BOCES Irvin E. Henry Education Campus in Syracuse, NY. Dr. King, who was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Ken Slentz, visited the OCM BOCES campus as part of a series of site visits to schools and other BOCES in Central New York. 

Dr. King and Deputy Commissioner Slentz met with OCM BOCES District Superintendent Mr. J. Francis Manning, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Colleen Viggiano, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Support Services Jeff Craig and Chief Technology Officer Mike Fay, as well as Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES District Superintendent William Speck, and Oswego BOCES District Superintendent Christopher Todd. The Commissioner was interested in learning how the implementation of the Regents Reform Agenda, also know as Race To The Top, was proceeding in our area.

While at OCM BOCES, the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner had the opportunity to hear about various student programs and new projects that are taking place throughout the organization.  At the end the meeting, OCM BOCES Pastry Arts students’ Leah Simon and Alexa Mentel, both second year students with instructor Marilyn Davis, paid a visit to the group to discuss their education with BOCES.

Alexa, who is an OCM BOCES senior from the Liverpool Central School District, told the Commissioner about her “passion for pastry” having been cultivated at OCM BOCES. Alexa plans to attend Johnson and Wales in the future and hopes eventually to open her own bakery.

Leah, who is a student at the OCM BOCES Career Academy in Liverpool, is from the Tully Central School District. Leah told Dr. King that she appreciates the “hands-on” education that she has received at OCM BOCES and that the college visits her class has gone on helped her decide that she also wants to further her education in pastry arts at Johnson and Wales University.

Pictured: New York State Education Department Commissioner John B. King Jr. shakes hands with Leah Simon, a second-year OCM BOCES Pastry Arts student at the Irvin E. Henry. Pictured next to Leah is Alexa Mentel, another second-year Pastry Arts student; behind Commissioner King is Deputy Commissioner Ken Slentz; to Dr. King’s left is Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES District William Speck and seated in front of Dr. King is OCM BOCES District Superintendent J. Francis Manning.