Voters approve OCM BOCES Facilities Referendum

Local voters have agreed to OCM BOCES’ proposed facilities referendum with a 93% percent approval. 1,401 votes were cast, with the final tally being 1,293 yes votes and 105 no votes on the referendum, which will not increase costs for any of its 23 local component school districts.

OCM BOCES District Superintendent Jody Manning said, “I want to thank everyone that came out today to vote on this referendum. The purchase of the former Nationwide building will allow some of our programs to be moved from leased facilities into the new building, resulting in improved facilities and adequate instructional space for our students. Additionally, and very importantly, this purchase will result in long-term savings for our 23 component districts.”

OCM BOCES provides its component districts with instructional support for teachers and administrators; management services for all districts; workforce preparation for adults; and career and technical education, alternative education and special education for K-12 students. As such, residents in each of the component school districts have the opportunity to vote on OCM BOCES capital projects, including this referendum.

OCM BOCES currently owns two facilities and leases eight additional to accommodate students and support its 23 component districts. Part of OCM BOCES’ current rental budget will be reallocated allowing those funds to be used to purchase the new building.

Board of Education President Ann Wright expressed her gratitude, saying, “On behalf of the OCM BOCES Board of Education, I wish to thank all of you for your support. We are very excited to move forward with this project.”

Referendum Vote - Thursday, January 23, 2014

Important Reminder:
OCM BOCES Referendum Vote - Thursday, January 23, 2014

The Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES has an opportunity to purchase the former Nationwide Building in the Town of Salina. This acquisition means no additional cost to our districts.

Currently, OCM BOCES owns two facilities and leases eight more. A building purchase reallocates some of the current rental budget and allows those funds to be used to buy this building.

There is a Referendum Vote on this purchase on January 23, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Voting locations are:

Lee G. Peters Career Training Center (4500 Crown Road) in Liverpool,
Henry Campus Administration Building (6820 Thompson Road) in Syracuse, and
McEvoy Education Campus (1710 NYS Route 13) in Cortland.

Eligible voters must be U.S. citizens, age 18 and older, who have resided within the OCM BOCES region at least 30 days prior to the vote.

Click here to see the News Channel 9 story on this project

Click here to read the Syracuse Post Standard editorial board endorsement of the project

Click here to read the Eagle Star-Review article on the project

OCM BOCES Sponsoring NYS Academic Decathlon Section III Competition at Westhill High School –Saturday, January 25, 2014

On Saturday, January 25, 2014, approximately 70-80 students from the Cazenovia, Liverpool, North Syracuse, Tully, West Genesee and Westhill school districts will compete in the 2014 New York State Academic Decathlon (USAD) Section III Competition at Westhill High School (4501 Onondaga Boulevard) in Syracuse.

The theme of this year’s event is World War I. The Decathlon will begin at 8:30 AM, with students engaging in a series of paper and pencil tests through 1:00 PM. At 1:40PM, the “Super Quiz” (oral relay) portion of the Decathlon will commence, with students responding to questions in front of an audience. The Awards Ceremony will be held following the Super Quiz.

The three highest scoring teams will advance to the New York State Competition on Feb 28-March 1 at SUNY Brockport. The state winner will go on to represent New York State at the national USAD competition, which is scheduled for April 24-26 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Since it began as a local academic competition in California in 1968, the United State Academic Decathlon has grown to become an international event. The local Academic Decathlon is coordinated by the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES. Students in ninth through twelfth grades will comprise district teams of three “A” students (Honors), three “B” students (Scholastic), and three “C” students (Varsity). The Academic Decathlon promotes well roundedness by providing competition for each team in several events.  The students will take objective tests in art, music, language and literature, science, social science, mathematics, and economics. They will also participate in a “Super Quiz”, team oral relay conducted before an audience.

For more information about the 2014 sectional level Academic Decathlon at Westhill High School, call Elaina Renfrew, OCM BOCES’ Coordinator of Educational Services and Academic Decathlon Sectional Coordinator, at 315/431-8598.

Participants and coaches are:

Cazenovia – Coaches: Barb Axelson and Ben Wightman
Contestants: Danielle Axelson, Remi Boissonnas, Katherine Boone, Emma Dudley, Brock Houghton, Riley Lloyd, Robert Louis, Joseph Mevec, Piper McKinnon
Alternates: Chase Matteson and Lars Ohlsen

Cicero-North Syracuse – Coach: Matt Harbinger
Contestants: Hayley Bermel, Craig Blume, Demitri Dana, Paul Dehm, Meghan Geary, Caitlin Hernandez, Elena Iaconis, Jacob Mekker and Julie Osborne
Alternates: Zachary Allard, Sierra Ciciarelli, Graham Dittler, Brian Emigohls, Ian Loy, Zachary Winnewisser and Sarah Ziobro

Liverpool – Coach: Daryl Burrer
Contestants: Ziad Abougoash, Garrett Clarke, Matthew Collins, Austin Fedor, Cassandra LaGrange, Shuting “Susie” Lu, Jason Mai, Kazmira Pitzrick and Ronald Wilson
Alternates: Grace Traino, Thomas Williams, Justin Wiszniewski and Eugeen Yoon

Tully – Coaches: Kim Cameron and Pat Votra
Contestants: Peter Barletta, Marshal Clemens, Elsa Gauss, Kurt Gauss, Julie Kunnumpurath, Sarah Reppenhagen, Katie Warner and Matthew Wood
Alternates: Megan Hafler, Kiara Lee, Brendan McGinn, Cassidy McGinn and Bradley Phelps

West Genesee – Coach: Scott Duda
Contestants: Jared Bivens, Callie Campbell, Luke Faulkner, Nathan Gillette, James Hickey, Evan Janes­Rouse, John Lisi, Nicholas Serrao and Vadim Shakhov
Alternates: Dylan Casolare, Rachel Gdula, Jenna Hickey, William Krueger, Joshua Mattice, Megan Petty, Matthew Romano and Eric Wolfe

Westhill – Coach: Sarah Fleming
Contestants: Stephen Burgay, Aidan Kelly, Elizabeth Meluni, Nathan Mevec, Aden Orzell, Madeline Pierce, Jordan Roach, Jennifer Root and Anastasija Useva
Alternates: Kaitlin Cash and Molly Spinek

Financial Aid Night at McEvoy - Wednesday, February

On Wednesday, February 12, 2014, OCM BOCES will host a financial aid night at their McEvoy Education Center (1710 State Route 13) in Cortland. There will be a financial aid overview in the center's auditorium from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and college financial aid officers will be available (in the testing lab) from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. to help complete the FAFSA forms.

Families may attend one or both sessions.