The state’s top education leader paid a visit to Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES this week, meeting with school district leaders, educators and key stakeholders from around the region to discuss the top priorities for New York State’s ongoing efforts to enhance the educational landscape.
Department of Education Commissioner Dr. Betty A. Rosa held a Town Hall discussion on Thursday, October 10 which focused on critical topics such as the state’s Graduation Measures work, regionalization plans, school district reorganization, state aid and more. The discussion also included senior NYSED leaders and was moderated by HFM BOCES District Superintendent David Ziskin. Nearly 70 people were in attendance.
“We have been conducting these Town Hall Meetings across the state to really have an opportunity to share some of the key priorities and some of the things we are doing that we believe are critical to the education of our students,” said Commissioner Rosa.
Ziskin said the discussion was a great opportunity for educational leaders of the HFM region and surrounding areas.
“It was really helpful to our region to be able to talk directly with the commissioner and senior leadership and to hear from them about these initiatives and issues that are high priorities for the department,” said Ziskin.
Another topic of discussion focused on teacher recruitment, retention and certification.
Ziskin stated that the Education Department is working together with school districts to make sure they provide the strongest possible preparation for teachers, but also mentioned that the paths to becoming a certified teacher may look a little different than they have in the past.
“The Education Department does not want to be, or intend to be, an obstacle to recruiting and training teachers,” said Ziskin. “This topic was a particularly valuable one to discuss as we continue to look for innovative ways to put qualified teachers in every classroom.”
Other topics discussed during the hour and half long event included regional planning, media literacy for student well-being and growth, mental health and supports for all students, and the science of reading/literacy.
Rosa, who is the commissioner of Education and president of the University of the State of New York, was appointed as permanent commissioner on Feb. 8, 2021 by the Board of Regents after she had served as interim commissioner since August 2020. Prior, she served as chancellor of the Board of Regents since 2016, and her career includes more than 30 years of instructional and administrative experience.
