Padraig, in Mr. Anderson's Mechatronics class, recently began his internship at P1 Industries, where he is already gaining valuable real-world experience in advanced manufacturing. As part of his internship, Padraig had the unique opportunity to work alongside Mazak factory technicians to troubleshoot and repair a Mazak 5-axis VARIAXIS multitasking machine—an impressive and complex piece of equipment used for high-precision machining.

This level of industry exposure is incredibly important for students entering the skilled trades. Modern life depends heavily on machining and manufacturing, from the production of our food systems and medical equipment to transportation, infrastructure, and energy. Experiences like this help students connect classroom learning to real applications while building technical skills, professionalism, and confidence.

Throughout his internship, Padraig will continue learning to maintain, diagnose, and repair critical manufacturing equipment. He will also develop an understanding of workplace expectations, safety practices, and teamwork in an industrial environment. At the conclusion of his internship, he has the potential to transition into employment, making this an excellent stepping stone toward a career in manufacturing!

Thank you to Joel, Dave, Bianca, and the entire team at P1. We truly appreciate your collaboration with ONC BOCES, your commitment to working with our students, and your role in strengthening and restoring the manufacturing workforce! Your support makes a meaningful difference in preparing the next generation for careers in the industry.

If you would like to showcase your business to ONC BOCES students and the public, please reach out to Amber Lape at alape@oncboces.org by April 15th to register for our upcoming job fairs!

We love to hear from our graduates, and we recently heard from Jacob McAdams (Mechatronics Class of 2023), who is currently working for an electrical contractor in Brevard County, Florida. Jacob is involved in commercial electrical installations and is actively training to become a Journeyman Electrician. Even better—his electrical certification programs are fully paid for by his employer and the state.

Jacob knew college wasn’t the path he wanted to take, and through the trades, he found a career that allows him to work, learn, and build a strong future. His story is a great example of the many opportunities available to students who graduate with a solid background in the trades. Hard work, dedication, punctuality, and a strong work ethic truly pay off!

Fridays for our OAOC Primary Trust students are all about curiosity, creativity, and teamwork—and students are loving it!

Students were given a challenge to build a tower using a simple set of materials—play dough and 15 toothpicks. They drew and measured their first design in inches, then pushed themselves to create a second tower even BIGGER than the first, measuring and recording their results along the way! They wrapped up with free build time and peer-assisted learning, watching students collaborate, problem-solve, and support one another

Students have also experimented and discovered how to make fluffy slime, combining science, sensory exploration, and lots of smiles.

STEM Fridays continue to be a great way for our students to learn through hands-on exploration, creativity, and connection. We can’t wait to see what they build next!

At NCOC, Shane, from Mr. Tucker's Equipment Operation and Repair program, successfully completed his internship with Pete’s Auto Repair and Towing. During his time there, Shane gained valuable hands-on experience across a wide range of automotive and service tasks. His responsibilities included replacing axle seals, performing alignments, changing tires and brakes, completing oil changes, assisting with transmission replacements, working on control arms, and stepping in to help with any task that was asked of him. Shane consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, a willingness to learn, and a positive attitude in every situation.
Shane performed so well throughout his internship that he was offered a job upon completion. He also received a public customer review recognizing his dedication, professionalism, and skill. One recent Google review highlighted Shane’s impact during a roadside emergency, noting that Anthony and Shane assisted a customer who had gone off the road on icy conditions. The reviewer praised their expertise, professionalism, and excellent customer service, emphasizing how grateful they were for the support they received.
An experience like this internship is truly invaluable, providing students with real-world learning opportunities while helping them build confidence and career-ready skills.
We are extremely appreciative of Anthony, James, and the entire team at Pete’s Auto Repair and Towing for their continued collaboration with ONC BOCES! It is especially meaningful that both owners are alumni of ONC BOCES and are now giving back by mentoring and supporting the next generation of skilled professionals!

The Social Emotional committee at OAOC sponsored a game day last week. Students played board games, ate snacks, and some even had their faces painted by Cosmetology students.
Mr. Rocklein also provided ping pong and Can Jam in the gym. Staff and students enjoyed their fun time together!

In Ms. Lapin’s Visual Communications class at NCOC, two students, Alexa and Aurora, have been completing an internship/scholarship experience with WIOX Radio, an educational radio station that can also be viewed on television. Throughout their internship, the students have applied their technical skills and creativity by designing PowerPoint slides used for WIOX’s TV broadcast. These slides rotate continuously during programming and include approximately 200–400 visuals, contributing directly to the station’s on-air presentation.
Through this hands-on experience, Alexa and Aurora have gained valuable real-world experience in visual media, broadcasting, and professional collaboration. In recognition of their dedication and hard work, each student will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship in June for their participation in the program!
A sincere thank you to Joe and the entire WIOX family for their continued support of our students and for collaborating with ONC BOCES to provide meaningful, career-connected learning opportunities!

Good evening,

All ONC BOCES locations will be closed tomorrow, January 26th, due to adverse weather conditions. This includes OAOC, NCOC, and ISS.

Stay safe and warm!

The 2026 Mechatronics Company Picnic was a huge success! Graduates from our very first class (2021) through the Class of 2025 returned to connect with our current students and share their journeys. They talked about college choices, career paths, and how their high school and college programs align with future goals and opportunities.

Those already working in industry shared real-world experiences, advice, and insight into what they’re doing now—sparking meaningful conversations, plenty of ideas, and even a little humor along the way.

A big thank you to the OAOC Culinary Class for preparing an outstanding meal that brought everyone together.

ONCBOCES is incredibly proud of our graduates and all they are accomplishing, and truly grateful for the time and dedication they continue to give to help grow and guide this program.

The OAOC Culinary Arts Program, led by Chef Levine, currently has two students, Izzy and Julian, completing their internships at The Otesaga Resort Hotel, where they are gaining valuable, hands-on industry experience. Izzy works in culinary/kitchen operations, assisting with essential food preparation tasks such as peeling and dicing carrots, potatoes, and onions. In addition, he has been preparing house-made dressings and filling tickets for the Hawkeye Grill, including grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers. Izzy has also had the opportunity to work alongside Maddox, a graduate of our culinary program, which has provided meaningful mentorship and a real-world connection between current students and program alumni. Julian is completing her internship in the bakery department, where she has been creating a variety of delicious baked goods. Her work includes cookies, croissants topped with caramel glaze and almonds, assorted breads, and soufflés. Through this experience, Julian is developing advanced baking techniques while learning the pace, precision, and teamwork required in a professional bakery setting. We want to extend our sincere thanks to Jim Perillo and everyone at The Otesaga for making this opportunity possible! Your collaboration with our culinary department and your commitment to supporting student learning has provided these young chefs with invaluable real-world experience that will help shape their future careers in the culinary industry. #WeareCTENY

This month, the SEL boards at OAOC are celebrating diversity. Blank handprints were available for students to decorate with symbols, colors, or designs that represent their culture or ethnicity.

A big thank you to Ms. Jazmyn N. and Ms. Sheryl K. for the fantastic work on the Diversity boards—your hard work truly shines and can be seen on the bulletin boards. Thank you both for being such an essential part of our school culture!

"Diversity is the canvas; inclusion is the brush that paints a masterpiece of collaboration.”

One of the things we are most proud of at ONC BOCES is our commitment to bringing people together. The recent regional counseling staff meeting was a powerful example of collaboration, connection, and shared learning across our component districts. Here are a few highlights from an exceptional day on January 9th:
• Guest Speaker: Chad Angellotti (Otsego County Mental Health) delivered a powerful presentation on Forward Facing Professional Resiliency. Not a laptop or phone in sight, just a room full of deeply engaged professionals. The response was so strong, we’re already looking forward to his return in March.
• Erin Reed and Allison Cohen, ONC School Counselors, presented the Tier 1 SEL curriculum used in our self-contained programs. Their work was authentic, moving, and impactful. Our school counseling team should be incredibly proud of the intentional Tier 1 systems they’ve helped build and implement this year. Choose Love Movement provides a meaningful resource that grounds our work in connection, empathy, and emotional safety.
• Administrative updates were shared by Ashley Amos, Director of Special Education Services, highlighting upcoming trainings and NYSED updates to ensure our work remains aligned, proactive, and forward-thinking.
• April Erkson, Director of Student Support Services, provided a thoughtful overview of our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and the application process, sparking important conversations, particularly among our high school counselors.
• The afternoon concluded with a roundtable, allowing counselors, social workers, and school psychologists to collaborate, problem-solve, and strengthen regional connections.
And of course…
We were spoiled with an incredible lunch prepared by OAOC Chef Levine and her culinary students: top-notch food and hospitality that truly elevated the day. The room was decorated so beautifully, too!

We are now accepting applications for a Health Occupations Instructor at OAOC in Milford. This is an excellent opportunity for a Registered Nurse to teach the next generation of healthcare workers!

For more information and application instructions, please visit:
https://www.oncboces.org/o/onc/page/job-opportunities

Across 19 component school districts, our team of dedicated staff developers is working alongside principals, teachers, and school staff to strengthen teaching, learning, and leadership.
Through monthly professional learning for principals and building leaders, certification- and pedagogy-focused training for teachers, and hands-on workshops that support new curriculum and statewide initiatives, our work is grounded in partnership and impact.
To highlight some of the amazing work that has taken place so far this school year:
• The ISS team facilitated grade-level and content-specific collaboratives where educators throughout our BOCES shared successes and offered solutions to common daily challenges. These educators also discussed curriculum and instruction.
• Through its work with Model Schools, the ISS team seeks to support educators with educational technology initiatives. This includes quarterly regional meetings that bring teacher leaders together to discuss emerging Educational Technology trends and best practices, as well as embedded support as needed.
• This year, regional sessions for school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists were intentionally designed to share BOCES updates while also providing meaningful professional learning opportunities. Guest speakers, including the ONC BOCES Safety Risk team, who presented on threat assessment practices, and an Otsego County mental health representative, facilitated learning on Forward-Facing Professional Resiliency. The sessions offered this year also created dedicated time for participants to collaborate, share perspectives, and strengthen regional connections.

We are accepting applications for an Information Technology Instructor at OAOC in Milford. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Information Technology teacher or someone in the IT industry who wants to help teach the future workforce!

For the full job description and application information, please visit:
https://www.oncboces.org/o/onc/page/job-opportunities

The Mechatronics Program was proud to host a presentation by Dan Truax from NYSEG. The class learned about the power grid, power distribution, and the controls that allow the grids to function. The students got to see and work with equipment and tools that are used by NYSEG Relay Technicians on a daily basis. Multiple real life scenarios and videos were presented and discussed. The students were informed about how the Mechatronics Program is setting them up to work for power companies in the installation and maintenance sides.

A sincere thank you to Dan Truax for taking the time to talk with our students!

The ONC BOCES Backpack Program supports food-insecure students by providing discreet, take-home bags of child-friendly, non-perishable meals each Friday, ensuring children have food when school meals are not available on weekends.

The program will receive a $1 donation for every $2.50 reusable Hannaford Fight Hunger Bag sold during all of January at the Oneonta Hannaford.

For more information about the program and to donate, please click on the link below:
https://give.regionalfoodbank.net/fundraiser/6874674