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OHM BOCES to Hold Spring Open House

The Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES will hold a spring open house on Tuesday, March 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Career and Technical Education Center on Middle Settlement Road, New Hartford, N.Y.

Students, parents and those interested in career and technical education will have an opportunity to visit state-of-the-art classrooms and meet with instructors and staff. Displays of equipment, student projects, presentations and student demonstrations will be included in the evening’s program.

For more information, contact the Career and Technical Education Center at 315.793.8666.

The Career and Technical Education Center offers more than 33 programs, including seven New Visions programs, to the OHM BOCES’ 12 component school districts: Brookfield, Clinton, Holland Patent, New York Mills, New Hartford, Oriskany, Remsen, Sauquoit Valley, Utica, Waterville, Westmoreland and Whitesboro.

Utica City School District Dedicates Donated Vehicle to Safety and Security Department

With help from Oneida County and area businesses, the Utica City School District added a new security patrol vehicle to the Safety and Security Department on Thursday, March 4.

The district dedicated a 2004 Crown Victoria during a press conference at Proctor High School. The car will be used to enhance school district security and assist with traffic control for school district events.

“The Utica City School District would like to extend many thanks to Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente and Oneida County Sheriff Dan Middaugh, for their support in securing the donation of this vehicle for our district,” UCSD Superintendent James Willis, said. “The vehicle will be put to good use as a patrol car and will serve as one more tool the district can use as part of our ongoing commitment to improving the safety of our schools.”

Area businesses who gave of their time and resources in preparing the car for use by the Utica City School District were Oriskany Garage in Yorkville who repaired the vehicle, United Auto Parts donated parts and JPJ Communications provided the light bar for the car.

“This donation is an example of the cooperation and collaboration that exists between Oneida County, the City of Utica and the Utica City School District,” Willis said. “In the difficult economic times our district is facing, this is an example of how various agencies and government organizations can assist each other by sharing resources while mitigating costs.”

OHM BOCES CTE Instructor Chosen to Present at National Head Start Conference

Feb. 11, 2010 (New Hartford, N.Y.) –

For Lisa Gambacorta, early childhood education instructor at the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES Career and Technical Education Center, creating new ways to help children learn is not just exciting; it is her passion.

Gambacorta, who has been an instructor with BOCES since 2003, will use that enthusiasm to make a presentation titled “Cultivating Success Through Creative Expression” at the 39th National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Conference in Washington, D.C. from Feb. 23-26. Early childhood educators Liz Morat and Vikki Smithson will be presenting along with Gambacorta.

“The three of us developed this training because, to us, early education is not just a job it’s a calling,” explained Gambacorta, who presented a workshop, “Forgotten Spirit: Returning to a Holistic Model of Education,” at last year’s Head Start conference with Morat and Smithson. “We are all committed to making a real difference.”

“Holistic education is critical if you want to ensure that every child grows up to realize their full potential,” said Gambacorta, “Many major institutions are adopting wellness policies that promote healthy diet, exercise and stress management in response to this newly emerging trend.”

Gambacorta’s major focus is to explore innovative practices that will ensure opportunities for children to express themselves creatively and to provide daily opportunities for children to reflect relax and reduce stress.

In the laboratory nursery school at BOCES, Gambacorta integrates yoga into the preschool curriculum. Children begin each day with a centering yoga pose.

“The children love it,” said Gambacorta. “Picking a card from the Yoga Deck is one of their favorite jobs. I’ve seen attention spans increase, behavioral problems decrease and the emotional climate of the classroom is warm and nurturing. There is a real sense of community.”

Gambacorta also incorporates yoga into music and storytelling throughout the daily nursery school routine. “Engaging children in music and percussion is another wonderful vehicle for creative expression,” she explained. “It helps children express feelings and manage stress. When engaged, they are truly in the moment.”

The emphasis of this year’s presentation will be placed on the importance of creative expression and how it naturally enhances all areas of learning. Participants will gain an understanding of the holistic model of education as it was originally identified by theorists, and learn how to incorporate yoga and drumming into their teaching practice. They also will have opportunities to experience these practices, making the session highly interactive. The Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES is recognized as a community partner to Head Start because some of Gambacorta’s early childhood education students complete internships at local Head Start sites.

“I am passionate about teaching,” Gambacorta said. “There is no room for anything less than best practice. The ultimate goal of education should be to help students grow into healthy adults who have a strong sense of identity, purpose and meaning. Early childhood is a time when these foundations are established.”

“Ms. G has high expectations for her students,” said Becky Richards, a senior from the Whitesboro Central School District. “We used to think she was hard on us, but now we realize how important the job of a teacher really is. You might be the one person who makes the difference in the life of a child.”

The National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association was created as a response to the needs of migrant farm worker families. In most states, local childcare resources are not available when migrants come into a community, especially for infants and children. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs serve almost 37,000 migrant children and nearly 2,500 seasonal children annually and operate in 40 states in every region of the country.

Gambacorta worked as a Head Start teacher and was the education and special services coordinator for a local Head Start program prior to joining the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES. Along with Morat and Smithson, Gambacorta is the co-founder of Holistic Childcare Solutions, an organization that provides training to early childhood education programs. She has presented twice at the local Childcare Coordinating Council trainings.

She received her bachelor’s degree in child life psychology from Utica College and holds a New York state permanent teaching certificate in human services and family studies.

The Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES is recognized as a community partner to Head Start because some of Gambacorta’s early childhood education students complete internships at local Head Start sites.

The Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES serves the following 12 component school districts: Brookfield, Clinton, Holland Patent, New Hartford, New York Mills, Oriskany, Remsen, Sauquoit Valley, Utica, Waterville, Westmoreland and Whitesboro.

For more information, contact Jean Palmer, senior public relations specialist at the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, at 315.793.8610.

Photo Caption: Lisa Gambacorta, right, early childhood education instructor at the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES Career and Technical Education Center, shows the laboratory nursery school class a card from the Yoga Deck for that day’s centering yoga pose.

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