When Ieshia Brooks began her journey at Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) Adult Education Division, she wondered if she would – or could – finish. What kept her on her path to success was a promise she made to one of her sons, the support she received along the way, and her strong faith in God. Going back to school was “the longest year and a half of my life,” she said. “There were times when I wanted to give up, but my team (of instructors and advisors), along with my family and friends, made me understand that was not an…
Author: Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division
Candice Camm was grateful from the first day she stepped into the classroom. She had enrolled in the Buffalo Public School Adult Education Division’s Allied Health Office Technology program in the fall of 2014. Upon graduation from the program, she took her first step onto the ladder of career success. Instructor Mary Suchy knew that Candice was a special student early on. With her work ethic and dedication to her studies, Candice was impressive, a role model for others in the class. “I could see that she valued education and was willing to overcome obstacles to achieve her goals,” Mary…
Each year adult education providers from across New York State have the opportunity to recognize exceptional performance of both instructors and students. This year, two instructors and two students from Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division were selected by the New York Association for Community and Continuing Education (NYACCE) for their annual recognition awards. Courtney McCann and Ryan Skerrett, both instructors in the Division’s English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, were selected as NYACCE Outstanding Teachers of the Year. John Rader, a student who earned his high school equivalency (HSE) diploma in the Division’s Distance Learning program, was…
In front of over 80 people, Starshawn Williams shared her personal story with self-confidence and appreciation. The event was the Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division’s annual Partner and Student Recognition Breakfast held October 11th at Emerson Commons. As part of the program, Starshawn had been asked to reflect on her experience in the Division’s Allied Health Office Technology program. You could hear a pin drop as she spoke about her husband’s work injury that forced their family to apply for public assistance and led her to seek the training needed to find a job. As a stay-at-home Mom, she…
The weather outside might be frightful. But that doesn’t keep Dave Gorman and his students at the Career Collegiate Institute from thinking green. Green veggies, that is, along with a host of other nutritional food. Gorman is an instructor at the school which is part of Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division and serves out-of-school youth who want to complete their education and earn a high school equivalency diploma. Classes are offered in collaboration with Erie Community College’s Pathways to Success (ECC) initiative. Students engage in a rigorous curriculum that is augmented with several enrichment opportunities. These include preparation for…
[L-R, back row: Les Leopold, BPS Director of Adult Education Division; Dr. Will Keresztes, BPS Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services; Mark Schroeder, City of Buffalo Comptroller; Dr. Barbara Seals Nevergold, President & Member-at-Large, Buffalo Board of Education; Dr. David Mauricio, BPS Chief of Strategic Alignment and Innovation. L-R, front row: Sr. Mary Johnice Rzadkiewicz, RTLC Executive Director; Kathleen Sheehy, Associate; NYS Education Department Adult Education Programs & Policy] In 2004, Sr. Mary Johnice Rzadkiewicz, Executive Director of the Response to Love Center (RTLC) reached out to Les Leopold, Director of the Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division. She…
BPS Adult Education Division students honored in Albany at 34th Annual Event On Tuesday October 17, 2017, two Buffalo Public School Adult Education Division graduates were honored by the New York Association of Continuing/Community Education (NYACCE) as Outstanding Adult Student Award Recipients. Ethan Clarke and Mubarak Ismail accepted their awards along with 18 other students from across New York State. The emotional celebration, attended by educators, elected officials, family and friends, was held at the Clarion Century House Hotel outside of Albany. Les Leopold, the Division’s Director of Adult and Continuing Education, noted Ethan’s persistence in earning his high school…
When barbering instructor Thomas Nichols walked into the main classroom at the Buffalo School of Cosmetology and Barbering Monday morning, he was in for a big surprise. The space was filled with his former students who graduated from the program along with current students. They all came together to honor Nichols as an extraordinary teacher who has transformed their lives. As part of Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division, the school offers two post-secondary educational programs in cosmetology and barbering at its North Buffalo facility. In September 2016 it was nationally accredited by the Council on Occupational Education. Monday’s event…
Dave Gorman knows what it takes to grow a garden. As an instructor at the Career Collegiate Institute (CCI) in North Buffalo, he also knows a lot about the out-of-school youth in his classroom and the challenges they face growing up. The Career Collegiate Institute is a program of Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division. It was founded in 2004 to accommodate the WNY population of out-of-school youth, 17 to 21, looking for an alternative to the traditional educational setting. To support their students’ academic success, CCI instructional staff frequently work alongside them developing skills for dealing with everyday life…
Three teachers from the Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) Adult Education Division were named 2016 Outstanding Adult Educators by the New York Association for Continuing/Community Education (NYACCE) in a statewide competition. Jerica DeGlopper, Mary Suchy, and Farhana Hasan were honored at the organization’s 65th Annual NYACCE Conference held in Albany this spring. Each year, adult education programs from across New York State nominate teachers representing multiple fields of adult instruction including community education, family literacy, workforce development, alternative education, and distance learning. Left to right: Jerica DeGlopper, a Coordinator at the BPS Adult Education Division’s Career Collegiate Institute, was recognized for…