State Senator Shelley Mayer Kicks Off Education Tour

(Albany, New York) - New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer, Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Education, started her month-long education tour yesterday by visiting Canajoharie Central School District and Capital Region BOCES.

Over the next month, Senator Mayer and members of the State Senate Education Committee will have the opportunity to visit schools around New York State to learn about the innovative work educators and administrators are doing to support students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and address disrupted learning. The visits will highlight efforts to combat learning loss, support social and emotional learning, and programs focused on career and technical education to prepare students for a range of post-high school paths.

Senator Mayer’s visit to the Canajoharie Central School District highlighted their efforts to respond to learning loss, or encourage “learning gain,” as they refer to it, and their approach to social and emotional learning. Senator Mayer visited their Restorative Practices Rooms and learned about their Academic Intervention Services (AIS)/Response to Intervention (RTI)/ Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) programs.

Senator Mayer then toured the Capital Region BOCES’ new Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center, joined by State Senator Jacob Ashby, who represents the region and Senator Jim Tedisco, the Ranking Member of the Education Committee. The Capital Region BOCES’ new CTE site opened last fall and offers a wide range of programs to high school students, including in building trades, early childhood education, and autobody repair, which the Senators toured. 

New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I want to thank Canajoharie Central School District and Capital Region BOCES for welcoming members of the State Senate Education Committee. Both visits highlighted the exceptional work educators and administrators are doing across New York State to help students move forward from the challenges of the pandemic and prepare them for a range of paths after high school. I look forward to our upcoming visits and the opportunity to see more of the innovative work our schools are doing while they face the profound new challenges that continue to confront our young people.” 

New York State Senator Neil Breslin said, “I want to thank my colleague and Chair of the Senate Education Committee Senator Shelley Mayer for visiting both the Canajoharie Central School District and Capital Region BOCES in my district to learn about the innovative work our schools are doing and also how best to align students education opportunities with future economic success.”

“We would like to thank the State Senate Education Committee and Senator Mayer for visiting the Canajoharie CSD. I know we are doing some great things to ensure our students get the best experience possible during their time in Canajoharie,” said Dr. Nick Fitzgerald, Superintendent of Canajoharie Central School District. “We care deeply about the whole child and have built a district that focuses not just on academics, but social emotional well being. Things are changing at such a rapid pace in the world and we want to be as innovative as we can to take on those challenges. We want our students to be world ready and in order to do that we have to meet the ever changing demands of today's and tomorrow's society. Finally, we would like to thank Senator Mayer for her never ending support for public education and the needed change that has to take place for our students to have a strong and prosperous future."

Kathleen Bowerman, Co-President of the Canajoharie United School Employees, said, “Canajoharie United School Employees would like to welcome Senator Shelley Mayer to our school community and thank her for being an advocate for public education as she continues to fight for quality education for every child. The staff at Canajoharie has recognized that the world around us is always changing and we in education must evolve to provide our students the skills needed to be successful members of our society. We have embraced social emotional teaching strategies as we teach 21st century skills. We strive to educate the whole child so they develop into self-aware, critical thinkers, who are respectful, socially conscious citizens.”

New York State Senator Jacob Ashby said, “Supporting career and technical education is a sound investment in our students and in our local economies. The curriculum reflects the changing, increasingly advanced nature of our manufacturing, health sciences and energy sectors and creates rewarding opportunities for our children. This was a great tour, and I’m pleased that Sen. Mayer will bring what we learned back to the Senate Committee on Education.”

“We are pleased to welcome Senators Mayer, Ashby and Tedisco to the Albany Campus of the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Center and to offer them a front row seat to the learning and workforce development taking place in our classrooms and labs. Demand for workers in the skilled trades has never been greater and we are extremely proud to have near-record enrollment in our programs and strong relationships with business, government and organized labor. It is through these partnerships that we offer exceptional opportunities for our students to not only build their careers, but flourish professionally. We thank the Senators for their time and continued support of our students, faculty and staff,” said Lauren Gemmill, Capital Region BOCES District Superintendent. 

Katie DiPierro, Faculty Association President said, “It was a pleasure to be invited by Sen. Mayer to be a part of the Senate Education Committee’s tour of the Albany Career & Technical Education Center. Our faculty members represent every facet of the workforce, from retired law enforcement officers to welders, machinists and video game designers. I am extremely proud of the work they do on a daily basis in sharing their insight and skills with our students.” 

Senator Shelley Mayer will also be visiting Merrick Union Free School District and Center Moriches School District on Long Island, East Syracuse Minoa Central School District, Windsor Central School District, Buffalo City School District, and several schools in the New York City Public School system.