SUSAN MICOLO

"I was fortunate to have found the right career from the get-go," Susan Micolo said last month, reflecting on her work at BOCES and her retirement December 30.

Starting as a teacher in Syosset, Long Island, 33 years ago, Susan continued teaching in New York City. She then served as supervisor of alternative programs at Orange-Ulster BOCES before moving to PNW BOCES as a Tech Center principal in 1996. In 1999, she accepted the newly created post of Director of Human Resources, the job for which most of us know her best. A few years later, Administrative Services were added to her responsibilities.

"Moving to administration was one of my hardest decisions," Susan said. "Although I would not have daily contact with students, I focused on having the ability to hire quality staff -- a way of making sure to put the right people in the right job."

With community service projects, she put her own "touches" on the job, and they have become a part of her legacy: activities such as Fill the Bus and United for the Troops, the Wellness Committee, health fairs, bowling outings, Weight Watchers, annual fund raisers and the opening and closing brunches that help create a "culture of BOCES family -- recognizing that we are human beings that matter," she said. "I will miss all that greatly."

Going forward she said, "I am looking for an opportunity to repurpose myself, to find a new niche. With a house in Florida and one in Fishkill, I want to be a snowbird. We'll start in January and see how it plays out. Life is short. Tomorrow is not promised." She and her husband, Anthony, who is also retired, want time to travel. "I've worked really hard," she said, "and now I want to put more balance in my life... to see what's out there... "

TOM HIGGINS

For BOCES Assistant Superintendent Tom Higgins, job changes seemed to come in decades. 

He taught for 10 years, was a school building administrator for 10, a district administrator for 10 and BOCES assistant supervisor for, well... 12 1/2. "Forty-two and a half years," he said in response to why he decided to retire last month -- a good, long career.

At BOCES, Tom supervised multiple programs: Curriculum & Instruction, the Business Office, Information Technology, Operations & Maintenance, Risk & Safety, School Communications Service and the Health Insurance Consortium, which includes 13 districts and BOCES. He also coordinated monthly meetings for the superintendents in our region, directed superintendent searches, facilitated board informational retreats and oversaw the annual budget development process.

"I've enjoyed my nearly 13 years here immensely, both the nature of the job -- working with 18 superintendents keeping me in touch with what's going on in the districts -- and internally, the wide range of services and the quality of service we provide," he said. "The entrepreneurial spirit here makes this place so vibrant."

Before coming to BOCES, Tom was a history and social studies teacher in Danbury, Connecticut; an assistant principal in Mahopac; and a principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent in Carmel. He chose education as a career, he said, as a direct result of his experience student teaching while a senior at Trinity College in Hartford. He knew immediately it was a fit.

Today, he still is teaching -- a course in the Future School Leaders Academy -- but otherwise, "I'm open to possibilities," he said. "I haven't decided what happens next. I'm leaving it wide open."

Whatever his future holds, there's one thing most of us won't forget: The phone rings before dawn; a sonorous voice, "Good morning, this is Tom Higgins, BOCES Assistant Superintendent. Today, January 1, 2011, BOCES is closed."

The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires local education agencies to inspect their schools for asbestos-containing building material and prepare management plans to prevent or reduce asbestos hazards.

In accordance with the federal regulations, building workers and occupants are to be notified in writing of the availability of AHERA Asbestos Management Plans once each year. This is the required annual notification.

At BOCES, Asbestos Management Plans are available in the Building A library for all buildings on Pines Bridge, Fox Meadow and Madden campuses; and in the main office at Fox Meadow's Building 9 for all buildings at Fox Meadow.

The contact people to assist in procuring information for the Yorktown campus are:

• Judy Ashby, school library system coordinator, Building A;
• Mike Sowul, supervisor of Special Education, Walden;
• Steven Lowery, Career Academy principal, The Tech Center;
• James Bellucci, Career Academy principal, Tech South.           

For Fox Meadow, the contact is Adam Van Der Stuyf, supervisor of Special Education, Building 9; for Madden, Dorna Schroeter, Outdoor Education coordinator, Building A.           

A complete set of AHERA facility reports is also maintained at the Projects Building in the Operations & Maintenance office. Director of School Facilities and Operations Katharina Cerreta is the PNW BOCES AHERA compliance designee and may be contacted at ext. 203 concerning any questions you may have.