BOCES celebrates completion of building project

NORTH NORWICH – Four years ago, the two facilities operated by the Board of Cooperative Education Services to serve the 16 component school districts in Delaware, Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties were overcrowded and ill-equipped to prepare students to meet the ever-changing needs of the real world. Now, however, after the completion of a $48 million renovation and expansion project which overhauled both the Chenango Campus in North Norwich and the Robert W. Harrold Campus in Sidney Center, that is no longer the case.

According to District Superintendent Bill Tammaro, the authentic workstations and state-of-the art technology now in use at both campuses, as well as other facility improvements, will both create more opportunities for DCMO BOCES students and better prepare them to compete successfully in the global economy.

“These facilities are spectacular for our students,” reported Tammaro on Saturday afternoon, as he addressed those gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the Chenango Campus. A similar ceremony was held earlier that day in Sidney Center.

“The design of this facility now represents our ability to further meet the new standards of expectations of a 21st century world for our 21st century students,” said Otselic Valley Superintendent Larry Thomas, who followed the district administrator on the program.

Those gathered had a chance to hear from some of the students who will benefit from the new and improved facility, first with a musical performance by a student chorus under the direction of Michal Westover comprised of students from Oxford, Greene, Afton and Sidney, and then with a speech given by Auto Technology Student Brock Hoag.