Dear Incoming Student,

Welcome to Sullivan County. It is a charming county with many things to do and places to go. Its beautiful landscapes vary from rolling mountains and reservoirs to small cities and pleasant neighborhoods. It was quite a change for my family when we moved to this area from a suburb of New York City four years ago, but it has been a change well worth getting used to. The school I currently attend, despite being one of the smaller ones in the county, is terrific. It has new and interesting courses being offered every year, and teachers who not only do their job well, but also are easy to relate to and reach on a personal level. There are also a wide range of school sports and activities offered. There are plenty of places to go around the county when you just want to hang out with your friends and do something fun like bowling, skiing, watching movies, and shopping. I think that you are moving to a great county that should have everything you need or want waiting for you to discover.

Sincerely,

Tom McCaffery,
Tri-Valley High School Student

If you enjoy the outdoors, have a desire for spacious living accommodations, and like living in a rural area that’s within traveling distance to major metropolitan areas, Sullivan County is the place for you. From fly fishing on the Beaverkill to hiking the beautiful Catskill Mountains, from touring our county’s museums to attending the theatre, from rafting down the Delaware to cooking in the backyard with family and friends, from "antiquing" to skiing or golfing depending on the season, Sullivan County has something to offer everyone. Young or "young at heart," you’re sure to fall in love with Sullivan County.

For a professional teaching career, Sullivan County has much to offer. If you are interested in exploring teaching or school administration opportunities, please contact the Sullivan County Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Recruitment Service at: 6 Wierk Avenue, Liberty, NY

12754 or visit us on the web at www.scboces.org.

Research supports the theory that students of all ages learn in different ways. The education of today’s young and old therefore, requires a variety of approaches, supported by a variety of resources. Educational institutions in Sullivan County provide a wealth of opportunities for traditional students, for adults changing careers or looking for advancement as well as those with special needs.

With an eye on the future Sullivan County schools offer students innovative and exciting ways to learn including using computers, digital cameras, scanners and other technologies; promoting the arts and cultural diversity; and encouraging leadership, team work and the importance of community involvement through participation in student organizations and competitive sports.

The following individual school profiles demonstrate that our rural schools may be small in size but they offer a wealth of learning opportunities that prepare today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders. For additional information about a specific school, please feel free to contact the individual school district directly.

Eldred Central School

557- 6141

Website: www.mackenzie.eldred.k-12.ny.us

The Eldred Central School, a K-12 public school district, has a student population of nearly 800. The District is comprised of two school buildings, the Mackenzie Elementary School (grades K-6) and the Eldred Central School (grades 7-12).

The Mackenzie Elementary School offers a whole language, thematically integrated program that enables students to reach their full potential. The secondary program is also fully accredited with a wide variety of courses. The school’s formal program of instruction represents a carefully developed curriculum designed to serve the individual needs and interests of each student. A grant funded after-school program is new to the elementary school. This program called "KidsAct" provides a variety of activities for students in grades 1-6.

A wide variety of co-curricular clubs and special programs are also offered to students. The school’s PTA arranges cultural programs and sponsors "Most Improved Student of the Month" awards. In addition, students are encouraged to participate in band, chorus, student government and other groups as well as a variety of sports programs throughout the year. Wrestling is the most recent addition to the list of "Yellow Jacket" teams.

The school district is noted for its quality educational program, which places an emphasis on a college Regents track. Eldred Central offers a strong elementary program as a springboard to the secondary program. Enrichment and exploration are encouraged through various programs such as: Creative Dramatics and Movement, Nature, Juggling, Foreign Languages (ie: French, Chinese), Graphic Arts, Inventing,

Fine Arts, Origami, Chess, African and Hawaiian Culture, Dance, Communications Games, Environmental Awareness and Science Research Studies. Eldred also has a "Reading

Hall," which promotes reading, reading comprehension and writing–skills that are essential to all students regardless of their chosen career path.

Many Eldred students receive scholarships to pursue their college educations. Other academic and athletic awards are presented on an annual basis. Eldred graduates receive a broad education that offers the foundation needed to be successful in career options that include college, vocational/ technical school, military or the workforce.

Fallsburg Central School

"Where Excellence is a Tradition"

434-5884

Website: www.Fallsburgcsd.net

The Fallsburg Central School District is a small educational community serving a diverse mix of approximately 1,400 students. Fallsburg’s commitment to excellence in education is supported by its strong instructional program and guided by the New York State Learning Standards. Fallsburg’s all Regents curriculum challenges all learners to meet the higher standards. A comprehensive curriculum embraces all levels of ability in the student population. Emphasis on small class size and personalized instruction enables teachers to recognize a student’s strengths and weaknesses, capitalize on their learning styles and identify each child’s gifts and talents.

Schools in the Fallsburg Central School District are characterized by close contact between a distinguished faculty and its students. This close contact includes classroom instruction, interscholastic athletics, co-curricular and extended day activities. The schools enjoy a reputation for excellent academic programs and student accomplishments.

Fallsburg is preparing students for the future by supporting them to be self-directed learners who know how to learn. Expanded access to technology is assisting this process. A district wide-area network consisting of a high speed Ethernet infrastructure offers Internet access and standard tool-based software in every learning environment. Clusters of computers in classrooms, libraries and labs allow teachers to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum. Students engage in research, problem solving and critical thinking projects and activities.

A new middle school addition is presenting an extraordinary opportunity for the development for an innovative middle school program. All teachers are being provided with significant professional development to reach higher standards.

Liberty Central School

292-5400

Website: www.LibertyK12.org

The mission of the Liberty Central School District, which is derived from its newly adopted Strategic Plan, is to "inspire all students to pursue their dreams and to contribute and thrive in a diverse community." This new plan is designed to meet the needs of all our students.

As a whole, the district has made extensive improvements to its technology program including upgrades to its high school and middle school computer labs. Networking has been completed in each classroom as well as throughout the district.

T1 Internet access via a partnership with Sullivan County BOCES and Time Warner Cable has been provided to every computer and web-based e-mail is accessible to all administration, faculty, and staff.

Over the years, many Liberty students have received awards for excellence in academics such as National Merit designation and All-American Scholar honors. Students have also received recognition for leadership, community service, interscholastic athletics, fine arts, debate, and music. High achieving students receive admission to some of the finest colleges throughout the country. This year, two students have been accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Livingston Manor Central School

439-4400

Website: www.lmcs.k-12.ny.us

Livingston Manor Central School is located primarily in western Sullivan County with portions of its 165 square miles in Delaware and Ulster Counties. The school consists of three separate wings housing kindergarten through twelfth grades. The district is proud of its record of placing students in fine colleges, and its academic and extracurricular performance. Special programs have been developed to meet the needs of a culturally diversified population and the school enjoys cooperation and support from the entire community.

Monticello Central School

794-7700

Website: www.catskill.net/monti

The Board of Education, administration, and professional Staff are committed to excellence and equity in education for all students. We are a multi-cultural district that recognizes the contributions of all members of the community, encourages the development of all students, and celebrates the success of our students.

At the elementary level, the emphasis in the primary grades includes an integrated language arts curriculum supported with early intervention programs such as Reading Recovery, Title I, and ESL. The concepts of mathematics are taught through a hands-on approach which integrates the other disciplines. All K-5 students receive instruction in art, music, physical education, and media. As a result of a $34.1 million dollar facilities improvement project, additional classroom space was added to all of our elementary schools, our library/media facilities were expanded and improved, and computer technology has been integrated into the classroom as an important part of instruction.

A well defined middle level education is the hallmark of the Monticello CSD. The middle school program includes: grade level teams which provide support for students and make possible integration of instruction; exploratory areas including technology, music, art, home/career, and study skills; and a foreign language program which offers students a choice of instruction in German, Spanish, or French. In addition, a state-of-the-art $19.1 million middle school has recently opened.

Students in the Monticello High School are offered a comprehensive program of academics, sports and co-curricular experiences. The program offers courses over a spectrum which provides college preparation and vocational and technical training. Some highlights include: the ability for students to take college level courses through Syracuse University’s Project Advance, advance placement, and Sullivan County Community College, as well as a comprehensive foreign language program including Spanish, German, French and Chinese. The high school facilities have been improved by the addition of new classroom space, renovated library and guidance areas, and the integration of computer technology.

Monticello’s comprehensive music and interscholastic athletic programs have also been recognized for their excellence. The Monticello Central School District is proud that its graduates have gone on to successful and distinguished careers in business, education, government, and the arts. It is with a great sense of pride that we count among our alumni a former and a present chief justice of the New York State Court of Appeals.

Roscoe Central School

607/498-4126 or 845/439-3527

Website: Roscoe.K12.ny.us

The Roscoe Central School District provides "public school education" with a "private school vision." Approximately 360 K-12 students receive a competitive education in a rural setting, which is nestled in the foothills of the Catskills at the point where the Beaverkill and Willowemoc Rivers meet to form Junction Pool. The campus is located in the community of Roscoe, often referred to in game and fishing circles as Trout Town USA.

A competent school staff provides students with strong academic and extracurricular programs in a caring and nurturing environment.

Due to recently completed building projects, Roscoe Central has new state-of-the-art science labs and music rooms. More exciting renovations, which will prepare students for the new millennium, are planned for the near future.

Roscoe Central is also one of four local school districts participating in a distance learning project.

The project was partially funded by a grant awarded to the Sullivan County BOCES by the USDA. Grant funds assisted the school in purchasing electronic equipment required to facilitate the distance learning program. Through real-time audio and video, distance learning provides the link necessary to combine courses at schools in different areas of the county.

This type of program is particularly beneficial to small schools like Roscoe, because it enables students to take advantage of a wider range of academic courses.

Sullivan County Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES)

794-7700

292-0082 Administration

791-4070 Center for Career Development

292-7900 Special Education

482-4760 Alternative Education

Website: www.scboces.org

The Sullivan BOCES offers an unparalleled array of services to its eight component districts. The goal of the BOCES is to increase student performance in all component districts and communities. BOCES prides itself in providing quality educational experiences that help students achieve their desired career and life goals.

The BOCES educates students about available career choices through its Career and Technical Education Program. Classes at the Rubin Pollack Education Center are designed for students interested in attending college as well as those who prefer to enter the workforce.

Adults interested in making a career change, learning new skills, preparing for the GED exam or learning English as a second language can take advantage of the many courses offered at the BOCES Center for Career Development. The center also works with area businesses to provide specialized training programs, including a recent collaboration with the medical community to provide a course in medical terminology and coding for office personnel.

Children and young adults are the main focus of the Special Education and Alternative Education Programs, which create and implement strategies designed to develop each child’s individual potential. Both of these programs integrate the arts into the curriculum to teach students about diversity.

While many may not be familiar with the BOCES Educational Support Services or Instructional Support Services, both play an integral role in education throughout the county. The Educational Support Services division provides programs for students and their families who have special needs.

The Instructional Support Services division is an important resource to education leaders. The division not only helps educators adapt to the new NYS mandated learning standards but it also encourages professional development through a multitude of state-of-the-art innovative training seminars for teachers and administrators. As the Information Age continues to grow by leaps and bounds, programs like Model Schools provide teachers with the skills needed to incorporate technology in the classroom.

The BOCES works with local school boards and communities to ensure that its programs and activities reflect community and industry concerns and aspirations. Its staff members are also involved in a variety of community organizations. In an era of educational reform and economic growth, the Sullivan BOCES is committed to addressing the challenges of tomorrow by continuing to identify new ways to share resources and expand educational opportunities.

Sullivan West Central School

482-4610

Website: www.swcsd.org

The newest of the eight school districts in Sullivan County, Sullivan West was formed as a result of a three-way merger of the former Delaware Valley, Jeffersonville-Youngsville and Narrowsburg Central School Districts. The new district has an energetic Board of Education with the desire and dedication to make Sullivan West the best it can possibly be. Couple this with a competent professional staff and an ambitious support staff and you have a new district destined for success.

Sullivan West serves over 1,800 students in grades K-12.

The Jeffersonville-Youngsville School Building, listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings, is located in the southwestern section of the county. While the Delaware Valley School Building rests on a hill in the hamlet of Callicoon, the Narrowsburg School Building is located near the banks of the Delaware River bordering Pennsylvania.

High school students at Sullivan West have a wide array of opportunities for academic and personal growth. In addition to their core curriculum, students can take advantage of courses such as: College Biology (Syracuse University accredited), Computer Programming, Psychology and other AP courses. Photography, Advanced Photography, Piano, Technical Drawing and Portfolio Design classes are also available. In addition, the new district provides students with a Regents program as well as the opportunity to take college courses through Sullivan County Community College.

The three former districts merged in 1999 and passed a $49.9 million referendum in 2000. The plan involves building a new 9-12 grade high school facility in the centralized location of Lake Huntington and renovating each of the existing buildings as K-6 elementary schools (Jeffersonville-Youngsville, the largest of the three former districts, will be K-8).

Due to the combining of resources, the new high school will offer students expanded programming. Future educational opportunities for students at Sullivan West are really looking bright.

Tri-Valley Central School

985-2296

Website: www.mhric.org/tri-valley

The Tri-Valley Central School District has a long tradition of outstanding academic results fostered by a talented faculty, an extremely supportive community, and a board of education that encourages educational innovation and excellence.

As evidence of such innovation and support, Tri-Valley students consistently rank at or near the top of the region in the percent of graduates earning Regents Diplomas. Instructors offer seniors a wide variety of college credit bearing courses.

Tri-Valley was among the first group of county schools to participate in the distance learning network. Through real-time audio and video this network provides the link necessary to combine courses at schools in different areas of the county.

Tri-Valley Secondary School students must demonstrate their learning through the completion of a performance-based graduation portfolio in order to earn a diploma. There are only a handful of schools in the entire state requiring such high level evidence of student learning.

Teachers are provided with an extensive professional library to help inform pedagogical practice. The district provides all new faculty members with an intensive teacher-mentoring program and detailed curriculum guides to support instructors new to its system.

Average Tri-Valley class sizes (K-12) are among the smallest in the region.

As part of its involvement in the New York State Excellence and Accountability program, Tri-Valley was one of the first schools in the region to provide instructors with monthly staff development conference opportunities.

Instructors provide students with numerous and well-run athletic and extracurricular opportunities. Tri-Valley programs are well supported by the board of education and the community as demonstrated by an unblemished history of taxpayer approval of district budgets.

With the above in mind, the Tri-Valley Central School District remains committed to excellence in involving parents, staff, and community in a partnership promoting a child-centered, outcomes-based educational program.

District-Wide Educational Programs

Sullivan County Interacademic League (SCIL)

The Sullivan County Interacademic League (SCIL) is a unique educational program in New York State and indeed, throughout the country. All eight public school districts send their best middle and high school students to compete in a series of ten problem-solving challenges in various academic disciplines. The result is that "acaletes" are being tested and rewarded for their scholastic successes just as athletes have been regularly recognized for their accomplishments.

Competition topics and venues vary, but all contests involve advanced ability, teamwork, and persistence–qualities students need in the global marketplace. From science in a sculpture park to math and engineering at the US Military Academy at West Point, students are challenged to solve unique problems created especially for SCIL. Acaletic teams may find themselves in a supermarket (more math!) or writing a play or composing an original piece of music (while inventing instruments).

Leading educational publications, including both The National School Boards Association and the New York State School Boards Association have recognized SCIL’s uniqueness. League organizers believe that important educational goals are met with inter-academic league contests. Students become role models for other students and public schools themselves become more accountable because they meet on a level playing field of academic combat. The students’ goal, of course, is not only to win individual rounds but also to achieve the highest score at the end of the season (May of each year), and carry off the "Sullivan Cup."

Arts-in-Education (AIE)

The Arts-in-Education Program, which is sponsored by the Sullivan BOCES, offers an invaluable service and a key role in the dissemination of educational resources available statewide as well as in and around the region. The program is instrumental in helping teachers connect with these resources and design and evaluate the ways these resources impact the classroom. The AIE program closely aligns the four NYS Learning Standards in the Arts by providing workshops and seminars for teachers bringing them up to date with current trends and research. Presently the program offers diverse in-school visitations and productions addressing dance, theater, music and the visual arts.

The BOCES is dedicated to raising the standards and levels of visual and aesthetic literacy through participatory programs with the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall and the Weekend of Chamber Music as well as local Arts Agencies and Alliances. The AIE Director is in direct contact with other AIE Directors from surrounding counties continuing to expand the communication and availability of offerings. Participating districts may purchase tickets in advance for educational trips and performances outside their districts. Video taping of exemplary artist series’ and shows from Bravo, HBO and A&E is available for participating districts as well as access to an invaluable list of services of New York State Alliance for Arts Education information. While program offerings and residencies are a large part of the program, teacher development through assessment training for upcoming NYS Arts Assessments from SED and Portfolio Project is also a major component.

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