BOED Service

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Dear Friends,

My husband, Steve, and I moved to Nanuet over thirty years ago. We built our home in a new development where neighbors CodeBaby_Sarah_ClearBackground_smallbecame fast friends. We enjoyed three-day block parties, cookie parties, celebrations of births and milestones in our children’s lives, and supported one another through difficult times. I know these close-knit neighborhoods are the norm for Nanuet. I’ve met so many of you who share similar stories. I have two children who attended Nanuet K-12, Juliana and Charlie. I was an active PTA member and committee chair for the PTA Publishing Center for several years before I joined the Board. Our community values education and has consistently supported our schools. I am proud to be a member of our Nanuet neighborhood.

Board Service

I am a storyteller at heart, but more importantly, I love to hear other people’s stories. Over the past few weeks, I’ve come to know the candidates who are running for the Nanuet Board of Education through their Facebook posts, a coffee meeting at Starbucks, and sitting side-by-side at the Board table. Many thanks to those candidates who have attended Board meetings. Your postings and presence reminded me of my own two-decade+ journey — I pulled out a binder that included fliers that I delivered door-to-door and read my neophyte responses to Journal News questionnaires. If I documented what I’ve learned during the years that have expired since my first BOED Meeting, I’d fill shelves of binders.

In short, Board service is rewarding and intense; we must adhere to a myriad of mandates, policies, and laws; there are many opportunities to collaborate, lobby, and advocate at the community, local, state, and national levels — and we take advantage of all of these. Among key Board responsibilities, guided by our Mission and Beliefs, are setting policy; collaboratively developing long and short-term strategic goals with the superintendent; providing the latitude and resources for our professionals to bring those goals to life; forging relationships with and attending on-going meetings with town officials; and developing a budget to support these efforts. And this is the short list! 

Our teachers, support staff, and administrators make this district what it is — exemplary. They are always striving to hone their skills and they tackle new initiatives with energy and intelligence. Our buildings and learning spaces are reflective of how we learn, work, and play together — and those spaces are now virtual as well as physical. Our practices, tools, and strategies continue to evolve. Our District’s Mission speaks to the essential experiences that will help our students to become global citizens. My own journey as an advocate for children and learning began many years ago.

Selected Highlights During My Tenure on the Board

  • Horizontal and vertical alignment of curriculum K-12 (Rubicon Atlas)
  • Full Day Kindergarten
  • Tax certiorari  settlements structured to ensure a minimal impact as possible on our residents and school operations
  • The St. Agatha property was purchased during one of my rounds as Board President. Based on an analysis of the impact of either purchasing the property or allowing it to be developed, it was clear that purchasing was the best course of action. I was involved in town meetings and negotiations with the Sisters of Charity and subsequently bringing the proposal to our community. The Outdoor Education Center is an amazing learning space for our children and a green space that all can enjoy.
  • 20+ year member of the Rockland County School Boards Association holding all leadership positions. My advocacy for public education, both as a Board member and educator, is evident in my work as chair (several years) and continued participation as a committee member in setting the agenda for the RCSBA Legislative Breakfast and Dinner.
  • A charter member of the Yale 21st Century Schools initiative and the subsequent establishment of our Family Resource Centers. I developed the first Rockland 21C website at no charge to the organization.
  • A charter member of the New York State New Compact for Learning (1994) which brought together over 200 members of the Nanuet Community to delineate what we wanted our schools to look like, and what we wanted our students to know, understand and be able to do.
  • Round tables and successful  negotiations of teacher contracts that respect the work our teachers do each day while taking into account the impact on our taxpayers.
  • Advocacy and a team member on the efforts to develop both the early and now current New York State Standards are more age appropriate and educator friendly. I continue to advocate for modifications to the New York State tests. There is more work to be done, but we are moving in the right direction.
  • One-to-one Chromebook roll out, GSuite across all programs, and myriad of technology initiatives which have been supported by the Board. And from a personal perspective — and you will note the connection under Career Highlights – encouraging and providing more opportunities for our young women to embrace STEM experiences and career choices.
  • Thoughtful and reasonable succession planning as we embark on the search for our next superintendent.

Community

  • Nanuet PTA, Chaired the PTA Publishing Center for several years publishing over a 1,000 individual student books and anthologies. Member of various committees. PTA Lifetime Membership award.
  • Served as a member of the Nanuet Rotary.
  • Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church Elder and fill-in Christian Ed teacher, member of the pastor mission study and pastor nominating committee.
  • Co-Director and Founder of the Hudson Valley Piano Club.

Career Highlights

  • 2016-Present – Rockland BOCES Director Instructional Technology & Curriculum Development
  • 2014-16 – Rockland BOCES Library Media Specialist, Data Analyst, Professional Development
  • 2014-17 – American Association of School Libraries – School Library Research – Editorial Review Board
  • 2015-2017 – Graduate-Level Adjunct Instructor McDaniel College, Maryland, Instructor and course developer for online graduate level courses in the Learning Technologies Specialist Program.
  • 2012-2014 – Director Digital Product Development & Training for Benchmark Education
  • 1989 to 1993 – Vice President and co-owner of StarTech Software Systems, Inc.,  co-developed and marketed one of the first report management and distribution system which was used by companies in the United States, Europe, and Mexico.
  • 1980 to 2004 – business strategist, system’s analyst, computer consultant, and web developer implementing applications for major corporations including Morgan Guaranty, First Boston, Citicorp, Equitable Life, and Newsweek.
  • 1980 to 2010 – Technology instructor. Developed and presented courses for major corporations and government agencies including the Social Security Administration, Office of Personnel Management, US Army, and the New York City Board of Education.

Education

  • Syracuse University, School of Information Studies, Syracuse, NY – 2012 DPS-IM Doctorate in Information Management (summa cum laude)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas College, Educational Leadership Program, Sparkill, NY – 2015 MS Masters of Science in Educational Leadership (summa cum laude)
  • New York University, Stern Graduate School of Business Administration New York, NY- 1986 M.B.A. Master of Business Administration (magna cum laude)
  • Syracuse University, School of Information Studies, Syracuse, NY- 1979 M.L.S. Master of Library Science (summa cum laude)
  • State University of New York at Oneonta – 1977 B.S. Education, Concentration in Teaching of Reading (summa cum laude)

Recognition

  • Rockland BOCES Commitment to Excellence Award, 2017
  • Award for Best Dissertation (DPS-IM), Syracuse University School of Information Studies, May 2013
  • $25,000 Innovation Grant from the Gates Foundation for the application I developed, Digital Pencil, 2012
  • Recipient Distinguished Technology Leader Lower Hudson Regional Information Center Pioneer Award 2006
  • Rockland School Boards Association – Eddy Award, Presidents Award
  • PTA Lifetime Membership Award

Research Publications and More Detail

Feel free to reach out at sachauncey@gmail.com or my cell 845-304-8791 should you wish to speak with me.