Welcome

Educational support services are designed to complement and enhance diverse and specialized programsprovided to component school districts and the BOCES, including;

 

A centralized school food management operation on a shared service basis. Operation includes managing the food service program through hiring, training, supervision, menu planning, meeting dietary requirements, cooperative purchasing, reporting and meeting with district officials. 

 

 

A code enforcement person to perform the visual structural inspection(s) and assist in the generation of five year reports, school report card, and other items required under Section 155 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. Cross Contract with Jeff-Lewis BOCES. 

 

A shared service which provides participating component school districts with a centralized business office operation, including the services of a professional business manager and support personnel for the functions of accounting, accounts payable, claims auditing and payroll. 

This service offers individual districts large-volume purchasing power by combining the bids of several districts throughout the St. Lawrence-Lewis, Jefferson-Lewis, Franklin, and Clinton-Essex BOCES. Items are bid in a variety of categories including: cafeteria foods, school supplies, custodial supplies, transportation supplies, fuels and utilities. 

This service was developed to assist schools in complying with the Federal mandate regarding drug and alcohol testing of bus drivers and others holding a commercial driver’s license. BOCES will coordinate the services of a contractor who will perform on-site collection, provide laboratory analysis and medical review officer services, and will also provide record keeping and training services. Cross contract with Jeff-Lewis BOCES. 

This service provides communication between buses, school districts, and emergency services. Technical assistance and radio evaluation is available.

Services include grant writing, grant implementation, creating and building partnerships with school districts, community organizations and higher education and helping districts develop programs and share resources. 

COSER 665.490 

 

 

This service assists local school districts in coordinating and implementing a Health-Risk Management program to comply with state and federal regulations.  Examples of compliance issues include: asbestos, radon, lead, OSHA, hazardous waste disposal, indoor air quality and a safe school environment for students and staff members.  Assistance is also available with emergency plans, safety plans, training and fingerprinting.

 

Healthcare Administration

This COSER administers benefits and processes the health care claims of participating districts.  Service is charged by the level of health care enrollees. Health Care Administration also administers the Flexible Spending Plan, which processes the eligible medical, dental, adoption, premium expense reimbursement plan as well as the dependent child care claims for participating districts.  The service is charged by the number of enrollees participating in the Flexible Spending Plan. The Health Care Administration also administers the GASB 45/Post Employment Benefit Actuarial Valuation by participating district.

 

This service is provided as needed to students who are hospitalized or confined to the home due to illness, surgery, etc. Cross-contracts can be requested for hospitals outside this area.

 

Previously the Employer/Employee Relations Service, this service includes the following: 

• Negotiation, interpretation, and management of collective bargaining agreements
• Representation in disciplinary matters
• Representation at improper practice hearings, unit clarification matters, and at labor related mediation, arbitration and fact finding
• Assistance with questions of tenure, seniority, staff reduction and recall, discipline, dismissal and related matter
• Electronic training for staff in areas of health, safety, and organizational culture
• Labor posters for all federal and state mandated employee notifications
• Unemployment insurance cost control through National Employers Council

This service assists local districts in the recruiting process with the purpose of locating educators to work in North Country school systems. This service includes newspaper block ads, advertising through job networks and colleges, data base of available candidates, inclusion in a regional brochure and audio/visual presentation, and possible recruitment fairs. Cross-contract with Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES.

 

This service provides three levels of school district policy assistance:

1. The development of a policy manual;
2. The development of an administrative manual; and
3.  A policy update.

Cross contract with the ERIE I BOCES. 

Print Shop/Newsletter Service

The St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES offers complete printing services to the component school districts. The staff includes seven full-time employees to handle printing needs. The Print Shop can save districts time and money utilizing word processing files. The shop is presently printing school district newsletters, student handbooks, report cards, purchase orders, padded forms, school calendars, contracts, stationery and envelopes, program announcements, flyers, graduation programs, posters, etc. The Print Shop is also capable of meeting districts' copying needs using high speed duplicating equipment as well as a networked color copying system.

 

BOCES provides a shared service on issues related to teacher certification. Review and analysis of academic credentials, evaluation of eligibility for teaching certification, maintenance of certification data on local staff and response to related inquiries are all performed by this office. Available through cross contract with Jefferson-Lewis BOCES.

 

Section X Athletics

This Interscholastic Athletics Service (Section X) coordinates all of the public junior/ senior high school athletic contests for (18) St. Lawrence/Lewis and (6) Franklin County school districts. Responsibilities include but are not limited to - mentoring/assisting component districts administrators on the rules and regulations of the New York State Education Department and the New York State High School Athletic Association. We also recruit and assist in the training of sport officials for the 19 different sport officiating associations.  
 

This service provides for a shared facilities director to oversee the efficient and economical operation, maintenance, repair, and construction of the physical plant and property of the school district. Functions include the supervision of operations and maintenance staff, long-range facilities planning, development and maintenance of facilities budgets and acting as liaison to SED on facilities needs. 

 

This service provides a shared transportation director of two or more school districts. Operation includes supervising transportation staff, overseeing the maintenance and repair of all school district vehicles, establishing bus routes, maintaining records for article 19A requirements, assisting in reporting for state aid purposes and developing and managing transportation budgets. 

A comprehensive waste disposal service including the proper disposal of solid waste, recyclables, scrap metal, etc. A comprehensive Elevator Preventative Maintenance Service is also available for the regular inspection, repair and preventative maintenance of elevators. 

 

COSER 612 assists districts in determining accurate State aid forecasting as well as providing workshops for various topics related to state aid. Cross Contract with Questar III BOCES.  

This COSER administers benefits and processes the workers compensation claims of participating districts. The service is charged by the level of total payroll of participating districts.