Nearly 80 juniors and seniors enrolled in the Conservation/Natural Resource Management program at the Hewes Educational Center are once again playing a leading [...]
News & Events
Recent News
When the Ellery Hilltop Farm Kids 4-H Club had an idea to support bats, they knew they’d need skilled builders who really know [...]
Boxes recently lined the tables at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Bemus Point as students from the Hewes Educational Center carefully unpacked and [...]
The IOA K–12 Ombuds Workgroup met regionally via Zoom on Thursday, January 15, 2026, facilitated by Monique Bookstein, Ombuds, to discuss the growing [...]
Designed around the theme “Summer in January,” the gathering brought together superintendents and business officials from all 27 component districts for a day [...]
Connect With E2CCB
🎉 Congratulations to Anthony Zappie of Brocton Central School, named WNY P-TECH Student of the Month for February 2026! 👏✨
Anthony is pictured with math teacher Matt Edwards.
Learn more about P-TECH at 👉 www.e2ccb.org/programs/p-tech/
#BOCES #PTECH #OpportunityMakers
Earlier this week, CAM P-TECH in Springville hosted a dozen students from Springville, East Aurora, Gowanda, and Pine Valley for its annual Discovery Day! 🛠️💡💻
The event was a way for eighth-grade students to tour the school, meet staff, and learn about the pathways in Electrical Construction & Maintenance, Electrician, and Information Technology.
The visit was led by CAM P-TECH school counselor Tony Visco with help from Principal Heather Banks, instructors, and student ambassadors. Visiting students began with an introductory session in the school gym and then toured the Electrical and Information Technology classrooms.
For more information about the P-TECH program through Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES, visit https://www.e2ccb.org/programs/p-tech/
#BOCES #E2CCB #PTECH #OpportunityMakers
📣 During #SaySomethingWeek (March 23–27), Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES will be raising awareness about recognizing the warning signs of violence and how to get help.
Remember the 3 steps:
• Recognize the Signs
• Act Immediately — Take It Seriously
• Say Something
Learn more about warning signs and how to report concerns:
🔗 www.sandyhookpromise.org/warning-signs
E2CCB is proud to partner with Sandy Hook Promise through a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant, helping expand the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System. The system provides students and staff with a confidential 24/7 crisis hotline.
#BOCES #E2CCB #OpportunityMakers #SaySomethingSavesLives
Members of the Chautauqua County Explorers from the Hewes Educational Center recently learned about the important work of the Coroner’s Office and basic investigative procedures. ⚖️👮♀️
Anthony Sheckles and Jennifer Wilcox from the Chautauqua County Coroner`s Office, along with Sgt. Phil Lombardo of the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, led the presentation. The Mobile Morgue was also on display.
A big thank you to everyone who made this informative experience possible!
#BOCES #E2CCB #CTE #OpportunityMakers
The Ormsby Educational Center was recently filled with the savory scents of tradition as juniors and seniors in the Culinary Arts program hosted a special Polish Feast! 👨🍳
Guided by guest Chef Andrea from the Polish Nook, Career & Technical Education students received a hands-on lesson that went far beyond the recipe. Chef Andrea shared not only techniques, but also the “why” behind them, giving students a real-world look at the pace, precision, and expectations of the professional culinary industry.
🍽️ The menu featured several traditional favorites, including:
• House-made pierogies, each one hand-pinched by the students
• Czernina, a classic duck soup requiring careful balance of flavors
• Goląbki (stuffed cabbage rolls)
• Parsley potatoes
The experience showed how food can serve as living history, connecting students to the rich Polish heritage of the Buffalo region while building the skills they’ll carry into future culinary careers. 👏
#BOCES #E2CCB #CTE #OpportunityMakers
Dozens of educators recently gathered at the Hewes Educational Center for "Regulation to Restoration: Building Resilient Schools," a two-day Bureau of Justice Assistance grant-funded professional development workshop.
A partnership between Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES and the Starling Collaborative, the workshop brought together a diverse group of administrators, counselors, and teachers from various E2CCB programs and component school districts. Participating districts included Jamestown Public Schools, Dunkirk City Schools, North Collins CSD, Lake Shore CSD, and Forestville CSD.
The specialized training focused on Restorative Practices, a framework designed to foster collaborative learning environments, reduce conflict, and strengthen relationships through community building and effective communication.
Learn more about the workshop on the News & Events page at e2ccb.org.
#E2CCB #BOCES #OpportunityMakers
❗Attention all local NY farmers 🐂
For almost 2 years, Susan Bates, Associate Director of Food Services for E2CCB, has been overseeing food operations, planning meal preparation, and providing high-quality, nutritious food to students and staff.
Starting next school year, Bates would like to procure ½ steer twice. “We want to introduce local foods to the kids, because it is beneficial not only to our local farmers, but it is of better quality,” she says. “You build that relationship with the farmer so you know what you are getting — it’s a little greener, because the beef is not traveling.”
Bates believes in supporting local farmers in our school community and advocates for the agriculture department. It is an opportunity for students to learn about where their food is coming from. “We are in a food desert,” she says. "These kids need to know that the food doesn’t start at Dollar General or the grocery store. It starts here.” The impact for students is they will further benefit from educational and nutritional purposes. “It’s educational, we can do Harvest of the Month,” she says. “– it is exciting to see and they will be like oh that’s the farm we bought our cow from!”
This is not Bates’s first time pursuing this agricultural mission. She has successfully rallied for a similar cause at a previous school. “It worked great, it was cost effective,” she says. “Sometimes school lunch gets a bad rap — they got local beef from our local farmer. It was a two-mile drive as opposed to coming from Wyoming on a truck.”
Susan Bates reminds us that we are helping with food footprints, relationship building, and costs. This initiative aims to teach students in our BOCES community the importance of supporting local goods and educating ourselves where our food exactly comes from.
Interested farmers should reach out to Susan at sbates@e2ccb.org and include cut, wrap, delivery, and W9 information.
#BOCES #OpportunityMakers #E2CCB
Students in Jennie Alessi’s Criminal Justice class at the LoGuidice Educational Center recently participated in a lesson led by school social worker, Molly Corsi-Katta.
The discussion focused on the power of empathy and compassion in criminal justice, essential tools for humanizing the process, building community trust, and supporting rehabilitation. 👮♀️🤝
By exploring the root causes of crime, like trauma, mental health, and poverty, our Career & Technical Education students are learning that effective justice goes beyond punishment. Compassionate approaches not only reduce recidivism but also strengthen police-community relationships.
#BOCES #E2CCB #CTE #EmpathyInAction
On Friday, February 13, 2026, Mrs. Cashmore`s and Mrs. Meredith`s classes at Hewes Center celebrated the 100th day of school by participating in a variety of STEM challenges that aligned cross-curricularly with all subject areas including SEL.
These challenges contained all things 100 where students were required to work collaboratively, testing and revising engineering solutions using defined constraints.
🎮 The Hewes Educational Center has been making great use of its interactive gaming system!
Since it was installed, students have enjoyed participating in a variety of interactive games that encourage movement, coordination, and engagement throughout the school day. The system has provided a fun way for students to stay active while building important skills in a supportive and inclusive environment.
It has been wonderful to see students smiling, moving, and cheering each other on as they explore the different activities the system offers. Opportunities like this continue to make learning interactive, engaging, and meaningful for our students.
#E2CCB #HewesEducationalCenter #StudentEngagement #LearningThroughPlay #LU 🎮✨
