Two former Pathways Academy students pose with one student holding up an award

ILION – Students are honored not just for academic achievement during the quarterly Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy Awards at the Remington school building, but also for leadership, improvement, attendance, hard work, attitude and more.

The awards have helped motivate Pathways Academy students – creating growth in the size of the award ceremony since it started in 2017, said Pathways Academy teacher Erica Haver, who is a team leader for the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program at Pathways.

“I’ve definitely seen improvement,” she said. “Every year, it becomes bigger. More and more awards. More students getting more awards. We’re seeing some that are getting six, seven awards.”

Pathways Academy is one of many programs Herkimer BOCES operates out of the Remington school building at 77 E. North St. in Ilion. A public vote for residents in all Herkimer BOCES component school districts is scheduled for noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, on a Herkimer BOCES proposal to purchase the Remington school building from Central Valley. The Central Valley community voted 256-16 on Nov. 12, 2019, in favor of selling the building to Herkimer BOCES.

Pathways Academy focuses on students who have had a difficult time in a traditional school structure or have to catch up on credits but have the ability to get a high school diploma. Pathways Academy classes are project-driven and infuse career and technical education.

The quarterly Pathways Awards are part of the Pathways Academy PBIS program, which includes various aspects including students earning “BOCES Bucks” for positive behavior that they can use on reward days to purchase items or experiences. There also is normally an end of the year carnival with food and fun activities.

During the Pathways Academy Awards ceremony on March 2, before schools closed in response to the coronavirus public health crisis, 195 awards were given out to 118 students. Organizers are still determining how the awards are going to be handled this school year.

Another aspect of the awards that has grown has been the number of parents attending, Haver said.

“It’s really good for the parents to see the students winning awards because this didn’t necessarily happen for these students in the home schools,” Haver said.

School vote on Sept. 29

Herkimer BOCES has leased the former Remington Elementary School from Central Valley for the Pathways Academy and other programs since 2013. During the 2019-20 school year, 212 school-aged children from the 10 component school districts and 250 adults from the community attended programs housed in the Remington building.

As a more permanent solution to its space needs, Herkimer BOCES proposes to purchase the Remington school building.

The vote for residents of all 10 component districts is Tuesday, Sept. 29, on whether to authorize the purchase of the building by Herkimer BOCES.

Qualified voters may vote at any location listed below or at the Herkimer BOCES William E. Busacker Complex Technical Education Conference Room at 352 Gros Blvd. in Herkimer. Each district will have a voting location for residents’ convenience:

  • Central Valley: Small gym at CVA
  • Dolgeville: High School Lobby
  • Frankfort-Schuyler: Old Gymnasium
  • Herkimer: Media Center Jr./Sr. High School
  • Little Falls: Middle School Gymnasium
  • Mount Markham: District Office
  • Owen D Young: Gymnasium
  • Poland: Lobby
  • Richfield Springs: Entrance adjacent to baseball field
  • West Canada Valley: High School Front Lobby

A qualified voter for the Herkimer BOCES proposal must:

  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be a citizen of the United States
  • Have or will have resided within the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES region for a period of at least 30 days

All persons offering to vote will be asked to provide one form of proof of residency. Such form may include but is not limited to a driver’s license, a non-driver identification card, a utility bill or a voter registration card.

Upon offer of proof of residency, all persons offering to vote will also be required to provide their signature and address. Persons who do not provide a proof of residence will be asked to sign a declaration in order to be allowed to vote.

Find out more information about the purchase proposal and the vote at www.herkimer-boces.org/remingtonbuilding.



Two former Pathways Academy students pose with one student holding up an award

From left, Jaida Jackson and Cole Trask, who were Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy students last school year, pose after winning awards during a ceremony on March 2 at the Remington school building in Ilion. For information about the public vote on Tuesday, Sept. 29, on the Herkimer BOCES proposal to purchase the building from Central Valley, visit www.herkimer-boces.org/remingtonbuilding.


Former Pathways Academy student walks through cafeteria to accept an award

Brandon Sorce, a Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy student last school year, walks up to accept an award during a ceremony on March 2 at the Remington school building in Ilion. For information about the public vote on Tuesday, Sept. 29, on the Herkimer BOCES proposal to purchase the building from Central Valley, visit www.herkimer-boces.org/remingtonbuilding.