Superintendent's Blog
-
Board of Education Meeting Superintendent Agenda Highlights
Posted by Dr. Nagy on 3/22/2024There were two presentations made at the Board of Education meeting last evening. The first pertained to the Board’s desire to recognize key security personnel, nursing staff and administration who were among the first responders this past month whose actions saved the life of a staff member who lost consciousness and stopped breathing. They along with the cooperation of many other staff who did their job to retain students in classrooms allowed medical personnel to pick up where nurses and security personnel left off and were able to take the staff member to the hospital after being resuscitated. She is covering at home and looks forward to coming back to work. Dr. Nagy asked the audience and Board to please provide a warm round of applause of gratitude to those recognized in the audience for their heroic efforts:
Security: Quincy Hendrix who administered CPR and his fellow colleagues who secured the area
Administrators: Principal Dennis Leigh
Asst. Principal Mike Berger
Asst. Principal Roseatta Darcy
Director CST/Related Services/Nursing/ESU Dr. Bobbie Downs
Nurses: Connie Garrano
Diane Temple
Nora Kent
Lauren Johnson
Pictures were taken of all with the Board.
The second presentation was introduced by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ashanti Holley regarding the latest promotional video for the BCSSSD district which was recently completed.
The Board approved a number of retirees to whom Dr. Nagy thanked for their years of service and to wish them good health and happiness in the next chapter of their lives.
Dr. Nagy thanked all the staff and students and administration for all of their efforts to celebrate CTE month this past month and Black History Month.
This month is Women’s History Month and Dr. Nagy noted that buildings are celebrating the great women current and throughout history who have made significant contributions to the very fabric of who we are as Americans.
Dr. Nagy encouraged the public to look at our updated Points of Pride on both District websites. The pages celebrate the outstanding efforts of our staff, students and Board to make our districts a special place to celebrate student excellence.
The Board also approved policy and regulations as part of the regular course of business in the districts as well as Perkins V Postsecondary and Secondary Grant Amendments.
After Dr. Nagy thanked our student representative Liam Redford for his report on the various happenings on both of our BCIT Campuses he noted how much we have going on that brings pride to the district. Dr. Nagy noted how he loved how “Pi Day” was celebrated. Good old 3.14! There were a number of pie contests to celebrate the day. Dr. Nagy also extended congratulations on the performance of Hairspray. He also noted that our Spring sports are well on their way. He cautioned that we do have a word of caution for our athletes and parents that on April 8th we will experience a partial eclipse of the sun between 2 and 4pm. We will remind all to refrain from looking directly into the sun during that period of time.
The Board approved a number of special education programs or services which are part of our operations to service our students.
Dr. Nagy noted that he is happy to report that he just learned the day before the Board meeting, that Assistant Superintendent Eder Joseph, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Danielle Hartman and Dr. Nagy have had their proposal accepted and have been asked to present at the NJASA/NJAPSA Spring Leadership Conference in Atlantic City in May. The topic of our presentation is: A BCIT District Journey: Revolutionizing Teaching and the Classroom Interactive Learning Experience with AR/XR and AI. This is an honor to share with colleagues some of our innovative and best instructional practices.
The Board also approved the teacher for our newest program at BCIT which will start in September: Video Game Design. This will separate us from many other school districts based on our State-of-the-Art facilities we are creating and the associated programming. This teacher will take us into the 22nd Century. Exciting.
-
Board of Education Meeting Superintendent Agenda Discussion Items
Posted by Dr. Nagy on 3/2/2024At the Board meeting on Thursday evening there were two presentations. Dr. Nagy thanked his two Assistant Superintendents Dr. Holley and Mr. Joseph for their informative presentations on Student Safety Data and interventions in both districts to address student disciplinary issues. The presentations are mandated twice a year by the New Jersey Department of Education. Dr. Nagy also acknowledged the great presentation by BCIT Medford Campus Principal, Michael Parker who provided a glimpse of the newest CTE program to be added in September 2024, Video Game Design and Esports. Dr. Nagy noted that we are really excited about this which has been two years in the making with construction being completed this summer for the new classroom space.
The Board approved the 2024-2025 school calendars. Dr. Nagy thanked all of the administrators and members of the respective associations for the feedback and the dialogue which took place over the past two months. He also thanked all who contributed to the updated BCIT and BCSSSD Points of Pride Brochures on the respective District webpages. These are incredible reflections of the exceptional work done on all of the campuses.
The Board approved the submission of the Teacher Climate and Culture-Competitive Grant Application to the New Jersey Department of Education as well as partnership agreements, first and second readings of policies and regulations and BCIT amendments for ESSER II/ARP and ESSER III and the performance report. The Board also approved the tuition rates for the 2024-2025 school year of which the Alternative Briggs Road Middle School tuition should reflect $29,000, the corrected amount. BCIT and adult education rates were also approved. Furthermore, the Board due to the interest in our Special Services School District, approved the proposal to add an autism classroom on the West campus.
The Board approved a number of retirements to whom Dr. Nagy wished them the very best and gratitude for all of their contributions. He noted that the districts are in a better place because of their contributions.
Dr. Nagy noted that there will be a Special Board of Education meeting on March 7th at 8:30am and it will be virtual. The focus of this brief meeting will be on the approval of the BCIT and BCSSSD 2024-2025 budgets.
Dr. Nagy noted that the night of the Board meeting, the last day of February, represents an inflection point for this school year. It is February 29th and a leap year and it is the last day of a month that is nationally dedicated to career and technical education which we celebrate each and every day in both districts. Furthermore, our districts are dedicated to celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion and this is the last day of a month dedicated to celebrating nationally Black History Month and the rich and diverse cultural experiences that enrich our daily lives and our curricula. We are proud of the work of our students and staff as highlighted in our social media posts.
Following these remarks, Dr. Nagy shared a message at the Board meeting that he shared this week with the Board of Education regarding the announcement of his retirement effective July 1, 2024 which can be found on his blog dated March 1st and on the District website. See below:
Dear BCIT and BCSSSD Board of Education and Educational Community,
It is with mixed emotions that I tender my notification of retirement effective July 1, 2024 as the Superintendent of Schools for the Burlington County Institute of Technology and Burlington County Special Services School Districts. I have enthusiastically served the children and families from across our entire County and will be sad to leave the districts, staff, students, community and work that I dedicated my life here to create a future of innovation, ongoing academic achievement, social and emotional wellbeing, engagement, safety and pride to be a graduate of BCIT or BCSSSD. All one has to do is look at our Points of Pride located on our respective district websites – they are a testament to the hard work of all in our districts and partnerships with our community.
I have had the honor to serve the Board of Education, our District employees, and the families and students of BCIT and BCSSSD for nearly ten years, eight of which were as superintendent. During that time period, together we have truly embraced a growth mindset and focus on providing our very best to the students and staff to position them to be able to flourish and perform at their very best levels. This was despite a pandemic which we embraced as an opportunity and not an obstacle. I cannot thank enough the efforts of my team of dedicated central staff members without whom over the past four years we could not have addressed a number of the headwinds and challenges during the pandemic and post-pandemic era. I would like to start with Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Holley who has had oversight of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts and oversight of the BCSSSD district operations. Her leading efforts positioned BCIT to earn the recognition of a Lighthouse District for Equity from the NJDOE. I want to thank our other Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Joseph for his ongoing efforts to take the lead on the BCIT district side and to assure the ongoing success and that the positive momentum continue; Heather Cooper for all of her efforts and that of her team to address personnel related issues given that prior to her arrival, we did not have a dedicated personnel team in place; and Andrew Willmott, Business Administrator who has helped both districts enter into a number of grants during the pandemic, expansion grant of BCIT, state of the art playground planning and dedication at BCSSSD, signage, HVAC projects, new BCIT program renovations and successful annual audits which reflect his attention to financial details. It truly takes a village.
Having worked closely with the Board of Education, they can be proud of being honored with the Economic Development award from the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the South Jersey Best of Biz for Technical Education as well as a Lighthouse House District for Equity by the New Jersey Department of Education as well as ongoing recognition of both districts for their rankings, national honors and best practices in the State.
When looking at our mission for both districts, namely, Discovering our Potential, I am proud that we as a central office team and cadre of dedicated and forward-thinking building level administrators made educational decisions based on a commitment to excellence, diversity, equity, inclusivity and opportunity to be the change staff and students wish to see in the world. We can be proud to boast that our schools have received an honorable mention if not recognition as a State or Country recognized School of Character. Both our districts are beneficiaries of the administration, staff, students and the community working together.
Looking back, I remember starting in the Adult Education Division ten years ago when we had no apprentices. Today, the adult division is Middle States Accredited, offers Federal Financial Aid and has 69 apprentices.
Soon after becoming the superintendent, I remember the pioneering work we did to create the transition campus at BCSSSD and partnership with RCBC to allow students to take college courses on the campus. I affectionately refer to BCSSSD as campuses where miracles happen. I reflect upon that time where many students were only able to communicate a few words and now that has expanded considerably. I remember students in walkers and uncommunicative only to run up and receive their certificate of attendance while saying thank you this past year. It is not by chance but because of the dedication of all of our staff. Since that time, we have seen our programs and innovations and use of technology grow exponentially receiving great press and accolades from the parents and school districts who send students to us.
Yet, BCIT and BCSSSD were relatively unknown. To address this reality, I remember the efforts we had taken to adopt and train our administrators on social media channels and to encourage outreach to the community. We have enjoyed robust coverage on multi-media platforms since that time and have kept the community informed. As part of the effort, we also adopted a new branding campaign with our “B” logo which now is recognized everywhere. BCIT and BCSSSD are now a known force within the County.
At BCIT, we made significant advancements adding many new Career and Technical Education programs including Video Game Design which will be added in the Fall. In addition, we are in the midst of the $20 million physical expansion of the footprint of both campuses to accommodate the growth in our programs. Looking back eight years, as an educational futurist, a vision was set in motion to prepare a pathway for staff and students to embrace a world that would be known to be disruptive and unpredictable driven by technology. To that end, we adopted virtual reality and extended reality long before any school district embraced such immersive technologies. This summer and early Fall we embraced the need to adapt to the artificial intelligence advancements and all staff were trained on AI tools. We adopted a 1:1 Chromebook environment at BCIT and trained all staff two years before the pandemic to engage in synchronous and asynchronous learning. We were among the first in the country to offer a 1:1 in a CTE environment. When the pandemic hit, we were ready to go the following day to shift to remote. During the pandemic, we accelerated our learning of new apps and pedagogy and social and emotional connections to learning and wellbeing that allowed us to successfully migrate through those challenging years without missing a beat. In fact, recently we were just recognized as being ranked #2 and #3 among all high schools in Burlington County on various metrics including achievement. All of this is not by chance, but it is because of our creative, innovative, competent, forward-thinking, adaptable and solutions-oriented staff and support staff.
We together, with our team of administrators, teachers, support staff, and operational personnel, have truly contributed to the transformation of our two districts into desirable future ready schools where students from around the county recognize the value of what a BCIT or BCSSSD education provides.
We also could not do the work we do without the support of one of our biggest fans, Senator Singleton whose ongoing support has opened so many doors for our students and staff and community members. To our Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson and Board of Commissioners, we thank you for your vote of confidence in the work that we do and the mission we serve to all of our students entrusted to us. As we look at our campuses today, we are grateful to have a State-of -the-Art playground now at BCSSSD for the community to enjoy; a new building project at BCIT and a federal grant dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our students and staff at BCIT, secure buildings, HVAC systems among many other projects that have contributed to a positive and engaging environment for learning and flourishing all thanks to Senator Singleton and our Commissioners.
As superintendent, I thank our dedicated parents for entrusting us with their children. Parents are true partners with our educational community to inspire our young people to pursue their dreams and work to their best potential. The journey has not been easy, but we all adopted a mindset that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations, and the belief that obstacles can become the way. I am reminded that as an educator and servant leader, there is no limit to what a district or where a district can go if it does not mind who gets the credit – the credit goes to my central office team, district and building level administrators, teachers, staff, the Board, the Commissioners, Senator Singleton and our community who working together are dedicated to the promotion of excellence for our students who in the end, are our primary focus.
It is my hope that the districts are in a much better position than when I came 10 years ago. It has also been my life’s journey to inspire others to be better iterations of themselves tomorrow than today and to prepare our young people to be informed and productive citizens. Our mission has been to position staff and students to be better prepared to embrace the future that does not yet exist and to be in a position to have agency to create the future in which one wants to work, learn and thrive. At the end of this school year, I will be honored to join our graduates as we look to a new horizon and new ventures while graduating together.
I would like to personally thank each Board of Education member, present and former, for the opportunity to serve you and work alongside you. You are caring and dedicated professionals who give selflessly of your time and energy. We engage in important and worthwhile work that is focused on improving the lives of our children and families. This Board has never lost sight of this mission and calling to be a public servant to support students entrusted to us.
It has and will continue to be an honor to serve in these districts and with our dedicated Board and very capable leadership team in whom I have confidence until the end of this school year when they will enthusiastically embrace and build upon earlier successes. Any accomplishments we have achieved over the years whether personal or districtwide for BCIT and BCSSSD could not have been achieved without the hard work, dedication, and talent of the Board, administration, staff, parents and the community rowing together and in the same direction for it certainly takes a village to support each and every student entrusted to us. Thank you for allowing me to be your superintendent of schools.
Gratefully yours,
Dr. Christopher Nagy
Superintendent of Schools
Burlington County Special Services School District
Burlington County Institute of Technology
In addition to the report by our student representative Liam Redford, Dr. Nagy that Liam and then highlighted the invitation to the Board regarding the Academy and Performing Arts Department production of Hair Spray, the musical, which will run on March 15 and 16 and the following week on March 22 and 23. Dr. Nagy noted that this is a treat and a time to enjoy the arts and commitment of our students and staff.
Dr. Nagy's Recent Publications
- Dynamic NJ School Leader Shares Insights from Education’s Frontline Before and During the Pandemic
- Leadership Sparks Series
- BCIT Embraces AI, AR and VR to Enhance CTE Programs.
- Managing Generational Differences: Opportunities or Obstacles?
- BCIT Creating Opportunities for Future Employment in the Trades.
- BCIT welders are a Bead Away from Success
- The why of a career and technical education now and the future.
- How Disruption Leads to Innovation
Welcome Back 2022!
Dr. Nagy's Selected Reading List
-
- Ryan Holiday - Discipline is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control
-
Adam Grant - Think Again
-
Sarah Stein Greenberg - Creative Acts for Curious People
-
Seth Godin - Linchpin
-
Marc Brackett - Permission to Feel
-
Roman Krznaric - The Good Ancestor
-
Niall Ferguson - The Square and the Tower
-
Steven Pinker - Enlightenment Now
-
Simon Sinek - Start with Why
-
Simon Sinek - The Infinite Game
-
Seth Godin - Linchpin
-
Malcom Gladwell - Outliers
-
Todd Kashdan - Curious?
-
Carol Dweck - Mindset
-
Chip and Dan Heath - Switch
-
Martin Seligman - Flourish
-
Marc Brackett - Permission to Feel
-
Brene Brown - Atlas of the Heart
-
Brene Brown - Daring Greatly
-
Jonah Berger - Contagious
-
Jonah Berger - The Catalyst
-
Jon Gordon and Damon West - The Coffee Bean
-
Jon Gordon - The Energy Bus
-
Lolly Daskal - The Leadership Gap (Executive Coach)
-
Nico Melle - The End of Big
-
Hermant Taneja - Unscaled
-
Angela Duckworth:Grit
-
Tony Wagner -The Global Achievement Gap
-
Daniel Pink - Drive
-
Daniel Pink - The Power of Regret
-
Malcolm Gladwell - Tipping Point
-
Malcom Gladwell - Blink
-
Malcom Gladwell - Talking to Strangers
-
John Maxwell - Talent is Never Enough
-
John Maxwell - 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
-
John Maxwell - 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player
-
Doris Kearns Goodwin - Team of Rivals
-
William Poundstone - Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?
-
Thomas Friedman - Thank You for Being Late
-
Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Stone - The Art of the Possibility
-
Fareed Zakaria - Ten Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World
-
Ryan Holiday - The Obstacle is the Way
-
Don Miguel Ruiz - The Four Agreements
-
James Clear - Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
-
Steven Levy - In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes our Lives
-
James Barrat - Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era
Applied Positive Psychology
Workforce Development Resources
-
Books
America's Generations: In The Workplace, Marketplace, And Living Room
by Chuck Underwood 2016Generations at Work; Managing the Clash of Boomers, GenXers, and GenYers in the Workplace
by Zemke, Raines and Filipczak 2nd Ed. 2013Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters- Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work
by Meagon and Larry Johnson 2010Sticking Points: How to get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart
by Haydn Shaw 2013Thinking Fast and Slow
by Daniel Kahneman 2011The Decline and Revitalization of Urban
by David Listokin, Dorothea Berkhout, and James W. Hughes 2016New Jersey's Postsuburban Economy
by James W. Hughes and Joseph J. Seneca 2014