We are both Ward Melville students who are part of the BOCES program. BOCES is a vocational program offered by Three Village that prepares students for the workforce by giving us real life job-like experiences and allowing us to connect with others. It is a wonderful opportunity that we are grateful for.
However, we, and many other students, have been frustrated by our inability to participate in clubs. BOCES takes place in the afternoon, and the bus back to Ward Melville arrives after clubs have already ended. This scheduling conflict prevents BOCES students from taking part in many activities, which is not fair to these students.
We believe that Three Village should offer an option to study at BOCES in the morning so that students are able to take advantage of both opportunities. The district should do everything in its power to ensure that students are not forced to choose between two equally exciting activities. The Guidance Department takes pains to ensure that students can take as many different classes as they desire, and club schedules are usually built with the possible interests of students in mind. The district should work equally hard to provide as much as possible to BOCES students as they do for everyone else.
BOCES helps students with real-world skills, including communication and how to better establish connections. However, we should balance the program with club activities to ensure that students can benefit from both opportunities without feeling overwhelmed.
We are both doing art design and visuals in BOCES, and, so far, it has allowed us to grow our communication, social skills and so much more. We were also interested in joining Cinnabar, Ward Melville’s literary and arts magazine, this year, but we, unfortunately, could not do so because of the timing. We were greatly looking forward to that opportunity, but we were denied access to it. It is imperative that the school try and make the time for clubs more flexible, because it is causing a lot of students to miss out on those opportunities.
Another possibility would be to sort out a schedule that will be convenient to everyone, including people who do sports. The most important thing is that the system be fair for everyone.
Although adding a morning session might cost more, it would be beneficial for students to get the most out of their school experience. Offering a morning program would align with the Three Village values of making an inclusive and equal place for everyone. This is also essential to make sure BOCES students are included in all aspects of the school environment.
