WELCOME!!

Northeast Colorado BOCES was formed in July, 1966 by seven districts. The districts were Akron, Haxtun, Holyoke, Julesburg, Otis, Valley (Sterling), and West Yuma. The following months of that year, Arickaree, Lone Star, Fleming, Merino, and Woodlin were accepted as members, bringing the total to 12. The initial project selected by the members was to form an area vocational school for students. In January of 1967, a cooperative to provide special education was agreed upon.

Presently, NE BOCES has twelve members: Akron, Fleming, Haxtun, Holyoke, Julesburg, Lone Star, Merino, Otis, Peetz, Platte Valley, Wray, and Yuma. Today, these districts participate in special education, professional development, teacher prep, federal grants, gifted & talented, library, media, data, technology, career and tech education (vocational), school to work, and cooperative purchasing programs.

All BOCES programs are initiated and governed by member districts. These programs are flexible and may change from year to year, depending on the needs of its members. By forming a cooperative, members are able to provide more efficient and effective programs and services for the advancement of student achievement.

Career & Tech Ed

Carl Perkins and Tech Prep grants have provided $1,221,479 over the past 8 years of our BOCES Consortium. Our 12 schools have 30 state approved programs that are the recipients of these funds which “improve” course offerings and student learning. Priorities include: comprehensive career guidance, expanding technology, and professional development and student leadership. Special emphasis is placed on 1. Integrating and enhancing academic competencies and 2. Representation of special populations.

Priorities are set for spending within established guidelines. Local Career and Tech Instructors consult with administrators to identify school needs. A request for funding is submitted to the BOCES grant coordinator for approval. The local school orders and pays for the supplies or purchased services. Paid receipts are submitted to the grant coordinator and schools are then reimbursed.

Gary Koch and Arlene Salyards coordinate the program to help local schools with funding and federal and programming needs.

Local Objectives | Office of Workforce Development | Colorado CTE Quick Facts

Special Projects

The Special Projects Department facilitates professional development for the Northeast BOCES consortium in the following areas:

•Teacher Induction: This program is for beginning teachers that have an Initial License, or are new to a school. The program design involves supportive mentoring from a veteran teacher and activities that will allow for professional growth and self study. An Induction program is required by CDE to move to a Professional License.
•Alternative Teacher Licensure Program:
This is a one year teacher licensing program offered by Northeast BOCES to participants who do not yet have an Initial License. Participants are employed as a teacher, have a Bachelors degree, are highly qualified in a specific content area, and have taken the appropriate PLACE test. The program requires successful completion of 250 hours of professional training, mentoring, and job instruction to be recommended for an Initial License.
•Gifted and Talented:
Northeast BOCES, as the GT Administrative Unit, provides facilitation and professional development for identification of students, program strategies for the classroom, and assessment tools for teachers to utilize in the schools. Funds flow from CDE to Northeast BOCES and then to each school.
•Annual Fall Educational Inservice:
This is an inservice day in September of each year for all staff members in the school districts. A variety of workshops provide evidence-based professional development and training in all areas of accountability to the standards. Workshops are held at different school locations to accommodate the enrollment of participants and the needs of districts.
•Title I, II, III, IV and V:
Northeast BOCES coordinates grant activities, professional development, evaluation, and budgets for participating school districts. Each Title grant is unique to a specific set of goals and objectives to achieve maximum student learning.
•Professional Development:
Classes, workshops, and seminars are offered to school district staff, teachers, and administrators. A Professional Development Council comprised of representatives from each school plan and coordinates the trainings.
•Resource Building (Grants and Projects):
The Special Projects department continues to build funding capacity with grants and financial support from educational and private sources at a competitive and non-competitive level. Alignment of funding to projects and activities is within the mission and goals of Northeast BOCES.

SWAP

School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP) is a collaborative initiative between the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and Northeast BOCES. SWAP provides case management and direct services to youth aged 16 – 25 who have mild to moderate needs in employment and are eligible to receive DVR services. The purpose of SWAP is to provide successful employment outcomes, increased community linkages, and new patterns of service for youth within all categories of disabilities. The program’s goals include building on current transition planning efforts through existing transition teams, filling the case management gap, and supporting collaboration between DVR and local schools. Unique components of this program include year round community-based services, case management services, and one year of follow-up services after successful employment. This underserved population of youth will be served based on individual needs. SWAP may provide career exploration and development, employment related instruction, job development and placement, case management, and transitional life skills training.

Exceptional Student Services

For a child with a disability, life can be changed in ways most have never imagined. As educators, parents, and community members, we can do many things to help students’ with disabilities achieve in school.

Within the schools, special education teachers, commonly referred to as resource teachers, offer academic, social/emotional, and life skills support to student’s with disabilities. In addition, there are special education and related service providers hired by the Northeast Colorado BOCES, to assist teachers in addressing the unique needs of students with disabilities.

Special education and related service providers are involved in determining eligibility for special education, development of Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) for students, providing direct services to address academic, social/emotional, physical/health, communicative, cognitive, transition needs, and consultation and training to educators, and parents.

Psychological Services | School Wide Positive Behavior Support | Social Work Services
Speech & Language Services | Early Childhood | Parent Professional Partnerships (Part C)
Infant/Toddler Child Find | Hearing Impaired Services | Vision Impaired Services | School Nursing Services
Occupational Therapy Services | Physical Therapy Services | English Language Learner Team
Behavior Evaluation and Support Team | SWAAAC Team | Parent Advisory Committee

WAVES

The Northeast Colorado WAVES Consortium established a wide area network to provide distance learning capabilities to participating member districts. The network extended the existing WAN connecting Haxtun and Holyoke to 9 additional districts in the Northeast Colorado BOCES membership as well as the NE CO BOCES office. The WAVES network provides districts the opportunity to share teaching resources, receive professional development, and build educational opportunities for students. The system provides students the opportunity to take college level courses as well as elective courses that may not be offered in-district.

WAVES Course Schedule | WAVES Course Descriptions | WAVES Calendar
WAVES Policies and Procedures Document | Contact Information