James N. Baldwin, district superintendent of Questar III BOCES, announced that he will retire from public service effective September 15, 2014.
“Over the years, we have worked together and with our component districts to transform Questar III, implementing reforms to increase transparency and respond to the changing needs of students and school districts,” said Baldwin in a letter to staff and school superintendents.
Originally appointed as Questar III district superintendent in February 2002, Baldwin has been an outspoken advocate for school reform, student-centered instruction and greater transparency, accountability and responsiveness of public schools. He focused on the need to effectively engage today’s students with instructional practices and experiences that develop critical thinking and problem solving skills along with subject matter mastery.
Highlights from his tenure at Questar III include:
- Expanding and strengthening career and technical education (CTE), including adding new hands-on programs in aviation, aviation maintenance technology, HVAC/R and certified nurse assistant.
- Opening four academies for special needs students (Sackett Center in Schodack, Catskill Academy, Rensselaer Academy and George Washington Academy in Averill Park) – shifting away from private leases to leases with local school districts.
- Adopting standards-based ELA and math curriculum and instruction in programs for special needs students – and increasing resources at the classroom level to support teachers and students.
- Securing support and approval from the state legislature and Governor to develop and open Tech Valley High School, a national model of 21st century teaching and learning. The school has close ties to emerging tech businesses, laptops for every student, and a project-based curriculum. The school will relocate to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in September.
- Building a consortium with Troy City Schools, Hudson Valley Community College, Center for Economic Growth, GE Healthcare and Regeneron to open Riverfront P-Tech in September 2014. The school, one of 16 winners of the state’s Pathways in Technology Early College High School (NYS P-TECH) program, will prepare Troy students for high-skill jobs in technology, manufacturing and healthcare.
- Conducting dozens of superintendent searches for local school boards.
- Developing and implementing a number of support services to school districts that save taxpayer dollars; including the internal audit inter-municipal service, GASB-45 actuarial service, and expansion of the State Aid Planning Service, Communications and Health and Safety services.
- Reforming the Health Insurance Trust to address the rising cost of employee health benefits for districts and Questar III and securing refunds in the millions for participating school districts.
- Establishing a School Improvement Office to help school districts implement the Regents Reform Agenda and to support best practices and collaboration.
- Expanding local, regional and statewide partnerships with colleges, universities, non-profits and businesses.
Baldwin has spent more than 36 years in public service at the state, regional and local levels.
At its September meeting the Questar III board will select a chief operating officer to run Questar III day-to-day. The board and Commissioner will also designate an interim district superintendent to oversee the BOCES.
By law, the State Education Department will conduct a survey of school districts and BOCES in the region to determine whether the Questar III BOCES should continue in its current configuration.
Following that survey, and upon making a decision to sustain the configuration of the BOCES, the Commissioner would then authorize the Questar III board to begin its search for the next district superintendent. The board’s finalists will then be referred to the Commissioner for approval.
