Monroe 1 BOCES highlights regional programs, special education and an AI planning effort

Monroe 1 BOCES representatives addressed the Penfield board to summarize regional services and Penfield’s participation in shared programs. Dr. Kathy Hobber, introduced by the board, noted Monroe 1 is celebrating its 70th anniversary and described the organization as a collaborative that provides instruction support, special‑education programs, career and technical education and technology services across component districts.

“We have been… partners with Penfield for quite a while now,” Dr. Hobber said, and noted multiple categories of support including curriculum development, distance learning, specialized clinical services and technology infrastructure.

She provided Penfield‑specific figures: roughly 83 Penfield students participate in the Eastern Monroe Career Center with access to about 135 internship placements; Penfield students earned 109 college credits last year through those programs, and roughly 40 students participate in very specialized special‑education programs that serve students kindergarten through age 22.

A board member asked how Monroe 1 is preparing for artificial intelligence; Dr. Hobber described a new regional effort: “we're doing this participating in an AI visioning for the future collaborative so we can really think deeply about AI and how it's going to impact our organization…,” she said, adding that the group recently convened to begin planning both operational and instructional approaches.

Board members thanked Monroe 1 for the presentation, praised local student outcomes and discussed scheduling a summer visit to Monroe 1’s programs.