Genesee Valley BOCES Receives Distance Learning Grant From USDA Rural Development

							                              NEWS RELEASE
                                 United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development
                                                       th
                               441 S. Salina Street • 5 Floor • Suite 357 • Syracuse, NY 13202-2425
              Phone: (315) 477-6409 • Fax: (315) 477-6438 • TDD: (315) 477-6447 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ny


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     Media Contact: Tim Jones (315) 477-6436
                                                                                        timothy.jones@ny.usda.gov


          GENESEE VALLEY BOCES RECEIVES $265,000 DISTANCE
          LEARNING GRANT FROM USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT

LeRoy, N.Y., December 12, 2006 – Genesee Valley Board of Cooperative Educational Services
officially received a $265,148 Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant today from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development office.

USDA Rural Development’s DLT program supports the purchase, installation and development
of telecommunications, computer networks and related technologies that improve rural residents’
access to educational and medical services. Genesee Valley BOCES will use the grant to
establish an interactive distance learning network involving four BOCES service centers and six
area schools. The network will offer live classes in advanced math and science, technology and
engineering that are not available at the schools. Students will be able to access archived courses
and web-based content. The system also will be used by teachers for professional staff
development.

“The key to our economic success is providing the best education to our students so they have
the skills to succeed," stated Congressman Thomas M. Reynolds (NY-26). “Providing students in
rural areas with more academic opportunities is incredibly important to our area's future. This
grant will provide students important access to education services which will help improve their
skills and knowledge.”

“We are very pleased that the children and educators of our region will have access to a
technology that will bring the world to them,” said Dr. Michael Glover, Superintendent of the
Genesee Valley BOCES. “We are grateful for Sharon Kaiser's leadership in coordinating this
initiative with our component schools and look forward to improved student learning as a result.”

“The DLT program is one way USDA Rural Development works to improve educational
opportunities in Rural America,” said Scott Collins, Acting State Director for Rural
Development in New York. “Improved education not only generates economic development, it
creates richer and fuller lives for rural students and teachers. We are delighted to be able to
support Genesee Valley BOCES’ distance learning efforts.”

New York organizations received more than $1.6 million in USDA Rural Development DLT
funds in fiscal year 2006. The Cattaraugus-Allegany-Erie-Wyoming (CAEW) BOCES in Olean
and Otsego-Northern Catskills BOCES in Stamford received grants of $497,000 and $339,000

                                             Committed to the future of rural communities.

                                       “USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.”
           To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
                         Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
respectively for distance learning programs. Bassett Healthcare of Cooperstown received
$500,000 for a telemedicine project.

USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing
economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital
entity, Rural Development provides equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth
in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure.
Further information on rural programs is available by contacting the Batavia Rural Development
Service Center at (585) 343-9167, ext. 2200, or Rural Development’s New York state office at
(315) 477-6400, or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ny.


Genesee Valley BOCES DLT Grant Participants

School/Center                                   Location
Genesee Valley BOCES                            Batavia Campus, Batavia
Genesee Valley BOCES                            LeRoy Services Center, LeRoy
Genesee Valley BOCES                            Mt. Morris Campus, Mt. Morris
Genesee Valley BOCES                            Leicester Academy, Leicester
Batavia High School                             Batavia
Jackson Elementary School                       Batavia
Mt. Morris Elementary School                    Mt. Morris
Mt. Morris Jr/Sr High School                    Mt. Morris
Keshequa Sr High School                         Nunda
Dansville Primary School                        Dansville




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