On Monday, September 26, the Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District Board of Education approved the appointment of Mr. Mark Tidd to the position of College Career Readiness coordinator. In his new role, Mr. Tidd will work to partner with secondary students as they continue to build a positive pathway towards a two-year or four-year college experience, or their path to a career or the military. The College and Career Readiness coordinator will work to enable students to become better prepared to face challenges, while transferring their learning process into a college environment.
“At BKW, we continue a strong commitment in allowing our students to achieve their educational and career goals,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mundell. “We are excited to add Mr. Tidd to the role of College Career Readiness coordinator, while continuing to build our ability to assist and celebrate the achievements of our secondary students.”
Mr. Tidd has been a teacher in the BKW district for nearly 16 years, having taught second, fifth and sixth grade classrooms. Mr. Tidd will begin transitioning to his new position immediately.
To celebrate this important recognition, we are sharing an in-depth Q&A with Mr. Tidd on his thoughts on being named the College Career Readiness coordinator, while understanding his goals and preparation for today’s students:
How will this new role impact your outreach with BKW students?
Having taught 2nd, 5th and most recently, 6th grade has allowed me the opportunity to watch our students grow from their youngest years, to adolescence/early adulthood. I believe that by educating our students at all grade levels about the many pathways to graduation and beyond, we can have an immediate impact on their success. The design of our district campus and the close proximity of the elementary and middle/ high school will allow for collaboration between buildings, while reaching out to former BKW students will help to highlight the many opportunities for post-graduate plans.
As a College Career Readiness Coordinator, what mindset do you take into the position to improve opportunities for BKW High School students?
I trust that there is a pathway to success for everyone. What is the right path for one, may not be the best option for others. By collaborating with my colleagues and meeting with students, a priority is to educate our secondary learners on all of their choices post-graduation; allowing them the opportunity to explore options of which they might not be aware. I also hope to foster a sense of self-efficacy amongst the students, encouraging them to keep an open mind while considering their plans after high school.
How can this role highlight the district’s “They are because we are,” commitment to the BKW community?
Adults can be influential in the lives of students, as students can be influential in the lives of adults. Likewise, students have the ability to impact their peers. We have a wonderful community of current students along with alumni that have had incredible accomplishments and have found success. By learning about the experiences of others, the students will have a better sense of what might be the best individualized plan for them upon graduation.
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