Five questions with Dr. Gladys Cruz
Dr. Gladys Cruz is the district superintendent and chief executive officer of Questar III, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services ( BOCES) headquartered in Schodack.
1. How does Questar III BOCES support local school districts?
Questar III BOCES supports local school districts in Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties through a myriad of programs and services to support students’ educational programs, district management, and financial operations among other services. We provide services that range from handson instructional programs to services in health and safety, communications, and financial services. Our instructional programs include special education, career and technical education, New Visions for high school seniors, adult and community education, and K-12 enrichment.
2. What sets Questar III apart from other BOCES across the state?
What sets us apart from other BOCES across the state is that we have an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. We are always looking for opportunities to add value to the work of those we serve whether it is districts, students, or the larger community. Because of this, we have services that span the entire state, including the State Aid & Financial Planning Service. Created in 1972, it serves nearly every school district and BOCES in New York.
3. What is something that people wouldn’t know about your BOCES?
Questar III celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017, but our roots date back to the 1950s and 1960s as separate county BOCES. Those BOCES merged in 1977 and later adopted the named Questar III in 1994. “Quest” stands for the educational journey and our search for excellence, “star” for the brilliance of our programs, staff and students, and “III” for the three counties we serve.
4. What inspires you most?
I am most inspired by the students we serve and the staff that works in our organization. On the educational side of our BOCES, we educate all types of learners from very accelerated to very needy – our staff put their heart and soul into educating every student. This is very rewarding – you see the compassion and commitment to educating every child when you walk into the classrooms. On the district support services side of our BOCES, we have highly skilled problem solvers who seek ways to assist districts with challenges they face, whether it is an emergency or a longer-term project. This too is very rewarding to me; I am often told when I visit across the state: “That’s a very good BOCES.”
5. What is your favorite part of the job?
It’s a new day each day that brings new challenges and opportunities my way. There are never two days that are the same. This is exciting to me as my job gives me a chance to, directly and indirectly, support school districts and students across the region and state.