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William Floyd High School Business Academy Named NYS Region I Department of the Year

Written by WFSD News  |  24. September 2015

Mastic Beach, NY - September 23, 2015 - For the second consecutive year and the fifth time overall, the William Floyd High School Business Academy has been selected as the New York State Region I (Nassau and Suffolk) Business and Marketing Education Department of the Year by the Business Teachers Association of New York State (BTANYS) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED). The Business Academy will be recognized at the BTANYS annual convention in October.

The William Floyd Business Academy, consisting of nine teachers with an enrollment of nearly 2,400 students, was chosen in recognition of the development, impact and contribution to students in Business and Marketing Education. The department offers a rigorous, highly-relevant interdisciplinary comprehensive program of challenging courses in career and college preparation, as well as a variety of extracurricular activities and real-world experiences.

For Business teacher and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Chair Karen Poidomani, and fellow Business teachers Lee Cillo, Korin Cloghessy, Jackie Giacalone, Chris Hoagland, Greg Plantier, Amy Roethgen, James Rugolo and Allison Wiegand, this accolade is evidence that their business education model is highly effective.

“What makes our Business Department unique is that we work ‘outside’ our department. We work on collaborative projects with teachers in other academic and elective areas. We have a strong community advisory board that is extremely supportive – offering shadow days, internships, career tours, workshops and job opportunities, as well as reviewing curriculum to be sure we are meeting industry standards,” said Mrs. Poidomani. “We are very proud of our accomplishments but we would not be successful without the support of our faculty, administrators and community mentors.”

The WFHS Business Academy offers a variety of courses which fall into one of four pathways: Accounting, Marketing, Entrepreneurship/Management and Technological Literacy. Specific course offerings include Accounting, College Accounting, College Business Math, Business English, Business Law, the Business of Music, Business Ownership and Management, Computer Applications, Advanced Computer Applications, Entertainment Marketing, Fashion Marketing, Math Applications for Business, Sports Marketing, Personal Keyboarding, Web Design and Virtual Enterprise (VE). There are also work-based learning experiences as well as opportunities to attain CTE Endorsements on high school diplomas in Accounting, Small Business Management or Microsoft Office Specialist, which demonstrates that students are prepared for entry-level employment upon graduation. It also provides a strong foundation for students who wish to continue their post-secondary education on these topics.

“Year after year, the William Floyd High School Business Department ranks among the top Business and Marketing Education departments in all of New York State,” said Kevin M. Coster, Superintendent of Schools, William Floyd School District. “To earn this great honor for the second year in a row and fifth time overall is a testament to the quality of our educators and program offerings in the Business Academy and throughout the entire district. Each day our students are learning valuable skills that will help them in their careers and throughout their lives.”

William Floyd is the only Long Island school to offer three sections of VE and integrate the CTE component with classes designed around the Cosmetology Academy.

Students also have the opportunity to take the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) exam for VE and Accounting, which gives them a leg up in developing a range of academic, business, technological and professional skills that prepare them for future success.

The William Floyd Business Academy also provides students with the opportunity to earn dual credits at Farmingdale State University for Business Law, College Accounting, Computer Applications, Fashion Marketing and College Business Math. They can also participate in extra-curricular activities such as the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) where students attend business-related competitions to sharpen their skills in Accounting, Business Law, Marketing, Public Speaking, etc. The Business Academy also offers many unique opportunities such as the Career Café, which provides students with the chance to sit down and talk with various career professionals.

Pictured: (from left to right) Members of the William Floyd Business Academy holding four past awards: James Rugolo, Allison Wiegand, Jackie Giacalone, Korin Cloghessy, Karen Poidomani, Amy Roethgen, Greg Plantier, Lee Cillo and Chris Hoagland.

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