Veteran BOCES leader brings sharp focus and urgency to expanding opportunities for adult learners
Dr. Nicole G Eschler has stepped into her new role as Director of Adult & Community Services at Southern Westchester BOCES with plenty of opportunities to draw on her professional experience as she looks to expand upon vital educational programs for adult learners in the region.
Dr. Eschler, who was appointed by the Board of Education in June, served previously in various leadership roles at several BOCES and brings a track record that made the opportunity a natural fit. She was drawn to the position by its alignment with her experience and core values, as well as by SWBOCES’ reputation for excellence.
"Who wouldn’t be attracted to work on a team that has all the right value systems and commitment to the work?" Ms. Eschler said.
Throughout the recruitment process and her first weeks on the job, she has found professionalism, well-established practices, and a strong culture already in place, she said. As a result, she has been able to focus on potential strategies to grow programs and support students.
The Center for Adult & Community Services partners with nonprofit organizations, local businesses and other agencies to provide programs that prepare adult learners to advance personally and professionally. Its trades programs focus on in-demand skills like welding, HVAC and plumbing, while the Adult Literacy Program offers English language instruction and preparation for the U.S. Citizenship and GED exams.
Instruction is provided at SWBOCES and satellite locations across Southern Westchester. These include St. Gabriel’s School in New Rochelle, El Centro Hispaño in White Plains, the Community Resource Center in Mamaroneck, the public libraries in White Plains, Harrison and Tarrytown, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Elmsford, Sleepy Hollow High School, the College of Westchester, and in Port Chester at the Knights of Columbus Hall and the Thomas A. Edison School.
Dr. Eschler is committed to setting strategic goals grounded in data and the needs of adult learners and workforce development partners across Westchester county. For now, though, she brings no preset agenda, just a desire to learn about the region and the many attributes that make adult programs at SWBOCES excel. Outside the office, Nicole is a self-described fitness enthusiast and nature lover, who plans to explore the lower Hudson Valley’s outdoor offerings with her chocolate Labrador, Freya.
Her leadership approach is rooted in collaboration and a deep appreciation for the distinct needs of adult learners. In contrast to K-12 education, she said, adult students bring diverse life experiences and a pressing sense of purpose to their learning and career goals.
"I’m urgent about excellent programs and services that bring to our students whatever it is they really need for their goals to live happy and profitable lives," she said.