College in the High School Program Brings Educators Together for Professional Development on AI, Pedagogy & Collaborative Best Practices
On Friday, March 13, SUNY Sullivan and Sullivan BOCES co-hosted thirty high school teachers from across the region for a full-day professional development workshop titled Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom: Approaches and Strategies for Teachers. Organized through SUNY Sullivan’s College in the High School and Sullivan BOCES’ Early College Access programs for teachers from participating districts, the event brought together educators to the College’s campus for a day of learning, collaboration, and practical skill-building around the growing impact of AI on student learning.
The morning session featured a keynote and workshop by Laurie Guyon, Lead Coordinator for Instructional Technology Programs at WSWHE BOCES and Capital Region Director for NYSCATE, who guided participants through current AI trends, emerging tools, and practical strategies for integrating artificial intelligence in ways that support student learning. The afternoon shifted from technology to teaching practice, with breakout sessions bringing together high school and college faculty, department chairs, and program directors to share resources and develop best practices for college-level instruction, reinforcing SUNY Sullivan’s commitment to maintaining the academic rigor that allows CIHS students to earn transferable college credit.
SUNY Sullivan faculty and staff provide ongoing support to CIHS teachers through professional development, regular collaboration, and classroom observations designed to ensure instructional quality and consistency with college standards.
SUNY Sullivan’s College in the High School program currently partners with ten high schools across the region, including Monticello, Liberty, Tri-Valley, Sullivan West, Rockland, Middletown, Pine Bush, and The Homestead School, as well as Pathways programs in Fallsburg and Eldred that allow students to earn an Associate’s Degree while still in high school. This academic year, the program is offering more than 150 courses to more than 740 students, with most students enrolled in multiple college courses simultaneously. Both enrollment and course offerings are expected to grow in the years ahead.
The College in the High School program’s most popular courses, including Speech, English Composition, Pre-Calculus, and U.S. History, are fully aligned with SUNY General Education requirements, ensuring that credits transfer more easily and that students can speed towards degree completion.
“College in the High School (CIHS) programs offer students a range of meaningful academic, financial, and personal benefits,” said Jason Kaplan, Associate Professor and CIHS Coordinator at SUNY Sullivan. “Students earn college credits while still in high school, arriving at college with a semester or more of coursework already completed.”
College credits earned through CIHS cost a fraction of what they would cost after high school and in many cases, as at SUNY Sullivan through the Early College program, they are covered entirely at no cost to the student or family. A student who enters college with 15 or 30 credits already completed can potentially finish a degree in three semesters rather than four, representing tens of thousands of dollars in tuition, fees, and living expenses saved.
“I’m able to graduate from SUNY Sullivan’s Criminal Justice program in three semesters,” said former CIHS student Sandra Hanofee, ‘26. “Getting to college I wasn’t really nervous about the classes because I knew I could handle it. Once you finish your CIHS classes you are so proud of yourself, it’s so rewarding, and you realize that you’ve saved money, and are more prepared.”
For students from communities where college attendance is not a generational norm, which describes much of Sullivan County, CIHS creates an early, positive association with higher education. Students begin to see themselves as college-bound before graduation, which research consistently shows increases the likelihood that they will actually enroll and complete a degree. And CIHS students can access campus resources such as the SUNY Sullivan library’s research databases, an important academic asset.
“In a rural community like Sullivan County, College in the High School is a lifeline,” said SUNY Sullivan President David Potash. “It brings college within reach for students who might not otherwise see higher education as a realistic path. Every credit a student earns before graduation is a barrier removed, a dollar saved, and a signal that college is not just possible, it’s already happening for them.”
Students who successfully complete college-level coursework in a familiar environment, their own high school, with their own peers, have already navigated a college syllabus, met college-level expectations, and received a college grade. That experience meaningfully reduces the anxiety and self-doubt that derail many first-generation and first-year students.
CIHS courses often introduce students to subject areas they might not otherwise explore, helping them make more informed decisions about majors and careers before they commit to a program of study. A student who takes a Speech course and discovers a talent for communication, or who takes Pre-Calculus and realizes an aptitude for STEM, arrives at college with clearer direction and greater purpose.
At SUNY Sullivan, the Pathways programs in Fallsburg and Eldred take this a step further, allowing students to earn an entire Associate’s Degree while still in high school. For these students, the traditional timeline of higher education is compressed dramatically as they can enter the workforce, transfer to a four-year institution, or pursue advanced training years ahead of their peers, with credentials already in hand.
CIHS programs work because they meet students where they are, lower the barriers to entry, and give them the tools, confidence, and credentials to succeed long before the traditional college journey begins.
Students and parents interested in learning which courses are available at their school should contact their high school guidance office for enrollment details and program offerings. For more information about the SUNY Sullivan CIHS program please send an email to CIHS@sunysullivan.edu.
About Laurie Guyon
Guyon is a nationally recognized expert in educational technology. Guyon serves as Lead Coordinator for Instructional Technology Programs at Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex (WSWHE) BOCES in Saratoga Springs, New York, and is the Capital Region Director and a trainer for NYSCATE, the New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education.
About Sullivan BOCES
Sullivan County BOCES is an innovative, county-wide educational service agency, providing leadership, cooperative services, and collaborative opportunities for students, school districts, and community organizations. BOCES promotes student success, equity, and inclusion for all, while meeting the diverse needs of students and rural communities. For more information, visit boces.org.
About SUNY Sullivan
SUNY Sullivan is the leader of innovative higher education and a catalyst for workforce development throughout the Sullivan Catskills and beyond. Our diverse community cultivates personal growth and professional advancement, preparing students for success in a sustainable and interconnected world. A forward-looking, top-tier community college in New York, SUNY Sullivan offers dozens of degree programs, certificates, and microcredentials for learners at all levels of their educational goals. We value critical inquiry and creativity while supporting our students in a culture of inclusion and respect. For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu.
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