Questar III Board | Questar III BOCES

STEM High School Students Present at NYSSBA Convention

Candace Krell — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:03:23 +0000

STEM High School students Madigan Stevens, Ava Frazee, Kaiyah Smythe, and Hunter Perrins presented on a panel at the New York State School Boards Association Annual Convention with Principal Jennie Mueller as the facilitator.

STEM High School students and staff represented Questar III and HVCC STEM High School at the New York State School Boards Association Annual Convention and Education Expo in New York City.

STEM High School Principal Jennie Mueller facilitated a session where students shared their experiences at STEM High School with attendees, including members of the Questar III BOCES Board of Education and District Superintendent Dr. Gladys I. Cruz. The group also hosted a booth highlighting opportunities at STEM High School.

“I am thrilled that our STEM High School students had the opportunity to present at the NYS School Boards Association Annual Conference,” Dr. Cruz said. “It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the impressive learning experiences our students have, including the potential of earning an associate degree from Hudson Valley Community College, paid internships from our business partners, coupled with satisfying their high school requirements. It is an example of what our students can do and highlighting what our school can achieve.”

Student participants:
Avyn Capasso – Berlin Central School District
Ava Frazee – Lansingburgh Central School District
Florian Lang – Saugerties Central School District
Hunter Perrins – East Greenbush Central School District
Kaiyah Smythe – North Colonie Central School District
Madigan Stevens – Hoosic Valley Central School District

Boards approve Questar III’s administrative budget

Webmaster — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 20:22:06 +0000

Last evening, Questar III’s school districts’ boards of education voted 19-2 to approve the organization’s proposed $7.4 million administrative budget for the 2025-26 school year.

This budget – which is the only portion of the BOCES budget that districts vote on each year – provides for a variety of operational and support activities of the BOCES as well as services to local districts.

School districts will finalize program and service purchasing for next year on May 1. After that time, the organization will adjust all budgets based on requests.

Component school boards also voted to fill four seats on the Questar III Board of Education. Questar III Board Members Edmund Brooks (Ichabod Crane CSD), David Finch (Greenville CSD), Nadine Gazzola (Taconic Hills CSD), and Melony Spock (Chatham CSD) were reelected to three-year terms starting July 1.

Questar III honors Faxon with G. Lucius Cary Award

Dan Sherman — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 16:20:22 +0000

Questar III District Superintendent Dr. Gladys Cruz, Muriel Faxon, Questar III Board President Nadine Gazzola, and Questar III Board Member Melony Spock.

Questar III BOCES presented the 22nd Annual G. Lucius Cary Leadership Service Award to Muriel Faxon at its Annual Meeting on April 2, 2025.

The G. Lucius Cary Award is given in recognition of outstanding leadership and contributions through volunteer service – reflective of the values and beliefs of Questar III. The award, which is Questar III’s highest honor, is named after former BOCES board member, G. Lucius Cary.

A lifelong resident of Columbia County, Faxon has served on the Chatham Central School District Board of Education for more than 25 years over four different decades. She was first elected to the Board in 1973, where she served until 1986. She served as Vice President during the 1978-1979 school year and President for the 1979-1980 school year.

Decades later, a resignation on the Board prompted Chatham CSD to put out a call for volunteers to fill a vacancy, and Faxon again stepped up to the plate in 2012 to fill a seat until the next election. In May 2013, Faxon was elected to a full term and has continued to serve on the Board ever since. During that time, she has served on the Board’s Facilities Committee, Negotiating Team, Liaison Committee, and Chatham Public Library Advisory Committee. She was Board Vice President during the 2017-2018 school year.

Faxon also serves as a trustee for the Chatham Education Foundation, a private organization that provides significant annual grants to support unique educational opportunities for Chatham CSD students. She is an active sponsor of Chatham’s Fine Arts Booster Club, has chaperoned various field trips, directed high school theater productions and helped stage homecoming halftime shows. She also assists with bookkeeping for the Columbia County Youth Theater and remains an active member and volunteer at St. James Catholic Church. She previously served as choreographer for the Mac-Haydn Theatre, beginning with its second season in 1970 and remained involved as a board member until last year.

“Muriel Faxon’s life is a testament to the power of passion, service, and community. We are deeply honored to celebrate a woman whose generous spirit, kindness, and lifelong dedication have touched so many. Thank you for your service,” said Dr. Gladys I. Cruz, Questar III BOCES District Superintendent.