SULLIVAN COUNTY — Sullivan County BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Robert Dufour will retire effective December 31. Dr. Dufour announced his retirement at the Sullivan BOCES March 18 Board Meeting.

Dufour’s departure sets in motion a formal process led by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to manage leadership transitions.

“This multi-step process ensures continuity of leadership, transparency and compliance with legal requirements,” said Dufour. “It is not only standard—it is routine across all supervisory districts. The presence of these procedures is a sign of operational stability, not disruption.”

Once Dufour submitted his official retirement letter, the Education Commissioner sent back an acknowledgment, triggering the start of the timeline.

From there, NYSED activated internal planning tools to track the process and will begin discussions on whether an interim appointment is needed. In some cases, the outgoing superintendent may stay on during the transition, avoiding the need for temporary leadership.

At the same time, NYSED conducts outreach to the region. “Option letters” go out to superintendents of both component school districts and nearby BOCES to see if the current structure should stay as is or change.

Part of this includes collecting data from the retiring superintendent and gathering input from stakeholders in the area. That information helps NYSED develop a leadership survey to assess the needs of the region.

Only after this survey is finalized and approved internally does NYSED officially authorize the BOCES board to start the search. The board can’t begin that process until they get the go-ahead.

If needed, NYSED may assign an interim superintendent or designate another DS to assist with the transition. Formal letters are then sent to all relevant board presidents and leaders, including the retiring DS’s board.

Once the BOCES board completes its search, it submits the chosen candidate to NYSED. The Commissioner reviews the recommendation, and if it’s approved, the NYSED Counsel’s Office issues a formal appointment order. That order must be posted publicly at least 72 hours before the board votes.

The process wraps up with the final appointment and notification. NYSED updates its records, notifies relevant staff, and gathers documentation, including the contact information for the new superintendent.

“Sullivan BOCES continues to serve over 1,000 students across alternative education, special education, and Career and Technical Education programs throughout Sullivan County. Enrollment in all of our programs continues to grow year after year. We are proud to partner with SUNY Sullivan and the Sullivan County Center for Workforce Development to expand learning opportunities in the trades for adult learners. Sullivan BOCES has always been—and will continue to be—an essential part of the Sullivan County community,” Dufour affirmed to the Democrat.

What did Superintendent Evans suggest?

Monticello Superintendent Dr. Matthew Evans acknowledged the news during the May 21 School Board meeting.

During the Monticello School Board meeting, Evans announced that in his feedback he recommended, among other factors, that NYSED conduct a merger or redistricting study of Sullivan County BOCES.

He believes that a merger or redistricting (with one or more neighboring BOCES) could potentially yield significant cost savings for taxpayers and districts.

In addition, he stated this could also expand career and technical education (CTE) as well as special education services for students.

“We believe strongly in the opportunities provided to our students through BOCES programming, and want to see its continued and sustained success in the future,” stated Monticello Central School District Superintendent Matthew Evans.