Dr. Fran Brady’s jobs finally got easier–just in time for her retirement.

For a number of years, Dr. Fran Brady has had three main positions: teacher, director of careers, and business department chairperson.

“It’s probably hard for most people to understand the demands of being the Director of Careers and a Department Chair.  In both positions, educational demands have become more complex with new state mandates, additional accountability measures, and teacher evaluation. There were many days when I would move from my role as a teacher, to my role as the Director of Careers, to my role as department chair, or even a member of a committee,” Dr. Brady explained.

Recognizing this, the district has decided to increase the Director of Careers position to a full time role, pairing it with the Community Outreach Director job. The decision. The combination is designed to address the increased demand to make sure students leave Leyden connected to work opportunities.

Dr. Brady explained, “The biggest benefit is that the new positions allow a person to focus on a primary set of goals.”

The position has been awarded to current Industrial Technology chairperson, Mr. Frank Holthouse. Holthouse is excited to be “reaching out” to companies related to each elective department and its classes: “TSI…would reach out to tech companies, for FCS, we would like to reach out to hospitality companies, and for Industrial Tech, we would reach out to a lot of manufacturing companies.” Holthouse hopes his experience connecting industrial technology students to the workforce will help him do the same for the other electives.

Mr. Tony Pecucci, the current Student Activities and Community Outreach Director, will  be taking over Brady’s Business Department responsibilities, and he’ll remain clearly connected to preparing students for work as well.

“Our college completion rate, with all due respect, is low. A lot of our students do not make it out with a four year degree. Seventy percent of students that go to Triton do not make it through a two year degree. I think that the Director of Careers is a very important position because if our students do not finish college, where does that leave them? They are right back to where they started when they graduate.”

Dr. Brady explained that an increased “focus” is the greatest benefit from this change to the job structure. She said, “The two new people have a golden opportunity to make each of the roles better.”