After a career at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES that has spanned 36 years and multiple positions, Michele Dimon-Borowski wouldn’t change a thing.
Starting her BOCES career in 1986 as a speech therapist, Dimon-Borowski would later transition into a special education teacher, and then an instructional support teacher.
Although she enjoyed each step along the way, Dimon-Borowski would find her true passion in 2003 when she became an autism consultant.
“I really love doing that. And I love being with kids,” she said. “And this year, it’s been great to be back working one on one with the kids,” she said.
After 36 years with the organization, Dimon-Borowski said one of the keys to her longevity are the students and staff she gets to work with each day.
“I love the work, and I love the students. The people that I have worked with have been phenomenal,” she said. “We have hard workers, and we would do anything for each other. And that’s the key. You need to have a good team.”
Asked what advice she would give a new BOCES staff member, Dimon-Borowski said to not be afraid to ask questions.
“I think that’s the key. If you’re not sure of something, there’s a lot of people that can help,” she said.
After working for three-plus decades, Dimon-Borowski said her motivation continues to be her colleagues and students.
“The team that I work with is motivation,” she said. “The students need to learn a lot of skills, and they need to learn self-regulation. And having the staff that we have working with the kids, it’s a great mix.”
Outside of work, Dimon-Borowski likes to spend time with her family, read, and binge watch shows on Netflix and Hulu.