Mrs. Góñez-Santos Celebrating 30 Years of Service
Erie 1 BOCES would like to applaud Lancaster resident Denise Góñez-Santos, supervisor, for reaching a significant milestone in her career. Góñez-Santos was recently recognized for her 30 years of service to the organization.
Góñez-Santos is the executive director of the Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network (RBERN) Western District – one of eight districts statewide. She works out of Erie 1 BOCES’ Education Campus in West Seneca, supporting the educational needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) across the region.
“The creativity and innovation that I have seen developed and implemented over time to improve our services to schools has been amazing,” Góñez-Santos said. “I appreciate the support we’ve received from top BOCES leadership to continue submitting requests for proposals to fund the work with ELLs. I cherish the people I have gotten a chance to work with.”
In 1989, Góñez-Santos began at Erie 1 BOCES as a resource specialist/coordinator, when the program was called the Bilingual Education/ESL Technical Assistance Center (BETAC). Her responsibilities included professional development for English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual education teachers.
Prior to joining Erie 1 BOCES, Góñez-Santos worked as a bilingual education teacher at the Buffalo Public Schools’ Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy. The school is in the same neighborhood she lived and grew up in.
Góñez-Santos has been married for 34 years to her husband Miguel, who helped found the Puerto Rican & Hispanic Day Parade of WNY Inc. The two of them have two sons, Jacob, age 27, and Lucas, age 23.