This month the October staff spotlight shines on Andy Liso, who has been a member of the Bergen County Special Services School District (BCSSSD) family for the past 24 years. Over the years, Andy has made an impact through his work within a variety of programs including Touchstone, Padavano, New Bridges, JDC/Piermont South, Gateway and most recently, the Springboard Program and Career Crossroads.
The Springboard Program provides a supportive environment to students, ages 18 to 21, who are transitioning from high school to work or pursue higher education. The program places special emphasis on career exploration, functional academics, and independent living skills. Since joining Springboard, Mr. Liso has completely transformed the cooking program to become a first-class culinary experience for students. He immediately removed all boxed materials and had the students learn to prepare all meals from scratch. To teach budgeting, Mr. Liso takes students to Shop Rite each year, where they learn to find the best deals and maximize their money. Mr. Liso was the creator of the Bergen Bistro, which mimics a real-life restaurant by delivering high-quality food and dining service. Students rotate between stations throughout the semester as part of their learning pathway, which offers the opportunity to make connections between education and real-world work experiences. His students practice the wide range of skills they are learning by creating menus, preparing food, serving customers, and balancing the books. The Bistro has become so popular that each week classes from other BCSS Programs come to experience it.
On his own time, Mr. Liso has worked to further his resume by earning a ServSafe certification which demonstrates his commitment to teaching responsible food service measures. This nationally recognized course certifies that those who take it understand food safety procedures. Mr. Liso continued his training and is now able to teach and certify his own students, which elevates their value to a potential employer.
Mr. Liso is always seeking new community relationships that would benefit his students. He also helps students with building and cultivating relationships within the community, while teaching them to understand the importance of being part of a community. Mr. Liso’s students proudly work with the American Legion in Rochelle Park and Maywood to help the men and women that sacrificed for all of us.
“They say that teaching is a passion, and nobody epitomizes that more than Andy Liso,” said Mitch Badiner, BCSSSD Director of Instruction. “He truly cares about his students, and it shows in the effort that they give in each and everything they do.”