Director of College Readiness and Workforce Education/Adult Education Program Manager,  Dr. Janety Encarnación

Dr. Janety Encarnación has more than 30 years of educational experience including roles in English as a New Language, special education and advising students on plans after high school. She previously worked for Dutchess BOCES and New Paltz Central School District.

Adult Education On-site Program Director, Tracey Bleau

Tracey Bleau has taught ENL at the Poughkeepsie City School District for 15 years and two years ago became the district's ENL coordinator. She also is an adjunct instructor in the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program at SUNY New Paltz and College of New Rochelle.

Teacher Nedra Garriques
ESL Teacher

Nedra Garriques has been teaching in the Poughkeepsie School District for over 13 years as a secondary educator, coach, and past advisor to student school organizations.  Her work also involves  working with the ESL classroom population within the current school year and making connections with families in order to strengthen the classroom experience. She is happy to continue her experience by being a part of the adult program. 

Teacher Louis Gibson
Adult Education, GED

Louis Gibson is a school counselor at PMS who has taught for 27 years, primarily in math. He teaches the GED class for Adult Education and has also taught adult students at a business institute that later became part of Monroe College. Prior to joining the PCSD, he enjoyed a career in safety engineering. Gibson continues to enjoy working with adult students as a member of the PCSD Adult Education program.

Data manager Shpresa Toplanaj
Adult Education   

Shpresa Toplanaj serves as the data manager and clerical person on the team. She joined PCSD in September as an administrative school secretary in the Curriculum and Instruction office. She brings more than eight years of experience working in the Orange-Ulster BOCES Adult and Continuing Education program to bear on the job. During her time at BOCES, she worked with students preparing for the High School Equivalency exam and adult English Language Learners.

Adult Education Test Coordinator/Case Manager Andrea Boccio  

A lifelong resident of Dutchess County, Andrea Boccio grew up in Wappingers Falls and graduated from John Jay High School. She earned her Master of Science in Elementary and Special Education from Mount Saint Mary College, in Newburgh and has taught in PCSD for more than 23 years. She works with adult ENL students in the Saturday Morning Lights program and is committed to being a lifelong learner.

District offers no cost adult education courses

Poughkeepsie City School District is excited to announce no cost evening programs for adults to help you get your High School Equivalency Diploma and improve your English lanugage skills.

Three courses are available:

• The Adult Basic Education class will help you build on your basic skills including reading and math to help you prepare for the HSE exam.
• The HSE (GED) class will help prepare you for the GED exam.
• The English as a Second Language class will help you improve literacy and skills for the workforce.

Classes are open to any City of Poughkeepsie resident age 21 or older.

Enrollment is done on a rolling basis, so even if class has begun, you will still be able to take attend.

For more information, download the brochure in English or Spanish, oall Dr. Janety Encarnacion at 845-451-4900 ext. 1372 or email adulted@poughkeepsieschools.org.