William Hecht, Chief Operating Officer for Orange-Ulster BOCES, concludes a 40-year career of educational service and work at the end of the year 2022.

“Forty years, it’s been just an outstanding career,” said Hecht. “The relationships that I’ve been able to build and the success stories from all the students, and now I’m ready just to be a full time husband, father, son and grandfather.”

Hecht was born and raised in the Town of Newburgh and went on to attend schools within the Wallkill Central School District where he played football high school. He graduated from high school in 1979 and attended Central University of Iowa, today known as Central College, and continued his football career there as well.

Hecht admitted that the educational field was not initially the path he had chosen when considering his career. During his freshman year winter break, Hecht returned home and visited his mother who was working as a teaching assistant at Leptondale Elementary School.

“I went to just meet with her one day and ended up sitting down with students and talking to students and reading with them and I caught the bug,” said Hecht. “It was one of those things where I truly had an enjoyable experience and went back to college for the spring semester, and changed my major to education.”

Hecht went on and achieved his bachelor’s degree in education in 1983 and began his educational career the same year in the Valley Central School District as a special education teacher and was also a coach. Hecht remained a special education teacher throughout his years of teaching and coached football and track at the various schools he worked for.

From 1984 to 1985, Hecht taught and coached at Wallkill Senior High School, his alma mater and from 1985 to 1992, he taught and coached in the Marlboro Central School District. In 1988, Hecht achieved his masters degree in teaching from the State University of New York [SUNY] at New Paltz, followed by another masters in 1992 in administration, also from SUNY New Paltz.

From 1992 to 1993, Hecht served as an assistant principal in the Fallsburg Central School District and then went on to serve from 1993 to 2000 in the Highland Central School District where he served as the Highland Elementary School principal. In 2001, Hecht returned to Wallkill and became the high school principal. In 2012, Hecht took on the role as COO for BOCES.

“Coming from Orange-Ulster BOCES, there’s an emphasis on career technical education in this proposed budget that’s coming from the Board of Regents as well as other professional groups,” said Hecht. “We need to certainly fill the workforce, which is a problem right now. It’s a concern. And for the state to place an emphasis on career technical education, I think is very important. From my perspective, the state is doing the best that they can to ensure that the schools are getting what they need to meet the needs of the students and the communities.”

Speaking on his greatest success during his career, Hecht shared that the answer was an easy one for him. “The biggest successes for me, and they’re multiple, are the success stories of the students that I’ve worked with,” said Hecht. “It’s everything from those students from whether it be Wallkill or Marlboro, or certainly the local districts, that have moved on to be lawyers and doctors and within the workforce. That’s my success story. I’m proud of where those now-adults are.”

However, the greatest challenge in Hecht’s career, he admitted, was the COVID pandemic that began in 2020. “Bringing all of the superintendents together to provide that guidance and providing the platform to have discussions, and for me, it was 17 component school districts, and bringing those 17 and in many cases with Newburgh, 18, superintendents around the table, whether it be through Zoom meetings all hours of the day, and the evening and the weekends; to figure this out to be able to bring students back to school safely. And to continue instruction throughout the course of the pandemic. That was the biggest challenge.”

In the past year or so, students, teachers and administration have returned to school for in-person instruction and work and have continued to go about their classes and regular activities.

Though he is not on social media, Hecht shared that he has received letters and messages from colleagues, students and other supporters of his as he makes his way to retirement. In his retirement, Hecht will look to enjoy traveling with his wife becoming an avid reader and spending more time with his family. “I think for me, I just want to wish everyone all the best. I want to wish certainly all the students, the teachers and administrators success moving forward. I hope that they certainly achieve all that they intend to in their careers. And certainly, you know, it goes by fast,” said Hecht. “Whether you’re a student or teacher or administrator, enjoy the experience.”

Current Wallkill Superintendent Kevin Castle holds his former colleague in high regard.

“Bill and I both got hired by the Wallkill School District in 2001. At the high school, he was hired as the principal and I was hired as the assistant principal. And we worked together for two years there. We both then were promoted about a year and a half later, to become assistant superintendents,” said Castle. “He was a great mentor to me, a great friend. He’s a very genuine and kind individual. Very level headed and I learned a lot from him, and you know I’m proud of him.”

Deputy Superintendent Deborah Heppes will assume the role and title of COO on January 1, 2023 following Hecht’s retirement.