The Spinning Wheel: I have worked in 3 of the 4 elementary schools, Bennett, West Hurley and Woodstock. I have taught every grade including Title 1 Math and Reading.
· 92-present 2nd grade Woodstock (2003-2004 they moved us to West Hurley for 1 year, then moved us back again)
· 88-92 1st grade Woodstock
· 86-88 2nd grade Woodstock
· 85-86 1st grade Woodstock
· 84-85 4th grade Woodstock
· 84-84 3/4 class Woodstock
· 82-83 Title 1 Math Woodstock
· 81-82 6th grade West Hurley
· 80-81 5th grade Woodstock
· 79-80 Title 1 Math and Reading Woodstock and West Hurley
· 77-79 3rd grade Bennett
· 76-77 Kindergarten Bennett
Fondest Teaching Memory:
Anytime a former student comes back to visit me at school, being invited to the weddings of former students, and being invited to the baby showers of former students.
Biggest Teaching Debacle:
During fire prevention week, firemen would come into the school and during a fire drill they might block an exit or take a child from your class line to see if you were aware the child was gone etc.
Well, many years ago, a fireman came into my room, and calmly and quietly told me that there was a fire in the school and that I needed to evacuate the building. I figured that this was another of their “games” so I lined my class up and took them outside to our designated spot. Once there, we waited, and waited and waited to be joined by the rest of the school. After several minutes, the other classes came out of the school.
The fireman came over to me and complimented me on how quickly I had taken my children out of the school however he said that I should have pulled the fire alarm to “save” the rest of the school instead of leaving them inside the “burning” building.
Plans for Retirement: My plans for retirement are simple. I plan to have “Summer Vacation” year round. That means relaxing, reading, gardening, doing laundry and shopping during the day, not saving everything for the weekends, traveling and doing whatever I want, whenever I want.
Anything Else:
25 years ago, Dottie Birmingham was OTA President, Maureen Ihnken was 1st Vice President Negotiations, Wally Fults was our NYSUT Labor Relations Specialist, and Bill Wilson was Superintendent. Dottie approached me to fill the 2nd Vice President Grievance opening and I said that I would do it and I have never looked back. I have been grievance chairperson through 8 Superintendents, Bill Wilson, Gary Loewenberg, Hal Rowe, Justine Winters, Jack Jordan. Leslie Ford, Charlotte Gregory and Phyllis McGill. There have been 2 NYSUT Labor Relations Specialists, Wally Fults and Jeff Benton, several OTA Presidents Dottie Birmingham, George DeFina, Webb Leonard, Corey Cavalaro and Rich DeRuvo and there was me…Grievance Chair for 25 years and I have enjoyed every single one of them.