Date: Fri 14-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

retirement-education-Pesce

Full Text:

Retirement Package Spawns An Exodus Of Veteran Teachers

(with photos)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Newtown High School social studies/history teacher Richard Pesce joined the

school system back in 1964 soon after graduation from Western Connecticut

State University. Next month, the popular teacher will step down, joining more

than 20 others in the Newtown school system who have opted to make this year

their last.

"I'm going to miss teaching, but I'm looking forward to retirement and having

the freedom to do whatever I wish," said Mr Pesce, who will stay on as the

boys' cross country coach.

Mr Pesce is tops on the school district's seniority list, surpassing Middle

School special education teacher John Russo and NHS math teacher Frank Tomaino

by only a semester. They also joined the Newtown staff in '64.

The 21 retiring teachers and staff members have logged nearly 550 years of

service in the schools. The list of longtime teachers reads like a who's who

among local educators. Fifty percent of those retiring work in the high

school. The group includes current and former department heads, class

advisers, coaches, leaders of building and district quality councils,

curriculum development leaders, and the chairs of the 10-year evaluation of

NHS.

"It's a collection of people that really have a rich history when you think

about the thousands and thousands of kids that they've interacted with," noted

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed. "That's the nice thing about teaching.

You can make connections and the influences can last well beyond the student's

involvement during that specific course. That's the wonderful legacy of being

a teacher."

An Exodus At NHS

In addition to Mr Pesce and Mr Tomaino, Newtown High School will say goodbye

to social studies department head Robert Dilzer (33 years), English teacher

Gerry Doyon (31 years), English department head Carmen Jensen (21 years),

English and Latin teacher Diane Olbrys (22 years), science teacher Zygmont

Olbrys (34 years), math department head Linda Miller (26 years), science

department head Edward Seagraves (23 years), science teacher William Smith (30

years), and English teacher Mary Tomaino (32 years).

The NHS retirement party will be held June 2 at the Colonial Tavern in Oxford.

At the middle school, those leaving in addition to Mr Russo are school nurse

Rosemary Cavanaugh (28 years) and sixth grade English/science teacher Ellen

Jeffrey (32 years).

A retirement party for the departing middle school teachers will be held June

8 at Arlene Lathrop's home in Brookfield.

The retiring elementary school teachers are special education teacher Cheryl

Edelen (17 years), first grade teacher Geraldine Hansen-Balt (29 years) and

second grade teacher Lucia Fritz (30 years) at Sandy Hook School, and reading

consultant Frankie Crookes (31 years) and special education teacher Ina Romo

(14 years) at Hawley. Physical education teacher Owen Gallagher (34 years)

steps down at Head O' Meadow School and second grade teacher Barbara Gorham

(19 years) retires at Middle Gate School.

Sandy Hook has two retirement parties planned. The first, hosted by PTA and

staff, will be a farewell tea party in the school cafeteria on June 3 from

5:30 to 7:30 pm. The second will be held June 5 at the Stony Hill Inn.

Those leaving Hawley School will be honored at an in-school luncheon on June

8. The Head O' Meadow retirement party will take place June 10 at the Spinning

Wheel Inn in Redding, with Middle Gate's to be held May 21 at the Mary Hawley

Inn.

Retirement Package

The departing teachers all made their announcement before the December

deadline to be eligible for what some consider to be a retirement package too

good to pass up. Under the terms of the deal, those teachers with 15 years of

service in Newtown were eligible to receive $50,000 per year over the next

five years. Each teacher's age and experience needed to total 75 and only

those teachers 50 years and older were eligible. Teachers also had to meet

retirement eligibility under the Connecticut Teacher Retirement System.

The Board of Education opted to offer the retirement incentive last year in

its effort to reduce labor expenses. Dr Reed said Newtown teacher salaries

were ceasing to be competitive. By lowering the number of teachers at the

higher pay scale, the district was able to increase lower-level salaries and

minimize the overall cost to the taxpayers. The estimated savings is $15,000

per retiring teacher per year.

The superintendent said the incentive saves money, but also leaves a vacuum.

Many of these teachers were leaders among their peers and won't be easy to

replace.