2005
- 2006
2005
-2006 Executive Officers
Mike
Cost - WGTA President - Senior High
Dave Smithson - Vice President - Stonehedge - B
John Christian - VP - Negotiations - Senior High
Ray Fuller - VP - Grievances - Onondaga Road
Andrea Moore - Treasurer - Senior High
Lynn Davis - Secretary - Camillus Middle
High
School art teacher Jennifer Schrader and her students were featured
in a Post Standard article (October 13, 2005). According to the
article, "they are creating a stained-glass window depicting
symbols of the freedom that veterans fight for and the honor and
respect they believe veterans should receive." The window
they are constructing is 15 feet long by 7 feet high, and will
be placed in the main lobby of the VA hospital. Dedication is set
for November 9th. Pictures of the project are located in the High
School Library and another story about the project will run in
an upcoming issue of the New York Teacher magazine.
A
total of 173 teachers are contributing a total of $177.50 per pay
period to VOTE / COPE via payroll deduction. Deductions will be
taken over 20 pay periods.
Onondaga
road first grade teacher, Jennifer Scicchitano, was named educator
of the Week by WSTM-TV Channel 3 on October 24.
Split
Rock Elementary School kindergarten teacher Elva Stebbins, CMS
librarian Carolyn Trombly, and High School science teachers Sam
Gervaise received the 2005 Joseph A. Witowski Teacher of the Year
Awards.
Kathy
Annan received national certification from the National Board for
Professional Teaching standards. Kathy is a chemistry teacher at
the High School. According to the Post-Standard, "she is one
of only 107 teachers in New York State to receive the honor this
year." Kathy joins two other West Genesee teachers, both
at CMS, who have attained national certification.
A
retirement award tentative agreement was ratified by a vote of
260 to 11 during the January 5, 2006 balloting. The new agreement
changes the January 2007 retirement incentive window to June 2006.
The new agreement also changes the notification dates that teachers
must give the district in order to be eligible for the award. To
be eligible for the award, the new agreement also changes the notification
date to February 1 in 2006 and March 1 in 2007. The District has
agreed to allow June 2006 retirees to make health insurance adjustments
during the annual enrollment period in September 2006.
The
WGTA dues from January 2005 to December 2005 were $529.52.
A
thank you note was received from Kate Flannery, the Executive Director
of the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, for the WGTA donation of
$897 raised during a recent Denim Day for Breast Cancer.
The
WGTA web site won the 2006 NYSUT - New York Teacher Journalism
Competition. This is the third year in a row that the web site
has won the award. According to Deb Ward, NYSUT Director of Publications,
Web and Video, and Lance Howland, Editor of the New York Teacher,
the judges panel noted a trend toward more entries, including an
upsurge in retiree entries this year. This makes your award even
more meritorious." Lynn Davis, CMS, is the Webmaster. See
our web site awards - click here.
Tom
Clerkin, our retired NYSUT Labor Relations Specialist died unexpectedly
in February. His impact on our association is immeasurable. For
over twenty-five years he advised and represented the WGTA in its
labor/management issues.
On
May 18, 2006, three WGTA members received an Onondaga County Teachers'
Association / WGTA Service Award. These awards were presented for
unselfish and dedicated service to the teachers of central New
York. The 2006 WGTA recipients were:
Marsha
Tunison - for many years of service as the Building Leader at Camillus
Middle School.
Janice
Pellegrino - for many years of service as a WGTA Building Preventative
at Camillus Middle School and a member of the Superintendent's
Liaison Committee.
Chris
Edinger - for 15 years of service as the Chairperson of the WGTA
Scholarship Committee.
The
WGTA awarded a $2,000 scholarship to Miss Kim Petrick. Kim will
be attending Houghton College and plans to major in History.
On
June 13, 2006 the WGTA was notified that our web site won the 1st
Place Award in the American Federation of Teachers Communication
Network (AFTCN) annual journalism competition. This is the 7th
year that the web site has won the national title in the last 8
years of competition. Lynn Davis, CMS, is the webmaster.
2006
- 2007
2006
-2007 Executive Officers
Mike
Cost - WGTA President - Senior High
Dave Smithson - Vice President - Stonehedge - B
John Christian - VP - Negotiations - Senior High
Ray Fuller - VP - Grievances - Onondaga Road
Andrea Moore - Treasurer - Senior High
Lynn Davis - Secretary - Camillus Middle
Lisa
Tamiso (CMS), Tammy Annicharico (CMS) and Sue Potrikus (CMS)
were nominated to the “Who’s Who Among America’s
Teachers.”
Lynn
Davis (CMS) was featured in the September 25th issue of the Advocate
as the “Community Member of the Week.”
Jim
Vermeulen (CMS resource teacher, Coach and Post-Standard Contributing
Writer) had his article, "In Pursuit of Average - Don't
Underestimate the Value of Finishing 'In The Pack'" published
in the October 29, 2006 issue of The Post Standard.
Matt
Bohla (WGMS Social Studies Teacher) was named the "Educator
of the Week" by WSTM-TV Channel 3 for the week of September
25th.
Marsha
Tunison (CMS - retired) was nominated to Who's Who In American
Education.
WGTA
members doubled their Vote/Cope contributions from last year.
Nancy
Menges (East Hill), Sue Pray (WGMS) and Peggy Timmons (High School)
were elected as the 2006 Joseph A Witowski Teacher of Year honorees
by the Camillus Optimists.
The
2006 yearly WGTA dues were $584.83.
Donna
Mahar (WGMS) achieved National Board Certification.
The
WGTA web site won a NYSUT First Award for Best Web site in Class
III.This is the fourth year in a row that the web site has won
a NYSUT First Award. Lynn Davis (CMS) is the webmaster.
The
WGTA donated $250 to the West Genesee Senior All Night After
The Ball Party.
The
WGTA donated $250 to the St. Baldricks Foundation in support
of President Cost's "give five to help kids survive cancer" challenge. President
Cost and Vice President Fuller together raised about $4,800 for
the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The mission of the Foundation
is to raise awareness and funds to cure kid’s cancer by
supporting cancer research and fellowships.
25
Year Club Inductees
30
Years
Rose Ann LeBlanc - SR
James Vermeulen - CMS
35
Years
Lynn Davis - CMS
Frederick Guereschi - CMS
Danielle Hamberger - WGMS
Christine Rust - ST-B
Thomas Sakowski - WGMS
David Smithson - ST-B
40
Years
JoAnn Macaluso - WGMS
The
WGTA Spring Fling was held on Friday, June 1, 2007 at Gilfllian’s.
The
WGTA Cabinet voted to donate $50.00 to the Camillus Memorial
Day Boosters to help support the Camillus Memorial Day festivities.
The
WGTA Denim Day for the American Heart Association raised $881.75.
The
WGTA Cabinet voted to increase the individual WGTA scholarships
from $500 per year to $750 per year.
Ellen
Miller (Stonehedge) was appointed as the Assistant Newsletter
Editor.
Anne
Sierotnik (High School) is one of five finalists for the NYS
2008 Teacher of the Year award. Anne is an English teacher and
taught in the district for 16 years.
The
WGTA sponsored the Fall and the Spring Flings, paid for half
of the district retirement party, and purchased umbrellas for
all its members. The Sick Bank was activated on four separate
occasions with teachers volunteering hundreds of days for their
colleagues. The WGTA sponsored and organized a retirement informational
meeting, a Denim Day for the Susan B. Komen Foundation (raising
approximately $1,000), a Denim Day for the American Heart Association
(raising approximately $900), and President Cost and Vice President
Fuller shaved their heads for St. Baldrick’s and raised
approximately $5,000. WGTA members contributed more than $15,000
for Vote/Cope, the WGTA Scholarship Fund and the United Way.
The
WGTA web site won a First Place Award for its class in a national
competition sponsored by the American Federation of Teachers
Communications Network. This is the 8th win in 9 years for the
web site!
Melissa
Lynn DiBattista was selected as the 2007 WGTA Scholarship winner.
Melissa will be attending St. Bonaventure University majoring
in Early and Elementary Education. The WGTA scholarship is now
$750 per year for four years.
The
new WGTA Teacher's Contract was ratified by a vote of 327 to
6.
2007
- 2008
2007
-2008 Executive Officers
John
Christian - WGTA President - Senior High
Susan Gianniini - Vice President - Split Rock
Andrea Moore- VP - Negotiations - Senior High
Ray Fuller - VP - Grievances - Onondaga Road
Thersa Mosey - Treasurer - Senior High
Michelle Lepak - Secretary - Camillus Middle

John Christian - WGTA President
Anne Sierotnik, a high school English teacher in
West Genesee, was one of 5 finalists named by the New York State
Education Department for NYS Teacher of the Year.
Jim Hunter was recently named the Channel 3 Teacher
of the Week. Jim is a technology teacher at Camillus Middle School.
The WGTA held a Fall Fling at McNamara's.
Tammy Annicharico (CMS) achieved
her National Board Certification.
Jim Vermeulen (CMS) had an article in The Post-Standard published
titled, "A Closer Look at a Week on the Run."
Bob Deegan (High School) who will be participating with a team
of scientists this coming summer collecting water samples for
meteorology and climate change research.
The WGTA sponsored a Christmas Holiday Happy Hour
at McNamara's.
East Hill Elementary School first
grade teacher Susan Deegan, CMS guidance counselor Melissa Ahern,
and High School foreign language teacher Jennifer Roethel received
the 2007 Joseph A. Witowski Optimist Teacher of the Year Award.
Mary Humphrey( librarian at Split Rock) just had
her second book published. It’s called: Kids
Yoga Book of Feelings.
Jan Chemotti, librarian, and Susan Gibbons, 7W English
teacher at WGMS, recently presented a workshop at the New York
Middle School Conference in Saratoga Springs. The Conference theme
was “Powerful Partnerships for Success.”
The total amount of teacher union dues paid for the
2007 calendar year for a full time teacher was $618.58.
The WGTA held a Spring Fling on May 8th at McNamara’s
that combined a toy drive with the festivities.
The 2007 Vote Cope drive raised an average of $11.33
per member.
Marcia Ranieri (high school) raised more than $3,300
dollars through the St. Baldrick’s event.
Marcia also
received the YWCA’s Academy of Diversity Achievers Award.
The WGTA website placed 2nd in the
national AFT Journalism Contest.
School science teacher Richard Chapman will receive
an Outstanding Teacher Award from the Technology Alliance of Central
New York.
WGTA members donated $100 to the Camillus PBA; $100
to the West Genesee Sports Boosters in memory of high school teacher
Kevin Kerswell; approximately $5,000 to VOTE/COPE, $3,000 to
the WGTA scholarship fund ,$900 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation
and $805 for the American Heart Association
Wendy Cross, West Genesee High School art teacher,
won the inaugural JGB Jazz Fest Poster Contest.
The following teachers were honored
for their many years of service to the district at a dinner at
Gilfillan’s West Hill Catering Club:
25 years
Susan Blumer, OR
Diane Grygiel, WGMS
Elva Stebbins, SR
30 years
Janet Campbell, SR
Karol Gibson, OR
Nancy Miller, SR
35 years
Samuel Dance, WGHS
Richard Duggan, WGMS
Raymond Fuller, OR
Carl Weed, CMS
40 years
Virginia Lynch, EH |
Congratulations to the Retirees!
Susan Blumer, OR
Lynn Davis, CMS
Jeannie Gmyr, ST B
Danielle Hamberger, WGMS
Mary Ellen Hoag, SR
Nancy Menges, EH
Leo Potrikus, CMS
Valerie Socha, OR/EH/ST
Elva Stebbins, SR
Carl Weed, CMS |