From the President’s Pen

Important Dates

to Remember:

August 26-27,

2015, New Teacher

Orientation

August 31, 2015,

Orientation Day

Schools Closed/

Teachers Report

September 1, 2015,

First Day of School

H C T h I g h l I g h t s Volume 4, Issue 5

Mary Masterson, Editor

Hicksville Congress of Teachers

APPR Committee Application 2015-2016

Name_______________________________________________ Number of Years in the HCT_____________

Home Telephone #____________________________________ Cell #____________________________________

Personal Email Address__________________________________________________________________________

School Building(s) 2014-15______________________________________________________________________

2015-16______________________________________________________________________

Grade(s)/Department(s)________________________________________________________________________

Home Telephone #____________________________________ Cell #____________________________________

****************************************************************************** The following terms and acronyms are frequently used and misused in the discussion of teacher evaluations and high stakes testing. Please define each term and indicate if you are aware of any misuse or confusion these terms may have caused for our members.

APPR: SLO's: VAM: TIPS: Growth Model: Teacher Performance Rating: Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

How does the new APPR law section 3012-d of NYS Education Law differ from the previous 3012-c?

What is the matrix referred to in the new regulations?

What has been eliminated and is prohibited from use in Teacher Performance ratings under the new regulations?

Describe the required and optional subcomponents of the Student Performance Category in the new APPR. What is the danger of using the optional subcomponent?

How does the student performance category differ between two groups of teachers(Group 1: Grade 4-8 Common Branch, ELA and Math Classroom Teachers. Group 2: All other Classroom Teachers)?

What concerns do you have regarding the new regulations on SLO Target setting?

What elements of APPR are we able to collectively bargain?

How is the scoring of teacher observations going to change under the new regulations?

What options are available in weighting the observations from Principals and Supervisors and Inde-pendent observers?

What is your opinion of using peer evaluators in teacher observations. If given the opportunity to establish a completely different system of observations, what would you suggest? Please return completed APPR committee applications to the HCT office by July 30, 2015.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT APPR APPLCATION (mailed to : 183 Broadway, suite 302-Hicksivlle, NY 11801 or emailed to: hicksville_teachers@verizon.net)

President: Joan Deem

1st VP: Tom Glenn

2nd VP: Mary Masterson

Treasurer: Kathy Rieger

Secretary: Amanda Mayr

Officers

June2015

A special thanks to the 28 active and retired HCT volunteers whose effort and participation in the phone

bank at the NYSUT office in Woodbury on Thursday, May 14, 2015, were instrumental in helping to pass

Hicksville’s 2015-2016 school budget. Our volunteers made a record-breaking 689 calls to residents in

the Hicksville community encouraging them to get out and vote in support of the Hicksville school

district’s budget.

As a special thank you for taking the time from their busy schedules to advocate for the passing of the

District’s budget, thereby ensuring that no teachers would be laid off and that no other hurtful

educational cuts would need to be made, each volunteer was given a letter for their personnel file

thanking them for their hard work.

Catherine Altobello

Lara Bodt

Christine Bohnemann

Jennifer Coady

Lauren Colletti

Stella Drakos

Jessica Ficke

Crystal Fiteni

Tom Glenn

Christine Janda

Rachel Kalman

Lindsey Karman

Justina Ketyer

Margaret Lehmann

Allison LoGiudice

Linda Mandel

Carolyn Marschean

Mary Masterson

Amanda Mayr

Karen Pincus

Corinne Pope

Kathy Rieger

Mary Shurley

JoAnn Sommerhalter

Kyrstin Stehle

Betty Thoma

Polly Trocchia

Grace Vangi Delise

On Tuesday June 9th, 2015 during a touching tributary ceremony to an

amazing teacher, wonderful colleague, and friend to many, the PTA and

staff at Lee Avenue School dedicated two benches and planted a tree in

memory of the beloved Mary D'Andrea at the main entrance to the Lee

Avenue School. The tree includes a beautiful plaque in remembrance of

Mrs. D'Andrea to be viewed in posterity by those approaching the entrance

to the school where Mary worked for so many years.

Words of remembrance, anecdotes regaling her life, and stories of her

tireless dedication abounded from administrators, PTA members, teachers,

and Hicksville native and Nassau County Legislator Rose Walker. In

attendance were Mary's family, colleagues from throughout the district,

Hicksville Board of Education members, and students upon whose lives

Mary had a tremendous influence and impact. These tributes serve to

remind all throughout the Hicksville community how fortunate it was to

have been touched by the dedication, professionalism, and joy that Mary

shared with all whom she met and even those she had not.

Memorial Dedication

in Honor of Mary D’Andrea

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.

~Rabindranath Tagore, Fireflies, 1928

Forever Remembered

By Tom Glenn

On Tuesday, June 16th, the HCT hosted a reception at Mio Posto restaurant, honoring our HCT

Scholarship recipients. A total of $4,250 was awarded. We welcomed the opportunity to present each

of the five Hicksville High School seniors, Kenneth Brown, Christy Chen, Danielle DeMarco, Anthony

Sorisi, and Nicole Triandafilos, with a small gift and our heartfelt congratulations.

Three scholarships were also awarded to the children of HCT members. Laura Capozzi, daughter of

HCT member Lynn Oliviero (East Street School) received a $1,500 scholarship for academic

excellence. In addition, Laura was awarded a $225 scholarship from the Long Island Teachers

Benevolent Fund. A $750 community service scholarship was awarded to Claire Drotman, daughter of

HCT member Michele Drotman (Hicksville Middle School). Dylan Hornik, son of HCT member Lori

Koerner (Fork Lane School), was recognized for receiving the Len Motisi Scholarship from the Long

Island Teachers Benevolent Fund in the amount of $225.

We wish these outstanding graduates much success throughout their college career.

Scholarships for

Graduating Seniors

HCT President Joan Deem and the scholarship recipients

END OF YEAR PARTY

Congratulations to our HCT colleagues Tina Gimmi, Cynthia Appold, and Matthew Sullivan.

Enjoy your retirement!

On June 16, 2015, the HCT held its annual End-of-Year party honoring retiring

teachers, teachers completing twenty-years of service, and an HCT union

activist. The party took place at Mio Posto Restaurant and was attended by 65

active members as well as HCT retirees.

At the party, Hicksville High School Building Representative Artie Mediate was

honored for his ten years of union activism. Nineteen teachers were honored for

celebrating twenty years of service in Hicksville. Additionally, retiring teachers

were honored and received the gift of a personalized clock. All attendees

enjoyed food, drinks, and desserts, as well as the opportunity to celebrate the

end of another successful school year with their colleagues.

Congratulations to our members who have completed 20 years of service in

the Hicksville School District:.

Standing: John Bertuzzi III, Phil Moshoyannis, Patricia Tarsoly, Lara Richman

Seated: Lisa Combattente, Robin Zeller

HCT President Joan Deem presenting High School Building Representative,

Artie Mediate with his 10-year union activist plaque.

Years of Service

Happy

Retirements

Silver Anniversary recipients Anne LaBarbera, Lori Simon, and Susan Tillwitz were thanked for their

25 years of dedicated service to the children of the Hicksville Public Schools.

On Wednesday, June 17, 2015 the Superintendent and members of the Hicksville Board of Education honored

the District’s retirees, Cynthia Appold, Tina Gimmi, Filomena Cooper, and Diane Muscolino.

Dutch Lane School Congratulations to Susan Tillwitz on receiving her silver anniversary tray at the Board of

Education Recognition Ceremony.

East Street Congratulations to Jack Fabrizio on 20 years of service in Hicksville.

Congratulations to Peggy and Steve Giuntini on the birth of their granddaughter Andi Gray,

born in April to her son Danny and his wife Regina.

Fork Lane Congratulations to Lisa Combattente on 20 years of service in Hicksville.

Lee Avenue Congratulations to Filomena Cooper on her retirement.

Congratulations to Edward Denaro, Anne Laddy, and Phillip Moshoyannis on their 20 years of

service in Hicksville.

Woodland Congratulations to Megan Callahan on 20 years of service in Hicksville.

Middle School Congratulations to Dina Ditrano, Thomas Stephens, and Patricia Tarsoly on their 20 years of

service in Hicksville.

High School Congratulations to Cynthia Appold, Tina Gimmi, Diane Muscolini, Robert Purcell and Matthew

Sullivan on their retirements.

Congratulations to John Bertuzzi, Alice Hannon, Dianne Keller, Richard Marlborough, Robert

Purcell, Robert Trenkle, Lorraine Willet and Robin Zeller on their 20 years of service in

Hicksville.

Retirees’ UpdateRetirees’ Update Thomas Smith (1997) - Condolences to the family of Thomas Smith on his passing this June.

Patricia Massa (1999) - Condolences to Patricia Massa on the passing of her husband William Massa (1980) .

Linda Sheil (2000) - Condolences to Linda Sheil on the passing of Vicki Vrona (2007).

Hilary Sperber (2013) - Your colleagues and friends continue to send you their get well wishes!

Congratulations to the following HCT members who were granted tenure at the

June 17th, 2015 Board of Education Meeting

Rachel Bennett

Kevin Boyle

Fran Coiro

Lara D’Andrea

Stella Drakos

Michael Evans

Christine Janda

Staci Kolinsky

Margaret Lehmann

Jacqueline Lever

Shannon Murphy

Gayle Pinsky

Teresa Piazzola

Agnes Piwowar-Clark

Corinne Pope

Ashley Rau

David Vigneaux

Members of the Hicksville Congress of Teachers joined together to produce their first Talent for the Troops extravaganza to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. Teachers throughout the district performed in this talent show, delighting their colleagues and their students who filled the Hicksville High School auditorium to capacity. The program opened with the national anthem sung by Nassau County Legislator Laura M. Schaefer. HCT members displayed their talents with performances that included a classical music selection from four orchestra teachers, a sign language rendition of “We Are the Champions”, and a lip syncing and dance routine by the teachers of the Old Country Road School to the song “Soldier Boy.” Other teachers displayed their remarkable vocal talents, and the band Rage & the Comets brought down the house, inspiring members of the audience to get up and dance.

More than $10,000 was raised through the sale of admission tickets and raffle tickets. The Hicksville Congress of Teachers, through their local action project, donated one of the grand prizes, a PlayStation 4. The HCT also provided the funding for a professional sound engineer for the concert. All proceeds were donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization offering programs, service and events for wounded military veterans.

Visit our website at www.hickvilleteachers.org

If you have a name or address change please contact the HCT at (516) 937-1288

and the Hicksville School District Administration at (516) 733-2125.

The Hicksville Congress of Teachers — A Union of Dedicated Professionals

Hicksville Congress of Teachers

183 Broadway, Suite 302

Hicksville, NY 11801

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