Archive: Around Town

Six employees were honored Tuesday for a collective 116 years of service to the  Lansing School District.  Each was presented a golden apple and an aerial photograph of the Lansing campus to mark their retirement from the district.  Margaret Christopher, Georgia Eastman, Cynthia 'Sam' Foley, Lisa Livigne, Judy McDermott, and Karen Tucker were joined by colleagues and family for cake and a warm send off at the Lansing Middle School.

"It's a very special time for them as they look toward their future," Superintendent Stephen Grimm said.  "It is a sad time for us as we think about the big loss that we will have among the teaching ranks, our food service and the transportation department."

Margaret Christopher, Transportation Aide, 13 years

"She is the sunshine of the transportation department, and she is the flower in the middle of an urban jungle,"  Grimm said.  "Her efforts in the Transportation Department held the group together.  No one is more aware of that than Louis Varga, her direct supervisor.  We've noticed her not being there since the end of February, so we've already had five months to miss her greatly.  She is an invaluable employee whose loss we have felt deeply.  The day she came to work for us in 1997 was a great day for the district.  Likewise it's a sad day to say goodbye, but we know she is around and we just approved her to be a substitute.  When we saw her we thought 'Thank goodness you're back!'"

Georgia Eastman, Aide, 11 years

"I was very lucky," said Lansing Middle School Principal Jamie Thomas.  "Four years ago when I came to Lansing as the middle school principal I was very lucky to have Georgia and a strong staff of building level aids that would help in so many different ways.  Georgia has supervised study halls, she has always supervised the most dangerous part of the day for a student, which is recess.  Cafeteria, she's been a one to one aid.  She has done everything we've asked her to do, and she's done it very, very well.  She is very supportive.  She is firm when dealing with children, but she's extremely honest and very clear.  She has always come to me when she had a concern and spoken to me in sincere honestly about whatever it was.  I am very appreciative of having you on the staff."


Judy McDermott, Aide, 22 years

"This is one of the few times you'll see Judy without a crowd of girls around here," Thomas said.  "In the morning in the cafeteria, in the hallway, her family -- the students -- really flock to her and follow her around.  She is a very supportive, hard working, completely dependable person to have in your building when you're a principal trying to supervise students in difficult situations.  She was always dependable and could not be a brighter personality and a happier person to have in your building.  She lights the place up."


Cynthia Foley, Elementary Library, 24 years

"We know her as Sam Foley," Grimm said.  "She started here in 1986.  She has 24 years of service.  Sam has been a bright smiling face that any child -- and any adult, too -- enjoys approaching Sam and seeing her.  It's always a welcoming feeling as you are approaching her to talk about anything.  She is also a great thinker.  She thinks outside of the box.  She thinks about a way to solve a problem that somebody else hasn't thought of already, and is always very caring in the way she talks with others.  (Elementary School Principal) Chris Pettograsso talks about Sam: 'Over the years she has dedicated herself to fostering the love of literacy, not only through literature, but through various media.  Children love to go to the library.'

"I believe the libraries are the center of knowledge in all the schools.  In Lansing we really do have leaders in that area in every single school.  Sam has stepped up front with the technology pieces that she delivers with the kids at such a young age.  She is one of the first ones to have a Promethean Board in the library as well.  It's really exciting to see that interdisciplinary work with young children.  A love for literacy, a love for learning, and a love for life."

Lisa Livigne, Physical Education, 30 years

"I was struck with Lisa's leadership ability early on," said Grimm.  "When I started asking questions about things the district needed to have such as a physical education plan, I asked Lisa 'Where are we with this?'  She was the curriculum leader for physical education and she had already done so much.  Physical education has changed so much in the last 30 years, and Lansing is at the cutting edge of that in large part because of what Lisa's been able to do in terms of her leadership and modeling how she approaches physical education and lifelong fitness.

"Principal Chris Pettograsso talks about Lisa consistently through education and modeling teaching students to be healthy through appropriate exercise and lifelong activity.  She will be missed more than we will know.

"Every once in a while a superintendent makes a great hire, where somebody changes the culture of not only the building or the room they are in, but across the district.  It's those marquis people who are so important in defining who we are now and who we will be in the future.  There is no doubt that Lisa is one of those and I want to thank (former Superintendent Raymond Buckley) for hiring Lisa."

Karen Tucker, Occupational Therapist, BOCES Employee    16 years

"When we look at retirees we usually look at the list of Lansing employees, but the Lansing Faculty Association brought up the fact that Karen is retiring from BOCES," Grimm said.  "As far as we're concerned she's retiring from Lansing, because she has only worked in the Lansing Schools even though she's a Lansing employee.  She is an occupational therapist.  We know that it's very important to the children, and to think about 16 years of that level of students for our most needy children -- I can only imagine what they are feeling about their experience with Karen.  Principal Chris Pettograsso says 'Karen is an extremely hard working, loyal employee who has done an exceptional job with our students.  She will be missed greatly.'

"I want to thank you for delivering that level of service to those who need it the most.  You should feel great about that."

Board Of Education President Anne Drake joined Grimm in wishing the retirees well and in presenting their retirement gifts.

----
v6i24