GREECE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION RESUMES OF OFFICER, ADVISOR, AND DELEGATE CANDIDATES Elections for GTA Officers, Advisors and Delegates will be held in buildings on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 FOR PRESIDENT JASON COONEY ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH Beginning in 2005, I have served in many positions in the Greece Teachers Association. My previous service to the GTA includes serving as building representative at Arcadia High School, Unity Chair, Senior High Advisor, and as the NYSUT Delegate. Currently, I hold the position of Problem Solving Chair and am a member of the Bargaining Team. I believe that my experiences give me a valuable insight into the duties of the office of President. I hope I can count on your vote. Roles: Junior GTA Representative 2003 Senior GTA Representative 2005 to 2010 Unity Committee Chair 2007 to 2010 Senior High School Advisor 2010 to 2011 NYSUT Delegate 2009 to 2011 Problem Solving Chair 2011 to present Negotiations Team Member 2011 to present Training: Costing Out Contracts 2008 Interest Based Bargaining 2008 Basics of Bargaining Benefits 2008 Impasse Procedures Under Perb 2008 Collective Bargaining Basics 2007 Using Other Local Contracts 2007 FOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT MARGARET MOUREY OLYMPIA SCHOOL SECONDARY ART I have served the Greece Teachers Association, in some capacity, for twenty four of the twenty six years that I have been a Greece teacher. I have been a building representative and the Middle School Advisor to Executive Council. Currently, I am in my fourth term as Executive Vice President. I would like to, with your vote, continue in this position.
FOR VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS HOLLY STETTNER ARCADIA MIDDLE SCHOOL 6 TH GRADE ELA TEACHER I would like to be re elected as the Vice President of Educational Programs for the Greece Teachers Association. I am privileged to represent the teachers of Greece whether it is on a committee or while discussing/working on solutions to issues that affect us while on the job. I have been involved in various union activities for the past 14 years. I started out as a Jr./Sr. Representative, was an Elementary Advisor, and I currently hold the VP/Educational Programs position on Executive Council. In tandem with my current position, I have been on the Bargaining Team for the past 2 years. I am a member of the Teacher Leader Grant Committee and was a member of the School Consolidation Committee as well. This past year I was a member of the APPR Committee that worked closely with the district and received numerous training opportunities to help facilitate a smooth transition into buildings. I have participated in Lobby Day in Albany and have been a delegate at a NYSUT convention in New York City. As the VP of Educational Programs I have worked closely with the Teaching and Learning/Professional Development Center Leader and have we have worked together to create the Professional Times Newsletter which provides information and resources to teachers district wide at all levels and subject areas. I have also attended Teacher Center Conferences. In the past we have co presented a seminar on Socratic Seminars during a Rochester Teachers Association Conference. Thank you for your consideration! FOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS ALLEN FIRLIT OLYMPIA SCHOOL ART TEACHER My name is Al Firlit and I am seeking re election as Vice President of Public Relations. I have taught art in Greece for the past 11 years, starting at the elementary level and currently at Olympia High School. I have been involved with the union as a building representative and have volunteered on the Elections Committee, School Board candidate interviews and the Unity Committee. If re elected, I will work hard to help strengthen the union s image with the community as well as highlight all of the hard work being done by the teachers of this district. FOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE CORI SALVAGGIO ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER I am running for a second term as VP of Finance because I enjoy working with finances. I feel proud to be a part of the Executive Council of our teachers union. In my first term I was able to work in cooperation with our union President to keep dues as low as possible without negative impact to daily operation of our union business. If re elected I will continue to look for ways to be cost effective with our union monies. CAROL JEAN G. MICELI ATHENA HIGH SCHOOL BUSINESS TEACHER I, Carol Jean G. Miceli, am running for the Vice President for Finance position, because I thoroughly enjoy working with numbers. I entered the educational profession in 1990 after working in the business/corporate world. I have taught and/or currently teach many business classes, which include finance (specifically: recordkeeping, business analysis, and math and financial applications).
I am very organized, detail oriented, and take pride in my sales/promotional skills. I have been a GTA member for 11 years and both a junior and senior representative, as well as a member of the Unity and Constitution committees. I would be an asset to the role of Vice President for Finance due to my extensive business experience. FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADVISORS (2 POSITIONS) JOSEPH LOMBARDO, SR. DISTRICT WIDE I NTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY TEACHER (TOSA) I hope to continue to serve the GTA as Elementary Advisor, a position I ve held for two years, and continue the work we ve started. The elementary report card, the GTA website and improved labor management relations through the NE TURN Exchange are all areas where we ve begun work that I d like to see through to the point of implementing meaningful and positive change. LISA FARINA BUCKMAN HEIGHTS 4 TH GRADE TEACHER; ELEMENTARY TEACHER LEADER I believe that I would be an excellent candidate for the Elementary Advisor position. I feel that with my 10 years of experience within Greece, I will be able to identify with and best represent the needs and wants of Greece Elementary Teachers. I would advocate for our most pressing GTA needs which currently include the APPR and NYS Reform Agenda. My role as an elementary teacher leader allows me to get into other elementary buildings and get to know better the needs of teachers that I will be representing. I will work very hard to advocate for elementary teachers needs and be an effective liaison between the elementary teachers and the Executive Council. CHRISTOPHER MARINO BUCKMAN HEIGHTS 5 TH GRADE TEACHER; TEACHER LEADER I am extremely pleased to be running for the position of Elementary Advisor for the Greece Teachers Association. For the past thirteen years, I have had the experience of teaching in various classroom settings as the 3 rd, 4 th, and 5 th grade levels here in Greece Central School District. I began my career at Barnard Elementary School in 2000 and I am currently a 5 th grade teacher at Buckman Heights Elementary School. In January, I was also appointed as one of the newly hired Elementary Teacher Leaders where I will be working with teachers and administrators at Pine Brook Elementary School. I received my Undergraduate Degree from the State University College at Brockport and completed a Master of Science at the University of Rochester in Teaching and Curriculum as well as a Master of Science at St. John Fisher College in Educational Leadership. It was while I was studying at St. John Fisher Collect that I became involved with the Greece Teachers Association. I served as a Junior Representative at Buckman Heights with Mary Reisinger and I am currently the Senior Building Representative. I most recently completed the NYSUT Evaluator Training in Albany this January and was hired by the NYSUT Education and Learning Trust as an instructor. My work with NYSUT allows me to train and work alongside administrators and teachers throughout New York State as we implement the APPR. I feel that my experiences as an Elementary Teacher and my extensive union involvement will allow me to be a successful GTA Elementary Advisor for all of our Elementary Teachers here in Greece Central School District.
FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL ADVISOR DAVID METZGER ATHENA MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL COUNSELOR The previous few years as the Middle School Advisor have been invaluable in teaching me how important it is to have devoted involved members in position to represent our GTA membership. I ve worked in two middle schools over the past seven years, and have worked closely with Jason Cooney on problem solving issues involving middle school teachers. This position has allowed me to keep Greece Middle Schools best interests in mind when working with both local administrators and state/national officials. I have represented our middle schools on the following committees: Rubric Committee Calendar Committee Unity Committee Constitution Committee I have also participated in the following events on behalf of Greece Middle Schools and GTA: Committee of 100 (twice) NYSUT Leadership Conference Legislative Forums (three times) NYSUT RA Convention (twice) JO MELECA VOIGT ARCADIA MIDDLE SCHOOL ITALIAN AND SPANISH TEACHER I ve been involved in my teaching association since the first years of my career. I continued to work with organized labor on a grander scale though my involvement in politics in varied capacities. Through those political and other leadership experiences, I have proven to be quite effective in influencing positive change and navigating difficult and even strenuous situations. For example, and have served as the Sr. Representative at Arcadia Middle School for the past two years during the transition to a new principal each year. I have remained a stalwart advocate for justice and never backed down from a difficult situation. Throughout my career I have been a strong advocate for middle school and its importance in a child s education. In my years as a building rep, I have seen a many missed opportunities and lack of representation on the district level for middle school teachers. Because of this, I would like to use my many successful experiences to bring a cohesive and much needed voice to the association on behalf of my middle school colleagues. FOR HIGH SCHOOL ADVISOR LAURI M. SECKER OLYMPIA SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER Friends, Grecians, Districtmen (and women) lend me your ears. I hereby declare my candidacy for High School Advisor. This is my 21 st year in the District, and over the course of my career, I have worked in two of the four District high schools, as well as in a middle school. This has given me exposure to different people, ideas, levels of instruction, and building climates, which I think gives me greater insight into the diverse needs of District teachers. I have long been a GTA building representative (for Athena High School, Apollo Middle School, and Olympia High School). I currently teach Global History and AP World History at Olympia School, and am also Olympia s Social Studies Teacher Leader. I have served the Association as High School Advisor for the last two years.
In my two year tenure as High School Advisor, I have served High School interests in GTA Representative Assembly, in Executive Council, and in numerous committees (including but not limited to interview and APPR committees). Additionally, I have engaged in teambuilding and strategic planning with District Administration. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to represent the interests of the District s High Schools. I feel I have the experience and work ethic to do so, and to do it well. Thank you for your consideration. FOR NYSUT REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY DELEGATE (11 POSITIONS) DAVID METZGER ATHENA MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR Having been a Representative Assembly delegate for the previous two years has shown me how important it is to have devoted involved members in positions to represent our GTA membership. There are many things that go on at a state or national level that impact all of us at a local level. Whether it s attending legislative forums on a Saturday morning or attending the RA Convention, delegates have the opportunity to inform our state political representatives about issues that affect us directly. I have participated in the following events on behalf of GTA, as a delegate: Committee of 100 (twice) NYSUT Leadership Conference Legislative forums (three times) NYSUT RA Convention (twice) I have also served on the following committees: Rubric Committee Calendar Committee Unity Committee Constitution Committee LISA FARINA BUCKMAN HEIGHTS 4 TH GRADE TEACHER; ELEMENTARY TEACHER LEADER I believe that I would be an excellent candidate to represent our union as a delegate at the state or national level. I would advocate for our most pressing GTA needs, specifically around the New York State Reform Agenda. My 10 years within Greece Central have allowed me to build great relationships with teachers, understand the district s culture and believe that we have the most dedicated teachers around. I am fully prepared to advocate for their needs as a delegate. CAROL JEAN G. MICELI ATHENA HIGH SCHOOL BUSINESS TEACHER I, Carol Jean G. Miceli, am running for one of the NYSUT Delegate positions. I have been a GTA member for 11 years and both a junior and senior representative, as well as a member of the Unity and Constitution committees. I previously held a NYSUT Delegate position, so I do have the knowledge and experience of what the role entails. I attended all the local and out of state meetings and reported back to representative assembly. My Law teaching background has helped me comprehend the complex legislation. I am dedicated and get involved. I know I would be an excellent delegate again.
ZACHARY KELLER ARCADIA MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES (GRADE 7) Over the past six years, I have become increasingly interested in state education policy and in giving a voice to educators. As someone who comes from a family that has been heavily involved and active in unions, I understand the importance and the necessity of providing strong representation for our thoughts and concerns. Although I have not been as active a member of GTA as others, I am a natural born leader who genuinely cares about teachers, education, and the future of our profession. During my years of service in Greece, I have held numerous leadership positions in my buildings and coached three sports year round, all of which have prepared me for the rigors of building interpersonal relationships, thinking strategically, and representing the ideas of others. Being one of our representatives at the state level is something that has truly piqued my interest. It would be my honor and privilege to represent Greece Teachers as a delegate to NYSUT next year. BRIAN EBERTZ PINE BROOK FOURTH GRADE CLASSROOM TEACHER I am declaring my candidacy to be a NYSUT delegate and attend the representative assembly. I attended the representative assembly meetings in 2003 and 2004 and believe that prior experience will be helpful in serving once again. I have served in the GTA in a multitude of capacities. I have been an Elementary Advisor on Executive Council. I have also served as a senior building representative. I am currently working on the negotiations team and the N.E. Teacher Union Reform Network. I have served as a GTA representative on the Strategic Framework Planning Committee for the district as well. I believe that my experiences in the district over the course of my sixteen plus years will allow me to serve the GTA well. JO MELECA VOIGT ARCADIA MIDDLE SCHOOL ITALIAN AND SPANISH TEACHER Both of my parents were union members and instilled in me at an early age the importance of labor organizations. As an adult, experience has made me appreciate the essential role that the union plays not only in our careers, but in our everyday lives. As a large district, it is important for Greece Central to be represented at the state level. Having had numerous political and educational experiences to lend to the position, I would be honored to be elected as a NYSUT Delegate by my colleagues. I began service to the Teachers Union when I became the Secretary for the Building Association at Hilton s Merton Williams Middle school in my second year of teaching. Over the past two years I have been the Senior Representative for Arcadia Middle School. During the time in between, I served the union in a broader capacity having served twice as an AFT/NYSUT representative to the Democratic National Convention, been a union endorsed candidate for elected office, lead activist and political organizations including leading the local activities against the FAIR plan and served for a year as the GTA Political Action Chair. CHRISTOPHER MARINO BUCKMAN HEIGHTS 5 TH GRADE TEACHER; TEACHER LEADER I am extremely pleased to be running for the position of NYSUT Delegate for the Greece Teachers Association. For the past thirteen years, I have had the experience of teaching in various classroom settings at the 3 rd, 4 th, and 5 th grade levels here in Greece Central School District. I began my career at Barnard Elementary School in 2000 and I am currently a 5 th grade teacher at Buckman Heights Elementary School. In January, I was also appointed as one of the newly hired Elementary Teacher Leaders where I will be working with teachers and administrators at Pine Brook Elementary School. I received my Undergraduate Degree from the State University College at Brockport and completed a Master of Science at the University of Rochester in Teaching and Curriculum as well as a Master of Science at St. John Fisher College in Educational Leadership. It was while I was studying at St. John Fisher College that I became involved with the Greece Teachers Association. I served as a
Junior Representative at Buckman Heights with Mary Reisinger and I am currently the Senior Building Representative. I most recently completed the NYSUT Evaluator Training in Albany this January and was hired by the NYSUT Education and Learning Trust as an instructor. My work with NYSUT allows me to train and work alongside administrators and teachers throughout New York State as we implement the APPR. I feel that my experiences as an Elementary Teacher and my extensive union involvement will allow me to be a successful GTA NYSUT Delegate for all of our Teachers here in Greece Central School District. SARAH RODGERS ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER I have been a Social Studies teacher in Greece for nine years and in that time I have seen so many changes in education. Most of these changes have been from the top down and have therefore lacked the vital influence of our voices as teachers. Greece is the 8 th largest district in New York State, yet our delegation is one of the smallest. How can we expect our voices to be heard when education policy is being made if we do not even attempt to represent ourselves? I would make an excellent NYSUT delegate because I understand how important it is for our state union to support our district. I will represent our needs and concerns with both professionalism and passion. With all of the current changes we are facing and more changes to come we must speak up and have our voices heard. FOR NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM (7 POSITIONS) BRIAN EBERTZ PINE BROOK FOURTH GRADE CLASSROOM TEACHER I am declaring my delegate candidacy for the New York State Retirement System. I have served one term and believe that my experience will be helpful. I look to increase my knowledge base as well in hopes of serving GTA better in all retirement related activities in the future. I have served in the GTA in a multitude of capacities. I have been an Elementary Advisor on Executive Council. I have also served as a senior building representative. I am currently working on the negotiations team and the N.E. Teacher Union Reform Network. I have served as a GTA representative on the Strategic Framework Planning Committee for the district as well. I believe that my experiences in the district over the course of my sixteen plus years will allow me to serve the GTA well. SEAN ESPOSITO OLYMPIA SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER ROB STALTER ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER I am currently an active building Rep and the Teacher APPR Rep for GTA. Having been involved in investing money and maximizing income for retirement purposes, I feel well qualified and keenly interested in becoming a liaison between the Retirement System and GTA.