Retirees` Dinner program - Vancouver Secondary Teachers

Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association
Retirees’ Dinner
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Royal Vancouver Yacht Club
3811 Point Grey Road
Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association
Retirees’ Dinner
6:00
Reception
7:00
Welcome & Dinner
8:00
Retirees’ Group Photo
8:15
Greetings from VSTA & BCTF
Introductions and presentations
Britannia
Byng
Churchill
Gladstone
Hamber
John Oliver
Killarney
King George
Kitsilano
Magee
Point Grey
Templeton
Thompson
Tupper
University Hill
VASS
Vancouver Technical
Windermere
O
n behalf of the Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association,
welcome to the 2014 Retirees’ Dinner. We are honoured to
celebrate with you the closing of your teaching career and the
opening of a new chapter of your life.
Tonight, on behalf of the countless number of students you have
taught, we thank you for your undaunted professionalism, diligence,
nurturing, patience, and occasional pushing and prodding. Thank you
for all of the numerous tasks you have done beyond the 8:30 to 3:15
window: planning lessons, marking papers and exams, preparing
interims and report cards, meeting with parents, working on
committees, coaching teams and sponsoring clubs, organizing field
trips, and so much more. Most undoubtedly, it was your willingness
to do more that made school such a positive and supportive place for
the many, many students who had the great fortune of moving
through your care.
We also acknowledge and thank you for your ongoing commitment to
protecting and ensuring a quality public education system. The
leadership you have demonstrated during the better part of the past
thirty years has had a profound impact on the teaching profession. As
a direct result of your collective efforts, significant gains were made in
enhancing the rights of teachers, including the right to bargain. Your
advocacy has made a difference and has helped pave the way for
successive generations of teachers.
As you close your classroom door for the last time, remember the
many fond memories of the past while simultaneously looking
forward to the travels, experiences, and endeavours for which you
now have time. On the first Tuesday in September, savour that second
cup of coffee, secure in the knowledge that you are free from
meetings and bells. Simply put, it is your time to relax. Put your feet
up, indulge in a good book, and enjoy!
The 1500 members of the VSTA extend our congratulations and best
wishes for the coming years. We salute the graduating class of 2014.
Debbie Pawluk
President
Retiring Vancouver
Secondary Teachers
Paolo Altan
Victoria Apps
Julie Bond
Antonio Bosello
Ross Breen
Erla Calahaisn
Lily Chew
Brenda Denchfield
Susan Dickson
Susan Downing
Irene Dundon
Catherine Eberle
Gary Fabris
Susan Gabel
Anna Giordano
Kevin Grant
Karen Gray
Maria Hawes
Ann Hayes
Peter Hill
Rick Houghton
Karin Hubbard
Ellen Hughes
Stanley Hyde
Bruce Inglis
Sue Inglis
Timothy Ireland
Victor Jensen
Rosalind Kellett
James King
Joanne Knight
Milina Kovacevic
Brian Landrigan
Cathy LaRocque
Vincent Lau
Janet Letourneau
Corrine Leung
Diane Little
Brent Loader
Ross MacKay
Cynthia Mah
Shyam Monga
Joan Muir
Dianne Murray
Karen Naso
Gary Pryke
Marigrace Rennie
Donna Staller
Mary-Chris Staples
Leo Strong
Rodney Tanabe
Warren Torrance
Colleen Trigg
Sheelagh Wright
Marcus Yu
Erin Zimmaro
Julie Bond
22 yrs experience
Kitsilano, Windermere,
TOC, Toronto, Kamloops
Tony Bosello
30 yrs experience
Point Grey, Churchill,
Skeena Jr (Terrace)
Highlight: Theatre/Drama at Kits! So many
plays, musicals, improv competitions; endless
rehearsals, late nights, laughter, creativity and
passion. I loved every minute of it. Now off to
teach in China.
Susan Dickson
Susan Downing
15 years experience
Magee, University Hill,
Windermere, Point Grey
28 yrs experience
Pinnacle, Gateway,
Phoenix
Will miss the 12 hour days preparing for a
production. Won’t miss the 14 hour days
preparing for a production.
Founding teacher of Pinnacle Program.
Established a taxation/consulting business.
Plans: work and travel. Will miss my students
and co-workers. Will not miss labour unrest!
Catherine Eberle
Gary Fabris
33 yrs experience
Kitsilano, Churchill,
L’Ecole Bilingue
34 yrs experience
John Oliver
Highlights: the development, in 1984, of the
French Immersion Programme in Vancouver
and meeting the many teachers/principals who
helped me to become the teacher I am today.
Enjoyed teaching the carpentry ACE IT
Program. Plans include travel, hockey and golf.
Will miss staff and students. Will not miss
BCeSIS, clean-up and shop maintenance.
Mary Hawes
Ann Hayes
33 yrs experience
Killarney, Vancouver
Technical
Kitsilano
“Most of us have no more than five or six
people who remember us. Teachers have
thousands of people who remember them for
the rest of their lives.” Andy Rooney
For this I am truly grateful and will miss the
energy that comes with the job.
I have loved my teaching career. I have given
my all to both teaching and coaching. I am very
excited about opening up my next chapter.
Peter Hill
Karin Hubbard
yrs experience
University Hill
37 yrs experience
Thompson, Templeton,
Churchill
Farewell to all my friends at school. I'll miss
the walks, the coffee, the gossip.
And now, I'll turn my boat to the open sea.
Highlights: Teaching AP Psychology, Pre-IB
Planning 10, Gr. 10 Keats Island Camp,
Career prep scholarships at Churchill, JA
Business Challenge winners at Churchill and
Thompson, Typing contest winners at
Templeton. Will miss: motivated students.
Plans: relaxing, running marathons, travelling.
Stan Hyde
Sue Inglis
33 yrs experience
Churchill, TOC
24 yrs experience
Point Grey, Prince
George (DP Todd)
I've taught a lot of wonderful students over the
years and worked with a lot of imaginative,
caring teachers . . . and I'll miss that. But I
have a lot of plans, including getting back on
track with my writing career, some acting, and
continued work in Film education.
I will miss the relationships with both students
and staff, but particularly, this year, having no
real time to say good-bye to so many students
who came to me in the last days or slipped a
note in my mailbox to say how much they loved
my classes and how much they would miss
me. Retiring is bittersweet.
Tim Ireland
Rosalind Kellett
34 yrs experience
Hamber
37 yrs experience
Hamber, University Hill,
Windermere, TOC,
Surrey (GPCS, JHJS, PMSS)
My 34 years in the VSB—33 1/2 of them at
Eric Hamber Secondary—have been marked
by wonderful students, magnificent
colleagues, and abundant support. Favourite
saying: "I get paid well for repeating myself.
Have I said that before?"
Highlights: Teaching in 6 different schools and
meeting so many wonderful teachers and
students; becoming active in politics of BC
education. Future plans: Travelling to the
Galapagos Islands, writing a book.
Brian Landrigan
Cathy LaRocque
30 yrs experience
Vancouver Technical,
Gladstone, Shaughnessy
Elementary
31 yrs experience
Vancouver Technical,
Gladstone, Windermere
Highlight: Learning how to combine speech
pathology and educational psychology.
Plans: singing, dancing, travel, gardening
and cooking. Favourite anecdote: “Do and
say what is true, kind and necessary.”
One student asked today, “Are you really going
to retire? Who will teach me next year?!” We
all know we are, indeed, replaceable, but we
also know . . . Yes, we did make a difference!
Vincent Lau
Janet Letourneau
26 yrs experience
Windermere
31 yrs experience
Point Grey, Prince
George (North Nechako
Elementary)
Many students express gratitude and
appreciation for all the efforts I made in
nurturing them. That made all of my time and
energy investment worthwhile.
Ahhh, retirement! No more living by the bell!
Off to kayak in Haida Gwaii and to explore
India.
Dianne Murray
Karen Naso
36 yrs experience
Hamber
25 yrs experience
Thompson, TOC
“All our dreams can come true—if we have
the courage to pursue them.” After spending
36 years at Hamber, it is time to pursue my
dreams. I am looking forward to spending
time hiking and biking around the world.
Gary Pryke
30 yrs experience
Tupper, Vancouver
Technical, Point Grey
Future plans are to continue with my passion
for writing ... and some golf, travel and fun!
Will miss the great staff and students at
Tupper and the chance, in the classroom, for
those special moments when learning and fun
come together! I won't miss the sound of the
bell or those early morning staff meetings!
I will miss the laughter of students in the
classroom and colleagues in the staff café.
Marigrace Rennie
33 yrs experience
Prince of Wales, DLS,
King George, Hamber,
Abbotsford, Mackenzie
Although I enjoyed teaching, I am thankful to be
retired with a good pension. When I started
teaching, I would always say that I wanted to take
my pension out and spend it on a vacation. My
colleagues would resoundingly say "Don't do that,
you will regret it when you retire". They were
right. Experience and wisdom trumps innocence.
Mary-Chris Staples
Leo Strong
32 yrs experience
Britannia, Tupper,
John Oliver, Gladstone,
Toronto
29 yrs experience
Tupper, Windermere,
Byng, King George,
Point Grey
From Toronto to Vancouver, Gladstone to
Britannia, I have had so much fun working with
kids! They have kept me young and I will miss
them! My plans for the future are to spend as
much time as possible working for my other
great passion: Animal Rights!
It has been an enjoyable privilege to work
with so many professional colleagues and to
work with such wonderful students. Greatest
insight: after so many years I discovered
that students were the teachers and I
became the privileged student.
Staff & Committee Representatives
Rick Appel
Alita Krickan
Lisa Pacheco
Lee Bensted
Fred Lackmance
Bal Panesar
Leo Boissy
Anthony Larock
Eleanor Pang
Rob Bordon
Brian Latimer
Don Phillips
Margaret Brooks
Joseph Lee
Petr Pospisil
Bonnie Burnell
Hazel Lising
Lindsay Reynolds
Greg Chan-Henry
Jillian Maguire
Sally Ringdahl
Mike Choi
Jacob Martens
Christopher Rozitis
Melanie Clay-Smith
Perry Mathias
Anne Sander
Henny Coates
Susan McIntosh
Carmen Schaedeli
Pat Douglas
Peter McLennan
Shirlene Shelfontiuk
Cindy Dudra
Jolene Mergens
Karla Smedley
Jody Findlay
Airdrie Miller
Esther Tello
Lisa Ford
Saiqa Mohammed
Rachelle Tessier
Iqbal Gill
Janet Mowatt
John Thomson
Kelley Grant
Raymond Moy
Wendy Waller
Heather Jensen
Janet Nicol
Ian Weniger
Leslie Johnstone
Bodo Niek
Brad White
Kate King
Tanya Noble
Sally Wong
Stephanie Koropatnick
Denise North
John Yetman
Special Guests and Members of the Executive
Bill Bargeman
Shaun van der Hoop
Andy Hattrick, SIF
Rory Brown
Mary Filleul
Darren Gock
Treena Goolieff
Leanne Hagglund
Phil Lee
Katie Leung
Phoebe MacMillan
Sylvia Metzner
Trish Mugford
Nancy Palejko
Debbie Pawluk
John Silver
Terry Stanway
Tobey Steeves
Christine Stewart
Chris Wong
Vice Commodore’s Dinner Buffet
Mixed Greens, Caesar Salad, Quinoa Salad,
Roasted Vegetables, Greek Salad, Beet Salad,
Pasta Salad, Marinated Mushrooms
Smoked Salmon Platter, Baby Shrimp, King Prawns,
European Charcuterie Platter
Chicken Breast with Hunter Sauce
BC Salmon with Beurre Blanc
Farfalle Pasta, Fresh Cream and Herb Sauce
Seasonal Vegetables, Roasted Potatoes, Brown Rice
CARVING STATION
Roasted Top Sirloin with Red Wine Sauce and Dijon Mustard
Imported and Domestic Cheeses
Fresh Fruit
Cakes, Pies, Cheesecakes, Tortes and Pastries
Freshly Brewed Barista Coffees and Imported Teas