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Laughs and
tears as four retire from HFM BOCES
Colleagues paid tribute and offered fond remembrances for
four co-workers who are embarking on the adventures of
retirement, including Joseph Cirillo, Thomas Hart, Donna
Picciocca and John Evans.
Four other former HFM BOCES employees who retired earlier in
the school year were also acknowledged during the HFM BOCES
Closing Day program on June 26, including SETRC
Trainer Susan Naple aand three Career & Technical
Education teachers: Business Computer Applications teacher
Rodger Schultz, Graphic Communications teacher John Synakowski, and Technology teacher Donald Martel.
 Joseph
Cirillo
Teacher aide Jaynee Gonzales spoke first, offering a teasing
introduction to Joseph Cirillo who is retiring from HFM
BOCES after five years as a teacher aide in the multiply
disabled program.
"Joe's not shy," she said, noting that, as a politician, he
would be happy to step forward in front of his colleagues to
be acknowledged for his retirement.
Joe served as chairman of the HFM BOCES Shared Decision
Making team, and remains a member of the Town of Johnstown
Zoning Board.
Thomas Hart
Special education teacher Nancy Turnbull spoke next in praise of
Thomas Hart, on behalf of the HFM BOCES Teachers Association and
the New York State United Teachers Association.
Tom is retiring from HFM BOCES after more than two decades as a
work-study coordinator. Most recently, he served as work-study
coordinator for special education, where he supervised four job
coaches and worked with 80 students and more than 100 businesses
to make sure students had meaningful training and employment
opportunities.
Long-time colleague Elaine Mongin, who heads up the HFM BOCES
Adult Services program, said that Tom is first and foremost a
talented problem solver.
Donna Picciocca
"There's only one 'queen bee' at HFM BOCES," said culinary arts
teacher Cindy Fratianni, "and that is Donna Picciocca."
To honor her long-time friend who is retiring this year after
more than 20 years as a cosmetology teacher at HFM BOCES, Cindy
presented Donna with a tiara and a bee.
She also told a few tales about how they once got in trouble for
smoking on school grounds -- back when smoking bans were first
going into effect.
John Evans
Cindy was back at it with both a tribute and gag gift for auto
body teacher John Evans who is also retiring this year.
Calling him a patient, willing teacher, Cindy also noted that
John was a willing participant in the BOCES "Adopt a Highway"
campaign. "He was the only one, I think, who was happy to see
the sign-up sheet go up in the office."
As a small memento, she presented John with a plastic bag filled
with recyclable soda cans. |
