Published: September 03, 2008 07:52 am         

Local teachers excited about kicking off year

By Mark Boshnack
Staff Writer

SIDNEY _ New and experienced teachers said they were enthusiastic about the start of the school year during Tuesday’s superintendent’s conference days at many area schools. The first day of classes for many districts is today.

Faculty at Sidney Central and Oneonta City schools said they were energized by what they heard from presenters.

“I’m more excited than nervous,” said Michelle Cipriano, who said she is starting her teaching career as a high school earth science teacher at Sidney.

The school spent more than an hour on a presentation that included staff participation on building a united school of character.

Sidney Superintendent Sandra Cooper said the program is based upon feedback from students and is an effort to make sure “we are all going to work together to model behaviors that are part of good character.”

This includes fostering an atmosphere of honesty, integrity and accountability, as well as respect, among faculty staff and students, she said.

There are 13 new teachers on a teaching staff of 134, she said.

“The school has been very open to its new teachers,” said Cipriano. “All the staff has been very welcoming.” Everyone is working toward the same goal, she said. “They want to provide an opportunity for students to achieve,” she said.

Meghan Slack is a middle school technology teacher at the school. This is her second year teaching, having started in Baltimore City schools.

“I’m looking forward to the change,” she said. “I’m interested in working with a smaller, more close-knit faculty, staff and students.” Claudia Jenkins is a 27- year veteran at Sidney. She teachers 6th grade social studies.

“I am always nervous and excited about the first day of school,” she said. But she was “energized” by the presentation that aimed “to make this a successful year for our students and faculty.”

The message was similar at the Oneonta City School District, where Superintendent Michael Shea urged staff in a presentation at the high school to look for the John Adams in all students. The story about the youth of the second president is instructive because as a young boy, the future leader was not interested in schooling, said Shea. “A teacher took an interest in him, and turned him around,” Shea said.

Valleyview academic intervention service teacher Janice Pidgeon, who is starting her 22nd year of teaching, said, “It’s nice to start the year with a goal like that.”

There are 200 teachers in the district and eight are new this year, he said. This includes Julia Iannello, a first-year librarian at Valleyview elementary. “I’ve been impressed with the school’s mentoring program, and all they’ve done to prepare teachers,” she said.

Teresa Burr, a firstyear art teacher at Greater Plains and Center Street, said she is looking forward to sharing her excitement about her subject with students.