From local college graduates, to a former student filling the shoes of her former teacher, to a parent of two district students who returned home to Chautauqua County from the other side of the country, the Fredonia Central School District has plenty of community ties attached to its latest round of hires.

Fredonia officially hired three new teachers, a School Counselor and a Teacher Aide at its recent Board of Education meeting.

Erin Henry was appointed as a Special Education Teacher at the elementary level. Henry holds Initial Certification in Childhood Education Grades 1-6 and Students with Disabilities Grades 1-6. She earned both her Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree from SUNY Fredonia. She received a scholarship for her efforts as a student teacher, and spent time at various districts, including Frontier, Hamburg, Silver Creek, Gowanda, BOCES, Dunkirk, and at Wheelock School in Fredonia. She was also a summer school teacher at BOCES and was a Unified Basketball coach.

“In her interview, there was a high degree of positivity and focus on relationships with students, and also really thinking about how she can be creative in the classroom to help students become their greatest selves,” Zilliox said. “We were impressed and we are very happy to have Erin coming on board.”

Henry responded, “I just want to thank you for the opportunity to work in Fredonia. … I’ve lived here and I love the community. I’m super excited to start in the fall.”

Amber Powell and Amanda Kent were both appointed as long-term substitute teachers as they await certification approval from New York State. Powell was appointed to the High School Mathematics tenure area, while Kent was appointed to Middle School Special Education.

Powell, a graduate of the district, holds a Master’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Math Education, both from SUNY Fredonia, as well as a Doctorate in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Science of Learning from the University at Buffalo, and a certificate of advanced study in Applied Statistical Analysis from SUNY Fredonia. She has 15 years of teaching experience, including as a lecturer at SUNY Fredonia, the University at Buffalo, and Jamestown Community College. She was also previously a Dunkirk middle school teacher.

“It’s really cool to be back. I graduated from Fredonia 25 years ago,” Powell said, who noted one of her teachers was Darrin Paschke, now the High School Principal, and another teacher was Andrew Pingitore, who she will be succeeding.

“It’s very exciting to be back. When this was posted, I was pushing this position to all my students at SUNY Fredonia since January. I kept saying they’ve got to apply for it, it’s a great place to work. … Somehow I’m up here today,” Powell joked. “I’m looking forward to being a part of Fredonia again in the fall.”

Kent, a Fredonia resident and parent of two students in the district, earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from SUNY Fredonia. She worked as a substitute teacher at Brocton Central School this past year, and has previously worked as a UPK Teacher for Chautauqua Opportunities. She also worked as a teacher in Henderson, Nevada.

“I’ve done a number of different things and experiences, and I’m really glad to come full-circle in coming back. I love working in Chautauqua County,” Kent said. “I think the community is really great and supportive. … I am really excited to be here and I’m excited to join the team.”

Amy Ward was appointed to the School Counselor position on a probationary basis. Ward has her Permanent School Counselor Certification, along with a a Master’s Degree in School Guidance and Counseling from Canisius College; a Bachelor’s Degree from SUNY Brockport; and an Associate’s Degree from Genesee Community College. She most recently worked as a counselor at the North Collins Central School District, and has also worked at Erie 2 BOCES.

Zilliox highlighted, “In her interview, she continually mentioned the idea of fully supporting and promoting kindness and acceptance and inclusion in all that she does. We are excited to have her join the team, and are glad that we have somebody bringing many years of experience to the district to support our students in the high school.”

Ward responded, “Thank you for having me. It’s an honor to accept this position. I grew up in Dunkirk and Fredonia, and it’s very near and dear to my heart. I just cannot wait to begin this next chapter and be able to work with all the students in Fredonia and be part of the community. I do feel I have a lot to offer, and I just can’t wait to get started.”

Brenda McKelvey was appointed by the district as a Teacher Aide, effective Aug. 30 on a probationary basis. A Ripley High School graduate, McKelvey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Mercyhurst University. She previously worked with the Chautauqua County Health Department, as well as the Campus and Community Children’s Center in Fredonia; the Achievement Center in Jamestown; and with the Students with Learning Disabilities Association.

“All of this positions (McKelvey) well to be a real asset to our students in her new role. We’re excited for her and all that she brings to the table,” Zilliox said.

The district also approved, with regret, a letter of resignation for the purpose of retirement from William Wright, a retired teacher who served as a Teacher Aide this past school year.

“He was great. Our teachers loved having him there,” said Fredonia Middle School Principal Paula Troutman.

The district also approved the resignation of Sharon Cloos as a Teacher Aide and appointed Robert Sells as the district’s Modified Boys Soccer Coach.

“I think we did some good hiring today,” Board of Education President Brian Aldrich said after all the appointments were approved by the board.