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After three first grade teachers resigned just weeks before school was set to begin, the Fredonia Central School District was forced to scramble to fill its new vacancies, in addition to the remaining openings the district already had.
Fortunately for Fredonia, many of the openings were addressed in a wave of hires finalized at a recent Board of Education meeting.
"Through a series of events, we had three openings at our first grade, which will be resolved tonight," Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox said at a recent meeting of the Board of Education.
Fredonia appointed four new teachers to probationary positions at the recent meeting. Of the four new teachers, three of the new hires are Elementary teachers to fill the open first grade positions, while another is a Special Education teacher to fill a previously vacant position due to retirement.
Rhea Nelson, Amy Zappie, and April Shoup were all appointed to Elementary teaching positions at the recent meeting. All three veteran teachers were hired away from other districts. Combined, the new hires have nearly 40 years of teaching experience.
"Four hires late in August, we are extremely fortunate and proud to have all of them coming on board, and bringing a number of years of experience," Zilliox said.
Because of the timing of the hires, Nelson and Zappie will begin their positions with the district in mid-September, as their former employer elected to hold them to a 30-day notice before their departure.
Zappie, a Fredonia resident, joins the district from the Cassadaga Valley Central School District.
"She is a veteran teacher, a Fredonia resident, and all of her reference checks were off the charts, very positive," Zilliox said. "... We very much look forward to Amy coming on board."
Like Zappie, Nelson also joins Fredonia from the Cassadaga Valley Central School District, after serving the district since 2011.
"You see a little bit of a trend there. My apologies to the Cassadaga school district," Zilliox said.
Shoup was the 2002 winner of the Western New York Educational Service Council Award for Excellence. Shoup, who is joining the district from Jamestown Public Schools, will begin with the district on Aug. 30.
Ruth Hewson was also appointed to a Special Education teaching position. A Buffalo area native who graduated Magna Cum Laude from Buffalo State University, Hewson holds professional certifications in Students with Disabilities Birth-2; Early Childhood Education Birth-2; Students with Disabilities Grades 1-6; and Childhood Education Grades 1-6. Hewson's employment with the district commences on Aug. 30.
"(Hewson) is a young teacher, very enthusiastic, very positive, very upbeat," Zilliox said. "I appreciated getting to know her through the interview process, as well as new teacher orientation."
The district also accepted the resignations of Elementary Teachers Christina DeGroff, Mary Benchley, and Jen Sobilo; School Nurse Christin Kingsbury; and Special Aide Jodi Pasquale. Additionally, Ashley Emser was granted an unpaid leave of absence from her Elementary Physical Education teaching position from the beginning of the school year until Oct. 27.
Five teacher aides and a teaching assistant were also hired at the recent meeting. Stacey Gorka, teaching assistant; along with teacher aides Marchelle Sams, Lindsey Meka, Iliannkateryn Padua-Garcia, Michelle Hamilton, and Caryn Nicosia were all approved for hire.
Also approved to be hired by the district: Joshua Tresler, Mechanic II; Jerome Bradigan, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant; Sue Hart, extended leave substitute K/RTI teacher; and Pamela Maslak, extended leave substitute Elementary Physical Education teacher.
Three volunteer coaches were also added: Mario Muscarella, modified football; Trevor Hitchcock, modified football; and Dan Tomaszewski, boys varsity soccer.