OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Forestville Elementary Teacher Gary Worosz is set to retire at the end of the school year. He has been a teacher at Forestville for more than three decades.

FORESTVILLE — Two of the most influential teachers at Forestville Elementary School will be moving on after this year. After impacting countless lives for more than three decades at Forestville Elementary, when school is out for summer, Gary Worosz and Michele Dolce will be saying goodbye.

“We’re losing two very, very good instructional leaders,” Superintendent Dr. John O’Connor said. “They are going to be very, very much missed. … I’m happy for them because they are retiring, but I’m very sad that we are losing them.”

The Forestville Board of Education approved the retirement resignation of five employees at a recent meeting: Dolce and Worosz, Elementary Teachers; Kristin Britz, Art Teacher; Nadine Donovan, Registered Nurse; and Richard Franklin, Bus Driver.

Dolce is a Sixth Grade Teacher specializing in math and science. Elementary Principal Shauna McMahon has been impressed with her ability to create lessons that are relevant to her students.

“She does science projects that get the kids engaged, like tree tapping, and she does a lot of really neat health projects with them where they are learning about issues that are current, that are impacting kids’ health and adults’ health – really making them think about the world in a critical lens,” McMahon said. “She is very, very strong instructionally.”

Worosz is a Second Grade Teacher who has specialized in reading throughout his career. He has served the district in many roles, including through reading interventions. Worosz has coordinated the school’s PARP reading program each of the past 35 years. Worosz also is a talented artist that contributes to the school’s events each year by creating murals and posters throughout the school, like he did for this year’s PARP event.

McMahon said she is happy for Worosz and his family, as his retirement means more time spent with his loved ones. For her school, however, McMahon knows Worosz will be impossible to replace.

“It’s a great loss to us. There are definitely going to be big shoes to fill,” McMahon said.

McMahon commended the ability of both Dolce and Worosz to mentor other teachers during their time at Forestville. “They both always take student teachers. They are always leaving a lasting imprint and helping people carry those skills on,” McMahon said.

“We encouraged it, because they were great,” O’Connor added.

McMahon added that Donovan, the Elementary School’s Registered Nurse, “has been wonderful to work with.” She came to the district several years ago after a career in the medical field. O’Connor commended Donovan for her efforts during the pandemic.

With the five latest retirement resignations, the district is now up to eight retirements by the end of this school year, with longtime Band Teacher Jay Hagen also among the retirees, as well as Food Service Helper Sandy Muck and Floater/Monitor/Aide Terri O’Connor.

The Board also recently accepted the resignation of Luke Di Fato, a Middle/High School Science Teacher who was hired last summer, effective Aug. 31. Melissa Schwerk resigned on April 16 from the roles of Floater/Monitor/Aide and Substitute Cleaner.

Mischel Tsoncheva was appointed by the Board as a full-time, 10-month School Psychology Intern for the 2026-27 school year at a salary of $37,000.

Tyler Morgan was appointed as a Bus Driver, pending completion of all requirements. Several substitutes were recently approved by the Board, as well, including Morgan, Camryn Hauptman, Sharon Rebmann, Kerrigan Driskell, Angelle Lippert, Nathan Zicari, Bridgette Caggiano, Camryn Hampton, and Emmalyn Brosious. Melissa Barnes will no longer substitute as a nurse.

The Board also passed a resolution to approve a unanimous joint agreement with Erie II BOCES pertaining to its Capital Project. The agreement requires approval by the Board of Education for each component school district.

The next regular meeting of the Forestville Board of Education will be on Thursday, June 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m.