Group Donates Items for Hurricane Victims

Tables full of donated items brought by members of the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association filled a truck bound for hurricane victims Thursday, following the group's first meeting of the school year at the Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. 

Supt. Folse Speaks At First Meeting of Year

    Superintendent W. L. "Trey" Folse spoke to members of the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association (STRSEA) on Thursday, September 14, about the new initiatives for the School Year and student statistics for 2017-2018. For its first meeting of the School Year, the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association met at the David C. Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. Ninety-three persons attended.

Superintendent Trey Folse

    Introducing a new event this year, the association held a special breakfast for all new School System retirees to congratulate them on their retirement, told them briefly the benefits of becoming a member of STRSEA and extended an invitation to join the association.  To view pictures from the meeting, CLICK HERE.

New Retirees Standing To Be Recognized

Click image above to see Channel 13 video of the event. 

    The Treen Technology Center is located at 2024 Livingston Street in Mandeville.  The STRSEA meets regularly throughout the year to provide opportunities for retirees from the school system to hear about the important issues impacting local and state retirees and to enjoy fun and fellowship with new and former colleagues.  Meetings are generally on the second Thursday of September, November, December, March and May, including an annual Christmas party and spring luncheon.

                For a once-only fee of $45, the STRSEA offers a life-time membership that entitles members to vote on association matters, furnishes an identification card that allows St. Tammany members free admission to all home games at school system athletic events and provides a St. Tammany Advantage Rewards (STAR) card for discounts at participating local businesses and restaurants.

               The STRSEA is looking forward to a great year.  For more information, call President Roxanne Lagarde at 985-966-6166.  If present members have a new email address, please send the update to stpretirees@gmail.com.  Retirees may join the STRSEA at any regularly scheduled meeting or may send a check for $45 payable to STRSEA in care of STRSEA at Post Office Box 2992; Covington, Louisiana 70434.

Photos from the September Meeting

Here is a link to the photographs that were taken at the September 14 meeting at Treen Instructional Technology Center. 

CLICK HERE.

Spotlight on Donna and Tom Lusignan

 By Rhonda Chambers

September, 2017

 

     Donna retired in 2006 after serving 32 yrs. in public education.  She began her career in Jefferson Parish teaching 4th grade, but also taught 2nd grade and was a Title One Reading Lab instructor.  After moving to St. Tammany in 1985, she spent 21 years in various positions including RHT at Bonne Ecole, Counselor at Mandeville Middle and Woodlake Elem., and her final 12 years were at Honey Island as an Assistant Principal and then Principal.

     Tom began his teaching career in 1972 at Riverdale High in Jefferson Parish.  While there he taught Driver’s Ed, Free Enterprise, Civics, Financial Math, and both elementary and high school PE.  He was also an Athletic Trainer and Coach.  In 1994 he was hired at Northshore High as a Psychology teacher, Health Education teacher, athletic trainer and coach.  Three years later he accepted a position as Counselor and also remained the school’s Athletic Trainer.  Tom retired in 2010 after 38 years in education.

     Donna has chosen to lead a fulfilling second half of her life by volunteering in the Slidell area and becoming more involved with her church.  She is a life member of the Junior Auxiliary of Slidell, which is a women’s organization that provides service projects to meet the needs of children, families and the elderly in the community.  As a member of St. Luke’s Catholic Church, she has assisted with the school supply and Thanksgiving food drives, Project Christmas, and providing meals for families in need.  She is also participating in a weekly Bible Study group.  The Krewe of Selene Carnival organization will be a new adventure for Donna this year, and she’s excited about riding on a float during their Mardi Gras parade in Slidell.
 
     Working part-time for the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau is something that Donna looks forward to.  She works 6-8 conventions yearly, usually as a computer operator/cashier at attendee registration.  It’s a great opportunity to meet and talk with people from all over the world.
 
     Tom has chosen to lead a fulfilling second half of his life by volunteering for charitable events in the New Orleans area with one of his daughters.  He and Donna also enjoy traveling together.  They spend time at their beach condo on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach and their family fishing camp in Chauvin.  They also love to visit Gatlinburg.  Both love cruises and usually plan at least one a year.
     
     A typical day for Donna begins slowly, if possible, since she is not a morning person.  She enjoys a cup of coffee with a light breakfast while she checks her emails and Facebook.  She motivates herself to exercise or attend yoga classes at her local gym a few mornings a week.  Afternoons are busy with household chores, errands, and/or lunch with friends. Donna loves to cook so she and Tom enjoy dinner together at home on most weeknights.  Evenings are spent planning their next trip, watching HGTV, and reading before bedtime.
 
     Tom’s typical day begins with walking his dog, then eating a bagel with his coffee.  He catches up with the news by reading the local paper or an online news source.  After checking his emails, he gets ready to go to the health club for a two hour workout then maybe run a few errands.  He returns home for lunch then reads for a while.  He loves to read and can usually read one or two novels a week.  He enjoys books by Clive Cussler, David Baldacci, James Patterson, Lee Child, Stuart Woods or Robert Parker.  If needed, he does a few chores around the house and yard.  After dinner, he reads a little more or watches TV.  Occasionally, he will surf the internet.
     
     When asked their favorite place for breakfast Tom said that he enjoyed several restaurants, but their favorite place for breakfast is at home for Saturday morning bacon, eggs, and toast.  Tom and Donna started this tradition when they married 44 years ago, and it continues today.

     If they could live in any other location besides St. Tammany, they could see themselves living together on a tropical island.  Perhaps Maui or St. John in the Virgin Islands would be nice places to spend their retirement years!

     I asked if there was something that they couldn’t live without and Tom said, “Being able to exercise.”  He has been involved with athletics his whole life.  Donna’s answer was, “Something I could not live without is my family and friends. They keep me active and involved. There's no time to feel bored!”

Retired Teachers Group Holds Spring Luncheon

    The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association held its Spring Luncheon for 2017 on Thursday, May 11,with 58 people in attendance at the David C. Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. It was the group's final meeting of the school year. 

    New officers for the 2017-2018 year were sworn into office. They are returning President Roxanne Lagarde, Donna Harvin as President-Elect, Lyn Monteleone as First Vice President, Cheryl Beaver as Second Vice President, Renee Arsenault as Secretary and Ron Caruso was Treasurer. They were sworn into office by Renee Siccone, assistant director of the La. Retired Teachers Association.

     The winner of this year's $1000 educational scholarship winner is Jane Kathryn Burriss. She was presented with the check as her parents Keith and Fran Burriss looked on. Miss Burriss graduated from Northshore High last week with a 4.3 GPA and an ACT score of 31. She will attend Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond to major in Early Childhood Education. 

      The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association awarded its annual Lifetime Achievement Award to Bill Brugmann and its Retired Employee of the Year Award to Carolyn Brugmann. Jack Loup delivered the legislative report, telling about state bills that would provide for less testing and more teaching, as well the status of the TOPS funding 
bills. 

     Members brought a variety of food items, desserts and appetizers for the group to enjoy at the annual Spring Luncheon. A number of door prizes and other prizes were given away. 

The following photographs were taken at the Spring Luncheon meeting. Click on the images to make them larger.

 

Newly installed officers, from left, Treasurer Ron Caruso, First VP Lyn Monteleone, President-Elect Donna Harvin, Second VP Cheryl Beaver, Secretary Renee Arsenault, President Roxanne Lagarde and Renee Siccone, assistant director of the LRTA, who installed the 2017 slate of officials. 

 

Educational scholarship winner Jane Kathryn Burris, center, with Educational Scholarship Committee Chairman Tom Lusignan and President Roxanne Lagarde at left, and Fran and Keith Burriss at the right. 

 

 Bill Brugmann receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from Jack Loup, at right.

 

Roxanne Lagarde receives an LRTA Membership Award from Renee Siccone, LRTA Assistant Director, recognizing St. Tammany's achievement in having the Largest Number of Associate Members in the state in 2016. The award was originally made at the recent Spring Conference held by the LRTA.

 

Miss Burriss receives the scholarship check from Tom Lusignan.

Miss Burriss spoke briefly to the group about her career plans.

 

  

The St. Tammany Federal Credit Union, Humana and the Mandeville Bake Shop were all thanked for their continued support of the organization and its members. 

 

Donna Lusignan, at left, presents appreciation award to Ann, manager of Mandeville Bake Shop, for donating donuts for our September, November and March meetings. 

Memorial Ceremony for Deceased Members

Part of the final meeting of the year for the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association was a memorial ceremony for those members who had passed in the past year. 

 

  

 

Spotlight On Tassie Wahl

by Rhonda Chambers 
May, 2017

  After serving 36.5 years Tassie retired, in July 2011, from the Central Office as a Supervisor of Elementary Instruction.  Before that appointment she served as the founding principal of Cypress Cove Elementary in Slidell for 11 years.  Prior to that she had been an assistant principal, resource helping teacher,  taught kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade, and elementary art, and served as an independent evaluator for the state department of education.

 

Tassie Wahl

Tassie has chosen to lead a fulfilling second half of her life by immersing herself in a variety of activities that she had little time for while working.  Tassie and her husband Rob both love gardening, so in 2014 they completed the Master Gardener Program and volunteer with different projects.  She has been taking sewing, quilting and embroidery lessons to learn how to use her new sewing machine!  

She has taken up golfing with lessons and tries to go to the golf course once a week to practice.  She loves exercising at her local gym and attends yoga classes a couple of times a week.  Tassie loves to cook and is now growing her own herbs, and is having fun trying out lots of new recipes.  She volunteers at her church, making rosaries for soldiers each week, running the Thanksgiving Food Drive, and also volunteers with Project Christmas.  

She and her husband are enjoying traveling.  They just returned from a jazz festival in Florida and have a few more trips planned for the coming months.  The couple  have  two grandsons, Tyler, and new baby, Mason.  He has stolen their hearts! They try to visit them once a week in New Orleans.  Tassie and Rob have a camp on Black Creek in Hattiesburg, MS.  They love getting away on weekends, enjoying nature, gardening and just relaxing!

A typical day for Tassie begins with Rob and her walking their dog (really their granddog who has become theirs!).  Then she might participate in any of the various activities listed above.  She and Rob wind down at the end of the day by walking the dog again together, eating dinner, then watching a little television and maybe reading before retiring for the evening.

When asked what was the best thing she ate this week her reply was “I went to Jazz Fest and ate crawfish bread, crawfish remoulade and seafood stuffed mushrooms.  Yum!”

A St. Tammany experience would have to be the time she spends each week at Pinewood Golf Course trying to improve her game.

I asked her to name her favorite TV show.  Tassie loves to watch the cooking channel, especially on Saturday mornings.  Her favorite show is “The Kitchen”.  She also loves HGTV, and her favorite show is “Fixer Upper”.

Working With Apps Workshop Held

The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association offered a "Technology Workshop" on March 14th at the David C. Treen Center Instructional Technology Center Computer Lab.  Instructor Inkie Landry provided members information on choosing, installing and working with apps.

Here are some photographs. Click on them to make them larger. 

Members Hear Legislative Update

     On  Thursday, March 2, the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association (STRSEA) received a legislative update from Rodney Watson, Executive Director of the Louisiana Retired Teachers Association. His talk focused on potential changes to retiree benefits and proposed legislation of interest  to retirees. 

To view the Powerpoint presentation shown by Mr. Watson, click here to download.

 Left to right: Roxanne Lagarde, Rodney Watson, Marian Arrowsmith and Carolyn Brugmann. 

 

Several dozen members and active School System employees attended the meeting, which was held at the David C. Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. A slate of officers for 2017-1018 was adopted as nominated. New officers to be installed at the next meeting will be

President - Roxanne Lagarde

President Elect - Donna Harvin

First Vice President - Lyn Monteleone

Second Vice President - Cheryl Beaver

Secretary - Renee' Arsenault

Treasurer - Ronald Caruso.

The association will offer a "Technology Workshop" on March 14th at 10:00 am at the Treen Center Computer Lab.  Instructor Inkie Landry will provide members information on choosing, installing and working with apps.

The STRSEA meets regularly throughout the year to provide opportunities for retirees from the school system to hear about the important issues impacting local and state retirees and to enjoy fun and fellowship with new and former colleagues.  Meetings are generally on the second Thursday of September, November, December, March and May, including an annual Christmas party and spring luncheon. 

                    For a once-only fee of $45, the STRSEA offers a life-time membership that entitles members to vote on association matters, furnishes an identification card that allows St. Tammany members free admission to all home games at school system athletic events and provides a St. Tammany Advantage Rewards (STAR) card for discounts at participating local businesses and restaurants.

                   For more information, call President Roxanne Lagarde at 985-966-6166.  If present members have a new email address, please send the update to stpretirees@gmail.com.  Retirees may join the STRSEA at any regularly scheduled meeting or may send a check for $45 payable to STRSEA in care of STRSEA at Post Office Box 2992; Covington, Louisiana 70434.