Spring Luncheon Attracts Over 50 Members

The annual Spring Luncheon extravaganza held by the STRSEA brought out more than 50 members for a great meal of fried catfish, appetizers, salads, sandwiches and desserts galore.

The meeting featured a variety of guest speakers, presentation of annual awards, and the popular "split the pot" and Credit Union door prizes. 

Outgoing President Roxanne Lagarde, left, presents the gavel to Incoming President Donna Harvin.

Dr. John Foster Service Award

Roxanne Lagarde was honored with the Dr. John Foster Service Award, the first time it was presented. She was given the award by Board Member Bill Brady. 

Rosemary Foster, widow of the late Dr. Foster, was on hand to witness the presentation of the award, as were two of his sons. 

Lifetime Achievement Award

This year's Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by Bill Brugmann, at left below, to Rhonda Chambers.

Rhonda Chambers with the Lifetime Service Award

In Memoriam

The association also remembered its members who had passed away in the previous year. A rose was placed in a memorial vase by members, each one recognizing the contributions made by those who had departed. 

Those recognized in the Memorial Service were Dr. John Foster, Cliff Brown, Patricia Arsenault, Dennis Sharp, Janet Zeldon, Belinda Levy, Bill Ferrer, Mary Ferrer, Hank Ferrer and Jack Salter. 

"We believe that our joys will be greater, our love will be deeper, and our lives will be fuller because we have shared the world with these wonderful members of our St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association," Lagarde stated. A moment of silence paid tribute to those colleagues and dedicated educators.

In other meeting activities, Ron Caruso gave the treasurer's report and Renee Arsenault gave the secretary's report. Both were adopted by the membership. Ms. Arsenault was thanked for her years of service as the group's secretary. 

Roxanne Lagarde congratulated Jack Loup for winning recognition at the spring LRTA conference by receiving the District III Foundation Leadership Award.

Lagarde also reported that at the LRTA Spring Conference the local association had won a certificate signifying the honor of having the top number of Associate Members in LRTA in the state.

The meeting featured tables full of good things to eat and time for members to visit with each other and the special guest speakers. 

The final meeting of the school year was highlighted by the drawings held for Split the Pot, and door prizes by the St. Tammany Federal Credit Union. 

Miss Jeffrey Wins Scholarship

Educational Scholarship Chairman Tom Lusignan announced the winner of this year's $1000 scholarship during the May 10th Spring Luncheon in Mandeville. Recent Pearl River High School graduate Lauryn Rose Jeffrey was presented with the scholarship. She will be attending Southeastern Louisiana University majoring in early childhood education. 

Lauryn Rose Jeffrey

Both of Lauren's parents are school board employees, bus drivers, said Tom. 

"Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity," Lauryn told the assembled retired teachers. "It is an honor to be chosen for this scholarship." 

Eight applications had been received for scholarship consideration. 

Tom presents the scholarship check.

Peggy Sharpe, at left,  congratulates Lauryn and her mother Jill for the scholarship award. 

Members Hear Updates, Officers Installed

The annual Spring Luncheon held by the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association took place on Thursday, May 20, 2018, with several guest speakers, reports, and special presentations. 

Among the speakers were Rodney Watson, Executive Director of the Louisiana Retired Teacher Association, and Dr. James Taylor of the TRSL Board of Trustees. Mayor Don Villere of Mandeville gave a welcoming address.

Watson also performed the swearing in of this year's new slate of officers.

From right to left in the above photo are Rodney Watson, incoming President Donna Harvin, Incoming President-elect Eric Sacks, First Vice President Lyn Monteleone, Second Vice President Cheryl Beaver, Secretary Roxanne Lagarde and Treasurer Ron Caruso. 

Watson spoke about recent legislative concerns and the success that resulted when retired teachers from around the state, especially those in St. Tammany Parish, let their voices be heard, taking an active part in opposing bills that were counter-productive to retirement programs. 

Dr. James Taylor spoke about some of the key issues vital to the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) and its pension plan funding and continued success. 

Mayor Don Villere shared his overview of the positive impacts that schools and school families have on a successful community, especially around the end of school and also at the beginning of school years. 

Greeting the guest speakers as they arrived were, from left, President Roxanne Lagarde, Dr. James Taylor, STRSEA Board Member and Legislative Committee Chairman Jack Loup, Mayor Don Villere, and past STRSEA President Marian Arrowsmith. 

Outgoing President Roxanne Lagarde thanked Rodney Watson of the LRTA for his continued efforts to protect retiree interests at the state level keeping the local members informed of their group's progress. 

Dr. Taylor spoke on a variety of subjects of importance to the retirement system.

Rodney Watson visited with Rosemary Foster during the event

Silent Auction Success

The first silent auction conducted by the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association was held Thursday, May 10, at the group's Spring Luncheon at the David Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. 

The money raised from the auction proceeds will go into the organization's Scholarship Fund, which enables the group to award a $1000 scholarship annually to a deserving educational major who plans to attend an in-state college.

Several dozen items were placed in the auction, and members enjoyed looking them over, writing in a bid, and collecting their treasures when, at the end of the meeting, it was announced that they had won the bidding for the items. 

Items ranged from books and flowers to wine and decorative items. There were a number of bird houses as well. Here are some photographs of the items that were featured in the silent auction. 

Officer Installation Set For May 10

    The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association (STRSEA) will meet on Thursday, May 10, at 11 a.m. for its annual Installation of Officers meeting, the final meeting of the school year. Rodney Watson, Director of Louisiana Retired Teachers Association (LRTA), will be the guest speaker, bringing the group up-to-date on state legislation and retirement issues of importance, as well as swearing in the new officers.

The meeting will feature a Pot Luck luncheon, with a social time beginning at 10:30 a.m. for members to greet each other and catch up with the news over the past few months. Members are welcome to bring appetizer, salad, casserole or dessert.

The winner of this year's Student Scholarship award will be named and presented with a check. Persons to be sworn into office for the coming year include Donna Harvin - President; Eric Sacks - President Elect; 1st VP- Lyn Monteleone; 2nd VP - Cheryl Beaver; Secretary - Roxanne Lagarde and Treasurer - Ron Caruso

A silent auction will be a new feature to the luncheon.  Members are asked to donate an item for the silent auction which proceeds will support the Student Scholarship Fund.

The event will take place at the David C. Treen Instructional Technology Center, 629 Lafitte St, Mandeville.

 Roxanne Lagarde, association president, said, "“Part of our STRSEA mission is to bring our membership relevant programing and information that may contribute to and enhance their lives in retirement.  We hope that many of our members can join us for our scholarship presentation and installation of new officers.”

     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 about this organization, 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

Spotlight On Donna Harvin

by Rhonda Chambers

Donna Harvin retired in 2015 with 35 years in education.  Her educational career began in 1980, in Jefferson Parish, where she taught Special Education for five years prior to starting her family.  

Donna Harvin

Being a lover of the educational process, after graduating, she immediately continued her college career, eventually earning additional certifications, as well as, a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Orleans.  In search of a piece of the “good life”, she and her husband decided to move to the Northshore in 1993; where they raised their two sons.

Donna’s career in St. Tammany Parish included teaching Special Ed at Abita Junior High, serving as RHT and Assistant Principal at Fontainebleau Junior High, and ended her career after ten years in the leadership arena as founding Principal of Monteleone Junior High.

She has chosen to lead a fulfilling second half of her life by fulfilling a lifetime goal of working with some of the greatest minds in education through the National Institute of School Leadership in Washington, D.C.  While there she served on the Executive Committee and was State Coordinator for Principal and Supervisor Training here in Louisiana.  

Donna participates as a board member of Baskets of Hope, a charitable organization serving hospitalized children across southeast Louisiana.  She spends time with her live-in parents and enjoys a by-monthly prayer group with some of the most beautiful ladies she has ever met.

I asked Donna about a typical day in her life, and she said that there was no such day in her retirement life thus far, as she finds herself just as busy as she was in her work world. 

Donna and her husband start each day with coffee on their patio and an hour at the gym or walking either at the lakefront or in their neighborhood.  She enjoys her hobbies of sewing, quilting, crocheting, gardening, and reading.  The couple also enjoys spending time at their condo in Florida.

Her family is her most beautiful and prized possession.  In addition to two wonderful sons, Donna has three amazing step children and two step grandchildren.  Her youngest son is extending their family by marrying the love of his life this summer, and her oldest son and his beautiful wife will have their first child two months later.  As though not already blessed enough, she and her husband are parents to the sweetest four-year-old shi zu who doesn’t know that she is a canine!

When asked if she were the Governor what would she do Donna replied, “I would persuade our legislators to pass an irrevocable law to protect our teacher’s retirement system, while balancing the state’s budget without cutting any programs.  We would capitalize on our unlimited natural resources, oil production, tourism and making Louisiana the new South Hollywood!”

This month we are spotlighting our incoming President for the 2018-19 year.  We wish her the best as she takes the reins on July 1st.

STRSEA Members Win Recognition at LRTA Conference

The STRSEA won outstanding recognition at the recent Louisiana Retired Teachers Association (LRTA) Spring Conference held in Alexandria, LA, in late April. Jack Loup, at right, won the District III Foundation Leadership Award, and Roxanne Lagarde, president of the STRSEA, at left, holds the certificate naming the local group as having the top number of Associate Members in LRTA in the state. They are both congratulated by LRTA Director, Rodney Watson, center.