STRSEA Installs Officers

The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association installed its new slate of officers for 2019-2020 at its recent meeting at the David C. Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Regina Sanford with the public school system visited with the group to deliver the oath of office to the incoming officers. She will be retiring next year and is looking forward to becoming a new member of the group.

From left to right, Dr. Regina Sanford, Eric Sacks, Lyn Monteleone, Roxanne Lagarde and Ron Caruso

Eric Sacks was sworn into office as the group's new president, Jack Loup was approved as the group's President-Elect, Lyn Monteleone returns as First Vice President, Cheryl Beaver was sworn in as Second Vice President, and Roxanne Lagarde remains as Secretary and Ron Caruso remains as Treasurer. 

First Vice President Lyn Monteleone reported that the group had added 52 members in the past year, now with a total of 844 members. Treasurer Ron Caruso reviewed financial matters over the past few months, noting that the St. Tammany Federal Credit Union had donated $500 to help cover the cost of the fish dinner being enjoyed for the Spring Luncheon.

Secretary Roxanne Lagarde gave her report, and Social chairmen Donna Lusignan and Tassie Wahl told about preparations for the Spring Luncheon. Legislative chairman Jack Loup and President Eric Sacks told about recent activity of interest to retired persons at the state legislature. They spoke about the proposed "hybrid" plan of pension funding and how it has failed in six other states that were experimenting with it. The group would prefer keeping the "defined benefit" plan as it is in the state teachers retirement funding.

Loup reported that sending emails and letters to legislator is effective in supporting or defeating various education bills.

He also announced the STRSEA had been awarded a special certificate from the LRTA at its recent Spring Conference. It bestowed upon the association an Associate Member Award in recognition for the largest number of Association Members. "We have the largest number of associate members than any parish group in the state," he said. 

STRSEA Holds Spring Luncheon

The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association held its annual Spring Luncheon on Thursday, May 9, 2019, with fun, door prizes, and a silent auction which delighted many members with unexpected bargains.

The meeting took place at the Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville, a facility of the St. Tammany Parish Public School System, from which members in attendance had retired. 

Donna Harvin conducted the meeting, welcoming those present and emceeing the presentation of the various officer and committee reports. Bill Brady gave the invocation, Tom Lusignan led the Pledge of Allegiance, and reports were given by Lynn Monteleone, First Vice President; Ron Caruso, treasurer; and Secretary Roxanne Lagarde.  

Jack Loup, legislative chairman

Jack Loup, legislative chairman, and Incoming president Eric Sacks gave a detailed legislative report, particularly on efforts by some state legislators to change the way retirement pensions are funded. They were glad to report that a proposal to move away from the "defined benefits" method of funding pensions had been defeated. 

Here are some pictures of the event:

A representative from Humana was on hand to provide requested information.

The Spring Luncheon began with appetizers, then went on to a delicious fish dinner accompanied by a variety of side dishes brought by members.

Joining his colleagues for lunch was Abita Springs Opry celebrity Bryan Gowland.

A number of donated items were auctioned off to help raise funds for the group's education scholarship fund. The silent auction was first held last year and proved to be one of the group's most popular activities.

Awarding special door prizes was another fun event.

Secretary Roxanne Lagarde, at right, welcomed special guest Rosemary Foster.

Margaret Sharp not only won the "split the pot" drawing....

She also read her monthly Spotlight article, this month's being about  Rodney Thornhill.

The St. Tammany Federal Credit Union not only contributed to the fish dinner for the Spring Luncheon, but it also distributed a number of prizes in its regular drawings held at STRSEA meetings. 

Parked outside the meeting hall was the Credit Union's new mobile office.

Inside

Outside

STRSEA Presents Awards

The top two member recognition awards for 2018-2019 were presented by the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association Thursday, May 9, at the group's annual Spring Luncheon. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lyn Monteleone, who as served as First Vice President for the past several years. 

Rhonda Chambers, at left, presenting Lyn Monteleone with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Dr. John Foster Service Award went to Ron Caruso, who has served as treasurer of the group for the past several years. 

Caruso, show above at right, was presented the award by Rosemary Foster, wife of the late Dr. John Foster.

Educational Scholarship Awarded

Sara Kreemer, a recent graduate of Slidell High, was awarded this year's educational scholarship by the St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association recently. She will attend Southeastern Louisiana University and major in special education. She is shown receiving a check from Tom Lusignan, scholarship chairman.

She is the daughter of Richard and Margaret Kreemer. 

In Memoriam Ceremony Held

The St. Tammany Retired School Employees Association held its traditional annual "In Memoriam" Ceremony on Thursday, May 9, at the Treen Instructional Technology Center in Mandeville. 

President Donna Harvin conducted the ceremony, with several members helping to place a rose in a special memorial vase, one rose in remembrance of each member who has passed on in the past year.

The names of those being remembered were Carol Aswad, Mary Candiotto, Patricia S. Dickinson, Emma Ruth Dubuisson, Hodge Kiffer, Sheila S. MacArthur, Francis L. Madison, Ollie Fitzmorris McGillivary, Nancy B. Reed, Albert Saucier, and George C. Thomas. 

Spotlight on Rodney Thornhill

by Margaret Sharpe

When I first asked Grover Rodney Thornhill if he would like to be the subject of the next Spotlight on a Retired Educator article, he responded with “Who, me?  I’m just a boring teacher from Sixth Ward!”

Even though I have known Rodney for years in a professional capacity, I assumed from his response that he was indeed from Sixth Ward and had taught there all of his teaching career until his retirement in 2013.  

Well, I was wrong on so many levels!

First, I found out quickly that Rodney does not live in Sixth Ward, and he is not boring!  How could someone whose father worked for an airline and flew his son all over the United States to attend major league baseball games grow up to be boring?  Not your typical father-son weekend outing!

Rodney actually grew up in New Orleans, attended Mater Dolorosa Catholic School, was a Rummel High Raider and then graduated from Loyola.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Rodney’s first job while he was working his way through college was at Moisant Airport in New Orleans working for Continental Airlines in Operations, specifically in Weights and Balances among other areas.  

Eventually, Rodney became a salesman, trying to support a young family and help his wife finish her nursing degree. He soon discovered that he was NOT cut out to be a salesman!

When Rodney’s wife Sandy began her career as a Nurse Practitioner, Rodney was able to work towards becoming a teacher, getting first his Master’s and then a Specialist Degree in Administration at Southeastern Louisiana College.

During these busy years, Rodney and Sandy were happily raising three children who all proudly graduated from Mandeville High School. Their oldest daughter Alison grew up to become an Army Nurse, retiring from the military as a major after 23 years.  She also has become a Nurse Practitioner like her mother and is now the mother of a 10-year-old daughter named Parker who attends Mandeville Middle School.  

Rodney and Sandy also had twins Jennifer and Jeffery.  Jennifer, a Speech Pathologist and her husband Kevin are raising three children:  Olivia, 13, who goes to Mandeville Junior High, Amelia, 10, who attends Tchefuncte Middle School and Eli, 5, who is a preschooler. 

The other twin, Jeffery, who was a Marine for five years, is married to Melissa.  They have two daughters:  Caroline, 11, and Lily, 8.  Both girls attend Lancaster Elementary.  From memory, Rodney was able to tell me the names, ages, and schools that all of his grandchildren attend since he can often be found in after-school bus lines picking up those grandchildren.  

In fact, he was ready to tell me all of their teachers’ names as well!  It is obvious he is proud of his family and loves each one of them dearly.

Rodney’s first teaching assignment was at Catherine Strehle Elementary School in Avondale where he taught sixth grade and was the only male on the faculty!  Although living in New Orleans, he lobbied Mr. Jabbia to give him a chance in St. Tammany Parish.  

While visiting Sixth Ward Junior High School, he fell in love with the little country K-8 school in Pearl River and landed the job as a teacher at Sixth Ward, moving his family to their home in River Forest Subdivision where they lived for 25 years.  Eventually, Rodney served as RHT for 3 years and assistant principal for five years at Sixth Ward Elementary.  His students knew him affectionately as “Mr. T.”  

But now, when not acting as Uber driver for his grandchildren, Mr. T can be found at the gym near his home in Madisonville.  Sandy is currently working part-time so they have found themselves going back and forth redecorating their vacation home in Destin, Florida.  That is, when they are not traveling around the globe!  

Last year they took 4 of their grandchildren on a memorable trip to Paris, Venice and Florence!  Last month, Rodney and Sandy took a river cruise to Amsterdam, Germany and Switzerland.  And in a few days, they will be leaving for Ireland!

When I asked Rodney what he misses most about his years as an educator, he said it was the socialization with people every day.  It is obvious that he loves people and lives by his own motto:  Let life come to me!

Grover Rodney Thornhill is living his life to the fullest with a family he loves and a wonderful, carefree attitude.  No, Mr. T is not a boring teacher from a little country school.  He has places yet to go and people yet to meet!