Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association

Retirees’ Dinner

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Royal Vancouver Yacht Club 3811 Point Grey Road

Vancouver, BC

6:00 Reception

7:00 Welcome & Dinner

8:00 Retirees’ Group Photo

8:15 Greetings from VSTA & BCTF

Introductions and presentations

Britannia

Churchill

Gladstone

Hamber

John Oliver

Killarney

Kitsilano

Magee

Prince of Wales

Templeton

Thompson

Tupper

University Hill

Vancouver Technical

Windermere

VSTA

Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association

Retirees’ Dinner

O n behalf of the Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association, welcome to the 2013 Retirees’ Dinner. We are honoured to celebrate with you the closing of your teaching career and the opening of a new chapter of your life.

Tonight, on behalf of the countless number of students you have

taught, we thank you for your undaunted professionalism, diligence,

nurturing, patience, and occasional pushing and prodding. Thank you

for all of the numerous tasks you have done beyond the 8:30 to 3:15

window: planning lessons, marking papers and exams, preparing

interims and report cards, meeting with parents, working on

committees, coaching teams and sponsoring clubs, organizing field

trips, and so much more. Most undoubtedly, it was your willingness

to do more that made school such a positive and supportive place for

the many, many students who had the great fortune of moving

through your care.

We also acknowledge and thank you for your ongoing commitment to

protecting and ensuring a quality public education system. The

leadership you have demonstrated during the better part of the past

thirty years has had a profound impact on the teaching profession. As

a direct result of your collective efforts, significant gains were made in

enhancing the rights of teachers, including the right to bargain. Your

advocacy has made a difference and has helped pave the way for

successive generations of teachers.

As you close your classroom door for the last time, remember the

many fond memories of the past while simultaneously looking

forward to the travels, experiences, and endeavours for which you

now have time. On the first Tuesday in September, savour that second

cup of coffee, secure in the knowledge that you are free from

meetings and bells. Simply put, it is your time to relax. Put your feet

up, indulge in a good book, and enjoy!

The 1500 members of the VSTA extend our congratulations and best

wishes for the coming years. We salute the graduating class of 2013.

Debbie Pawluk President

Retiring Vancouver Secondary Teachers

Marlene Bilesky

Cheryl Bird

Mary-Jo Campbell

Lily Chew

Paul Comeau

Brian den Hertog

Eileen Ellis

Karen Fitzsimmons

Bruce Gillespie

Pierre Grenier

Yayoi Hewett

Monika Hoffman

Margaret Hogan

Cheryl Hoover

Gregg Hurst

David Johnston

Wendy Johnston

Margaret Kalaski

Gena Kolson

Arnie Kucherhan

Rod Lal

Rebecca Lee

Steve Lott

Bill Lum

William McGillivray

Margaret Murphy

Kathie Orchard

Almas Rahemtulla

Doreen Rickbeil

Judith Robson

Michael Schulte

Kathleen Siemens

Georg Tylor

Shaun van der Hoop

Frank van Soldt

Marli Wakeling

Debra Wannamaker

Joanne Windsor

Ina Winterburn

Shirley Wong

Maryjanne Yusyp

Phil Zibin

Marlene Bilesky 37 yrs experience Vancouver Technical, Tupper, Kitsilano, Killarney, TOC

Grateful for my 37 years of teaching. I have worked with so many incredible staff and students. Won’t miss a 10 year contract. Don’t try to understand everything, because sometimes it is not meant to be understood but to be accepted.

Cheryl Bird 24 yrs experience Templeton, John Oliver, Thompson, Windermere, West Vancouver

Highlight: Helping Sergio, who had autism, pass EN 12 & COM 12 exams. Enjoyed stu-dents whose phones were supposed to be off suddenly shout out bulletins like “Canada got a Gold in Ski Cross” during 2010 Olympics. Will miss students & colleagues. Won’t miss Monday mornings and single ply toilet tissue.

Mary-Jo Campbell 42 yrs experience Britannia (8J-9J)

A most memorable highlight of my 42 years in teaching came in April, 1995 when, as the founder of 8J-9J which pioneered alternative schools in BC, I was nominated as a recipient for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Education.

Karen Fitzsimmons 33 yrs experience Killarney, .5 yrs in Brampton, ON

Fond farewells to this most rewarding career... & a big YAY! out of school for the first time since I was 6. Looking forward to living the moments as they come.

Bruce Gillespie 35 yrs experience Hamber, Point Grey, Point Grey Mini, Prince of Wales, University Hill

Highlights: winning Sr. Boys Rugby Champion-ship in 1981 with PG and taking them to England, Wales & Ireland; working with many fine teachers and polite, positive, motivated, young students. Plans: relax and enjoy the time off with my wife.

Yayoi Hewett 19 yrs experience Prince of Wales, Tupper

My future plans are travels to visit new and old places from Hawaii, Japan, Europe, and North and South America to places in Canada.

Monika Hoffmann 23 yrs experience Thompson, 3 yrs in Switzerland

I loved teaching at David Thompson. Then I had to adjust to being legally blind. My network of DT friends continues to be incredibly important.

Cheryl Hoover 15.5 yrs experience Kitsilano, Hamber, 4 yrs in Alberta

I look forward to drinking coffee and reading the morning newspaper...eating lunch at noon, not at 3:30 pm when all the dust clears. Cheers! Loved the job!

Gregg Hurst 34 yrs experience Churchill, TOC

Gregg, being a music teacher for all of his career, plans to continue working as a professional musician in the lower mainland.

David Johnston 31 yrs experience Tupper, TOC

Highlight: 5 grad classes, especially 2001. Plans to retire to Thailand. Will miss the students. Won’t miss the sign in at the front counter. “A success is a person who puts more into the world than he takes out”...George Bernard Shaw.

Wendy Johnston 33 yrs experience John Oliver, Churchill, Career Programs Consult-ant, Prince of Wales, John Oliver, Windermere

The day to day conversations with students are what I will miss most after retirement. My future plans are to relax and travel.

Margaret Kalaski 37 yrs experience Hamber

Have taught PE, EN, SS, Skills and Earth Sc, developed district programs for the gifted and worked closely with students with learning challenges. Plans: Europe, coaching with UBC and National team, establish business working with children in the private system. Stock trading will also continue to consume her.

B. Gena Kolson 36 yrs experience Kitsilano, Bayview Community School, 8 others in 4 different districts

Almost all of the good things that have happened to me in the last 36 years have happened because I was a teacher. With thanks, Gena.

Arnie Kucherhan 35 yrs experience Prince of Wales

Highlights: associating with many interesting and unique individuals. Won’t miss early morning commutes from N. Delta and Christie Clark’s confrontational approach to education. More travel, more recreational time & golf in south Okanagan, mountain biking & hiking with our two golden retrievers.

Rebecca Lee 24 yrs experience Magee

Highlight: Student Exchange Trip to Shanghai, China; surprise retirement farewell celebration in Magee’s rotunda.

Will miss the students. Won’t miss the marking. Looking forward to first Tuesday in September.

Bill Lum 36 yrs experience Vancouver Technical

William McGillivray 22 yrs experience Churchill

Kathie Orchard 26 yrs experience Vancouver Technical, Churchill, Killarney, Templeton, South Delta, Tsawwassen, and Ontario

I came to teaching late and was very glad that I made the switch from banking. The energy and excitement in a school is amazing, and it is the part I will miss the most.

I will miss the students. By grade 12, I have had many of the students for 5 years. I will miss their enthusiasm. I hope to come up with a bucket list that includes something more exciting than variegated socks and cleaning out the garage. Maybe volunteering with Doctors Without Borders.

Kathy Siemens 25 yrs experience Britannia, Windermere

Shaun van der Hoop 33 yrs experience VSTA, Thompson, John Oliver, Magee, Hamber

I have been a TTOC, a temporary teacher, and a continuing teacher in several schools. I have also spent the last 7 years working at the VSTA office. It has been very satisfying and rewarding, and although it is cliché, I will miss my colleagues and most of the kids.

Frank van Soldt 28 yrs experience Gladstone, Abbotsford

Plan to see all the great museums in the world, renovate our 1911 home, improve my fitness, learn to cook, take a variety of courses and buy and sell antiques. Will miss being surrounded by the energy of youth.

Marli Wakeling 37 yrs experience Windermere, King George, John Oliver, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Churchill, TOC

My future plans include travelling to remote areas of the world to scuba dive and photograph rare and new species of marine animals.

Debra Wannamaker - yrs experience Templeton

Joanne Windsor 33 yrs experience Killarney, TOC

Highlights: Too many to list but having a schol-arship in my name is worth mentioning. Plans: relax, travel, enjoy being able to do what I want at anytime. Will miss the kids, coaching, suc-cesses. Won’t miss the politics and the funds that don’t make it to the school level.

Ina Winterburn 26 yrs experience Britannia, Vancouver Technical, Oak Bay Senior (Victoria)

Shirley Wong 22 yrs experience Windermere, Point Grey, Britannia, Churchill

“Life is all about the journey....” Happiness is educational globetrotting! In the future I want to continue to “dream with my eyes wide open”. Thank you everyone!

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying GOODBYE so hard.” A.A. Milne

Philip Zibin 28 yrs experience John Oliver, Gladstone

Highlight: Seeing my students design and build an amplifier. Plans: fishing, gardening, travel. Will miss seeing my students learning and advancing in their lives. Won’t miss the politics in the school. Favourite anecdote: Seeing someone’s project smoking and saying “you broke it!”

Staff & Committee Representatives Rick Appel

June Arnett

Suman Bains

Marc Barre

Lee Bensted

Leo Boissy

Rob Bordon

Lise Breault

Margaret Brooks

Bonnie Burnell

Holly Chalmers

Greg Chan-Henry

Melanie Clay-Smith

Henny Coates

Renee Diemert

Pat Douglas

Cindy Dudra

Eileen Edwards

Jody Findlay

Lisa Ford

Iqbal Gill

Kelley Grant

Beth Greer

Dan Hale

Kelly Hawbolt

Sue Inglis

Aurelia Jacob

Heather Jensen

Ros Kellett

Stephanie Koropatnick

Fred Lackmance

Anthony Larock

Brian Latimer

Kim Leary

Grace Lee

Michael Louie

Phoebe MacMillan

Jillian Maguire

Jason Mark

Jacob Martens

Peter McLennan

Jolene Mergens

Raymond Moy

Janet Nicol

Bodo Niek

Chris Nordli

Denise North

Nancy Palejko

Bal Panesar

Eleanor Pang

Celeste Pante

Judy Payne

Petr Pospisil

Gary Regan

Chris Renwick

Christopher Rozitis

Bruce Russell

Anne Sander

Steve Scrimshaw

Shirlene Shelfontiuk

Karla Smedley

Leo Strong

John Thomson

Paulina Tin

Wendy Waller

Mike Warrington

Brad White

Chris Wong

Special Guests and Members of the Executive Bill Bargeman

Jim Gill

Anne Guthrie Warman

Jim Iker, BCTF

Doug Kearney, BCTF

Irene Lanzinger

Chris Moon

Rory Brown

Moira Ekdahl

Mary Filleul Darren Gock

Govan Keng

Phil Lee

Stephanie Lemmon

Brin MacIntyre

Susan McIntosh

Sylvia Metzner

Trish Mugford

Lisa Pacheco

Debbie Pawluk

John Silver

Terry Stanway

Christine Stewart

Shaun van der Hoop

Vice Commodore’s Dinner Buffet

Mixed Greens, Caesar Salad, Quinoa Salad,

Roasted Vegetables, Couscous Salad, Greek Salad, Beet Salad,

Pasta Salad, Marinated Mushrooms, Asparagus Salad

Smoked Salmon Platter, Baby Shrimp, King Prawns,

European Charcuterie Platter

Chicken Breast with Hunter Sauce

BC Salmon with Beurre Blanc

Farfalle Pasta, Fresh Cream and Herb Sauce

Seasonal Vegetables, Roasted Potatoes, Brown Rice

CARVING STATION

Roasted Top Sirloin with Red Wine Sauce and Dijon Mustard

Medallion of Chicken Breast with Pearl Onions and Pancetta

Salmon Filet with a Citrus Cream Sauce

Imported and Domestic Cheeses

Fresh Fruit

Cakes, Pies, Cheesecakes, Tortes and Pastries

Freshly Brewed Barista Coffees and Imported Teas