The Patchogue-Medford Congress of Teachers would like to welcome over 50 new teachers to our union and school district. The pictures below are from the first day of the four day new teacher orientation all new teachers attended the week of August 27th, 2001. New teachers were greeted by Mr. Anthony DiClemente, Assistant Superintendant for Human Resources, Dr. Regina Cohn, Assistant Superintendant of Instruction and Jane Conetta, PMCT Union President. High School teacher Ms. Kelly Mendelson led the group in "Ice Breakers" in order for the new staff to meet each other and to give ideas for first day of school activities for the classroom.

Pictured below you will see many new teachers with their experienced teacher "BUDDIES". The buddy system is used to help new teachers learn all the in's and out's of each building.

The Union and the School District are dedicated to assisting the new staff in all aspects of their very important jobs. Seminars and meetings will be held all year to continue the support that is necessary to insure the success of these excited, dedicated teachers in their classrooms.








































































Gail Fiorelli
Caanan Elementary - Reading Recovery
M.A. Adelphi University
Teaching Experience - 9 years teaching in New York City, Bedford Sty., Brooklyn, Science, 4th grade and Reading Recovery, 3 years.
Interests - Travel, reading, & scrapbooking

Susan Winiarski
Canaan Elementary
School Media Specialist
B.A. English, St. Joseph's College, M.A. Lib. Science, C.W. Post - L.I.U.
Teaching Experience - This is Susan's first year!
Interests - - Reading, Traveling & Skiing

Jesseca Ericksen
Canaan Elementary
B.S. Adelphi University
Teaching Experience - This is Jesseca's first year!
Interests - Adelphi Women's Soccer Team, 2000 All Northeast Region, Coaching girls soccer at South Ocean Middle School

William DuBois
Canaan Elementary School, 1st Grade
B.A. Child Study, St. Joseph's College
Teaching Experience - Substitute Teacher, Pat-Med., Kindergarten Teacher, Sayville Summer School
Interests - Gardening, Reading

Kelly Lukemire
Eagle Elementary School, School Media Specialist
Queens College, M.A. Library Science with School Media Certification
Teaching Experience - Longwood Public Library, Librarian
Interests - Kelly loves spending time with her husband, son and dog.

Jamie Baum
Eagle Elementary School, First Grade Inclusion Teacher
University of Rhode Island
Teaching Experience - 4th Grade teacher's assistant in the Sachem School District
Interests - traveling, reading, exercising and spending time with friends and family

Bonnie DeFriest-Downs
Eagle Elementary School 3rd Grade Teacher
M.A. Special Education, Elementary Education and Reading, Dowling College
Teaching Experience - 12 years of teaching experience in pre-kindergarten, third grade, fifth grade in private and public school
Interests - Collecting books, baking and spending time with my children Zachary (4 1/2) and Emilee (15 months)

Kevin Luby
Eagle and Tremont Elementary School, Band/Music
B.M. Music Education, SUNY Fredonia and M.A. Fine Arts, /Stony Brook University
Teaching Experience - Junior High School, High School and Elementary School music
Interests - Golf, Jazz, wakeboarding, museums, and attending as many live concerts as possible

Jennifer Lankenau
Eagle Elementary School, 4th Grade
B.A. SUNY Oswego
Teaching Experience - 4th Grade in Raleigh, North Carolina for 3 years Interests - Horseback riding, softball

Marianne Wekene
Eagle Elementary School, Kindergarten
B.A. College of Mount Saint Vincent, Psychology
Teaching Experience - Student Teaching, PS 1 and PS 24, Bronx, New York, 3rd grade and Kindergarten
Interests -

Rebecca Jablonski
Eagle Elementary School, Kindergarten
B.A. University of Scranton, Science
Teaching Experience - Substitute teacher, Remensenburg & Speonk, Patchogue-Medford
Interests - The beach, reading, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, painting

Nancy E. Gladd
Eagle Elementary School, Medford Elementary School, Art
B.B.A./M.B.A/Teacher Certification Program, Dowling College
Teaching Experience - Business Teacher, Patchogue-Medford High School, Alternative High School and Summer School
Interests - Decorative Painting, Murals

Carrie Tuggey
Eagle Elementary and Barton Elementary
2nd grade and Remedial Reading
B.A. Kindergarten to 9th Grade, English, M.S. Reading
Teaching Experience - 7th Grade Vernon Sherrill Middle School, K-5 Remedial Reading, Ogdensburg Central School District
Interests - Outdoor activities, singing & reading

Faith Laichter
Barton Elementary School, Inclusion Kindergarten
B.A. Brooklyn College, M.A. Stony Brook
Teaching Experience - Marily Reichler Nursery School
Interests - Computers, Arts and Crafts

Karen Lociciro
Barton Elementary School, 4th Grade, Special Education Self Contained
B.A. SUNY Old Westbury, Elementary Special Education, dual certified
Teaching Experience - 6 years at The Center for Developmental Disabilities
Interests - Karen loves playing with her dogs, reading, sitting on the beach, oil painting and listening to music

Rececca Tyler
Barton Elementary School, Inclusion
M.S.E. Long Island University
Teaching Experience - Substitute Teacher - Patchogue-Medford, Student Teacher - Barton
Interests - Kickboxing, drawing, Health and Fitness, cooking, the beach

Angelina Rossano
Barton Avenue Elementary School, 4th Grade
Patchogue-Medford Graduate, 1996
B.A.-L.I.U., Southampton College
Teaching Experience - Reading - Barton Elementary School
Interests - Computers, reading

Keith Beebe
Barton Elementary School, 5th Grade
St. Joseph's College
Teaching Experience - Substitute Teaching
Interests - Volunteer Firefighter, computers, sports

Eileen Reese
Barton Elementary School, 1st Grade
B.A. Mount Saint Mary's, M.A. Dowiling
Teaching Experience - Substitute Teaching
Interests - Computers, reading

Stephanie Fallica
Barton Elementary School, 4th Grade
B.A. Saint Joseph's College
Interests - Photography, Crafts

Heather Hubert
Bay Elementary School, ESL
B.A. Dowling College, Elementary Education, M.S. St. John's University, English
Teaching Experience - PS 146, 4 years, Kindergarten, Howard Beach, Queens
Interests - Traveling, camping

Ryan Crabtree
River Avenue Elementary School, 2nd Grade
B.A. St. Joseph's College, Elementary Education and Special Education
Teaching Experience - Student Teaching
Interests - Athletics, art, guitar and teaching!

Denise Accardi
River Elementary School, Psychologist
SUNY Binghampton/Fordham University
Teaching Experience - Just Kids Diagnostic and Treatment Center - Evaluation coordinator/psychologist, 1989-2000
Interests - Professional Singer

Barbara Leuly
River Elementary School, 2nd Grade
Dowling College
Teaching Experience - 1st Grade, River Avenue Elementary School
Interests - Cooking

Paula Tito
Tremont Elementary School, Psychologist
B.A. SUNY Binghampton, M.S. Queens College
Teaching Experience - Greenport Public Schools, Psychologist, Internship, Huntington High School
Interests - Tennis, skiing, spending time with family and friends, spending time at the beach

Kristin McGrath
Tremont Elementary School, 1st Grade
B.S. University of Vermont, Elementary Education
Teaching Experience - Teaching Assistant, reading, South Manor School District
Interests - Skiing, boating, exercising, hiking, reading

Julie Gacek
Saxton - Math
B.S. Math SUNY Albany
Patchogue Medford High School Graduate
Teaching Experience - Teaching associates at Symbol Technologies telecommunications.
Interests - Volleyball, Golf, spending time with her two sons, planning and participating in charity events

Alexandra Vihrachoff
Saxton - 6th Grade
B.A. St. Joseph's College
Teaching Experience - This is my first year!!
Interests - Skiing, New York Yankees and shopping

Paula Passaro
Saxton - 6th Grade - Freshman Cheerleading Coach
B.A. SUNY Albany, M.A. Dowling College
Teaching Experience - Two years at P.S. 132 in Brooklyn, 6th grade.

Susan Riess
South Ocean Middle School - Math
B.A. Math St. Joseph's College
Interests - Travel, Golf

Michelle Reis
South Ocean and Saxton - Reading
B.A. SUNY Cortland and M.A. Dowling College
Teaching Experience - Two years at William Cowper Middle School
Interests - Travel, reading, computers and sports

Bethanne Salamone
South Ocean - Spanish
B.A. Dowling College, working on M.A. at SUNY Stony Brook
Teaching Experience - Three years at Kings Park High School, all levels of Spanish.
Interests - Reading, watching movies, fanatic about all things Spanish, love multicultural events and issues

Karen Volk
South Ocean - Psychologist
M.S. Queens College, M.B.A. - Adelphi University
Teaching Experience - Three years - Associatin for Children with Down Syndrome. Four years - East Islip Schools, Islip Terrace Junior High School
Interests - Skiing, Golf, Travel

Victoria Kennedy
South Ocean - English
B.A. SUNY Stony Brook - Patchogue-Medford HS Class of 1996
Teaching Experience - 8th Grade Leave Replacement - Saxton, 6th grade Leave Replacement, South Ocean
Interests - Reading and Computers

Laura Lupinacci
Saxton Middle School - Chorus Teacher
B.S. in Music Education from New York University
Interests - Singing, dancing, watching movies, Teaching!!

Jessica Smith
Saxton and Oregon - English
B.A. Binghamton University, M.S. Queens College
Teaching Experience - Substitute in Bellmore-Merrick Schools, 4 1/2 years as a Middle School English Teacher in MS226A, So. Ozone Park, Queens
Interests - Decorating, remodeling, painting, music, crafts

Debbie Carpluk
Oregon - PMLA - Remedial Math
Long Island University, SUNY Stony Brook, M.A.University
Teaching Experience - Substitute in the Patchogue-Medford School for eight years. I used this avenue in education to be able to stay home with my children until they were in school full time.
Interests - Two children, reading, biking, tennis, swimming

Christopher J. Angelora
Oregon - Math
B.S. Applied Mathematics - SUNY Stony Brook
Interests - Athletics, softball, football

Laura Klein
Oregon - 7th Grade Social Studies
B.B.A. Hofstra University, M.A. Adelphi University
Teaching Experience - Leave Replacement at Patchogue-Medford HS

Kristin Kirk Murphy
Oregon - 7th Grade Social Studies
Syracuse University
Teaching Experience - Teaching Assistant in Port Jefferson Schools

Kimberly Sanzone
High School - Biology and Chemistry
SUNY Stony Brook - B.S. and M.A. in Biology,
Teaching Experience - Stony Brook University Biology Labs and Biotechnology camp for 9-11th grade students.
Interests - Competitive Trail Riding, Hiking, Mountain Biking and Kayaking

Nicole Cush
High School - Mathematics
B.S. in Education - Penn State University, M.A. in Education - East Stroudsburg University
Teaching Experience - Four year in the Pocono Mountain School District
Interests - Computers and pottery

Ana Cristina Pimentel
High School - Spanish
SUNY Stony Brook
Interests - Reading, traveling, golf. She speaks three languages, Portuguese, Spanish and English.

Jennifer Titolo
High School - Library Media Specialist
M.A. Library and information Science, L.I.U, C.W. Post
Teaching Experience - English teacher for three years at West Babylon Schools
Interests - Travel, reading and creative writing

Kelly Eerland
High School - Biology
B.A. - Binghamton University
Teaching Experience - Permanent substitute at Riverhead Middle School. Substitute in PM Schools
Interests - Running for fitness/competition, biking, tennis and reading.

Beth Carstens
High School and Oreson - Math
B.A. and M. Ed. from University of Vermont
Teaching Experience - Two year of 8th grade math in Montpelier, Vermont
Interests - Music, rowing, travel, foreign languages

John M. Albert
High School and Saxton Social Studies
B.A. Binghamton University
Teaching Experience - Two years in New York City Schools 7th and 8th grade Social Studies
Interests - Wrestling (College competitor), and golf

Vincenza Vultaggio
High School Italian
B.A. Dowling College and M.A. from SUNY Stony Brook
Teaching Experience - Kings Park Schools - 3 years tenured, Floral Park H.S. - 2 years, Frank Carey High School - 1 year
Interests - Cooking, dancing, foreign films, music

For corrections, deletions or additions please email Kathy Bucaria at kbucaria@aol.com. It is very easy to add, delete or correct any information.