June 2022

Volume 14, Issue 3

Published by the Oceanside Federation of Teachers:

Affiliated with the NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS, AFT/AFL-CIO
“YOUR CHILD...OUR PRIORITY”

The Award Winning Newsletter of the Oceanside Federation of Teachers

The “Blip”
By Rob Pittman, OFT President, #9M
For the MCU (Marvel Comic Universe) fans out there, it has been two years since the “blip.” I
am certainly not making light of the challenges and losses so many of us have experienced, but
glad we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
On May 24th, our union had its first OFT party since May 2019. It was amazing! The OFT of-
ficers were a little nervous whether we would get our pre “blip” party numbers after so much time, but we
were pleased that attendance peaked at just over two hundred members. Members from all schools were pre-
sent and OFT members including aides, teachers, teacher assistants, PPS, security, nurses, and others from pre
-k through high school came out to celebrate. Good food, friends, music, prizes and dancing led to a great
time for everyone. Check out the pictures in this issue. Many more pictures are available on our OFT website
(www.oceansideteachers.org) and Facebook pages.
Many people contributed to the success of our party: Our OFT party organizer, Erica Chasan; secretary Amy
Brown-Rand; the many OFT reps and members who sought out prize donations from stores, and those who
contributed to their building’s raffle baskets. Many people had a hand in making our party happen.

We had our usual member benefits area in the lobby. There was a NYSUT member benefits rep, our Aflac
insurance agent, a VOYA retirement agent, and a few others ready to provide information for valuable ser-
vices for our members. Each of these service providers also donated gifts which added to our raffle prizes.

Our OFT party serves so many purposes for our union. It is the one time of year for our members to join to-
gether and celebrate each other and our union as a whole. It also serves as a fundraiser for the OFT’s college
scholarship fund. It is one of the numerous ways that the OFT and its members give back and support the
Oceanside community of which we are an integral part. This year, at the high school awards ceremony, the
OFT is presenting one-thousand dollar scholarships to each of three amazing seniors--three students we all
had a hand in educating. Lastly, the OFT party is a time for us to honor and congratulate our retirees. This
year we honored three groups of retirees: OFT class of 2020, 2021 and 2022. Check out their pictures in this
issue.

As our year ends and summer approaches, I wish you all a relaxing, productive, and fun vacation. We are for-
tunate to have this time. Please take time to review items we often ignore. Review your retirement profile on
NYSTRS, make and/or review your will, meet with a financial advisor to make any necessary adjustments to
your investments including your 403(b), update beneficiaries on all accounts particularly if you are recently
married, divorced, or had children. But most importantly, take time for you and your family and enjoy every
second of the summer.

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President: OFT Officers Affiliates Vice President:
Rob Pittman, #9M 2021-2022 Tom Morreale, #7
rpittman@oceansideschools.org tmorreale@oceansideschools.org

Executive Vice President: Secretary:

Donna Gales, #2 Amy Brown-Rand, #9M
dgales@oceansideschools.org abrownrand@oceansideschools.org

Elementary Vice President: Treasurer:

Jen Whyte, #9E Sue Tantleff, #7
jwhyte@oceansideschools.org stantleff@oceansideschools.org

Middle School Vice President: Membership and Welfare:

Mike Demarco, #9M Vicki Trum, #5
mdemarco@oceansidechools.org vtrum@oceansideschools.org

High School Vice President:

Gavin Kalner, #7
gkalner@oceansideschools.org

OFT Additional Positions

OFT Times Co-Editors-in-Chief: Jeanmarie Johnson, #9M and Brian Weinstein, #9M
Eyeglass Coordinator: Kristine Ryan -ofteyeglassvoucher@gmail.com
Grievance Chair: Frank Nappi, #7 VOTE COPE Coordinator: Amanda Iemma, #9E
Public Relations/Outreach: Christine Blake-Jeremias, #8
New Teacher Coordinator: Stephanie Bragman, #9M
Maternity Leave Specialist: Heidi Burns, #8 Webmaster: Stephen Melish, #9M

OFT Affiliate Representatives

Administrative Assistants: Victoria Ramalho, #9M Monitors: Laurie Denson, #3
Nurses: Sharon Hughes, #2 and Mary Beth Murphy, #7 Security: Leo Bonacasa, #7
Teacher Aides: Susanne Cavale, #9E, Stacey Formont, #6, Donna Fulgieri, #7,
Andrea Johnson, #9M , Roe Palette, #7, Michele Worley, #6
Pre-K: Maria Cantone and Christina Peruffo, #6 Eyeglass Coordinator: Susanne Cavale, #9M
OFTRC (OFT Retirees): oftrcmail@gmail.com Executive Committee - Susan Henkus, Rita Kaikow,
Sharonann Katcher, Leslie Krasnoff, Roslyn Lorge, Lois Nevitt, Arlene Wegard and Bonnie Zebalese.

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 How We Can Erase the Stigma of Mental Health
By Amy Hall, #4
Friday, March 13, 2020 was a day that will be etched in my memory forever. For teachers, it was the day
our classrooms were frozen in time. No one could have imagined that the two weeks we were given to
quarantine would turn into two years and counting. Every interaction that we would now have at school
with colleagues, parents, and students has been affected in some way. Trauma was all around us. Life
was stressful, to say the least. I, along with the rest of the world, was burdened with unanswered ques-
tions and fears of the unknown.

Clearly, I am talking about Covid. More specifically, I am referring to the toll it has taken on our mental health. It might
sound cliche, but mental health is health. Yet, we still have a hard time asking for help and sharing our mental struggles.
Many people still have a hard time accepting the fact that they could take medication to improve their mental health. Now,
more than ever, we need to remove the stigma associated with mental health so we can feel comfortable asking for, and
getting, the help we need. Times have changed and it’s time to change with the times and normalize mental health. One
way to normalize mental health is by talking about it. I’ll go first.

Let me take you back in time to a day in October, 2021. I was getting my classroom ready for the school day when a col-
league of mine asked me if I was ok. Something happened that was out of my control: I began to cry uncontrollably, and as
I did, everything came to the surface. It felt like the Band-Aid was ripped off and all at once my emotions were raw. All of
my worries were right there in front of me all at once. I was hurting. I sobbed and sobbed and could not stop. I thought to
myself, “I can’t do this anymore.” I was drowning. I felt like I was failing at my job. My husband was called to pick me up
from school and was told to take me directly to the emergency room. This unleashed a myriad of new worries: What if they
admitted me to the psych ward?; What if everyone thought I was crazy? Despite these intrusive thoughts, I knew I needed
help, and I needed it now.

The difference between what I thought would happen and what actually happened is why we need to get rid of the stigma,
talk openly to the people we trust, and get the help we need. The reality was that I met a wonderful psychiatrist who lis-
tened to me and prescribed and adjusted medication to help get me to a place where I could learn to help myself. During
my time in the psych ward, I attended music and art therapy classes and participated in group therapy. I was there for just
three nights, and was discharged on the 4th day.

I still needed to learn how to treat my mental health. Immediately following my stay at the hospital, I was placed in an in-
tensive outpatient treatment program that met three days a week for 4 hours a day. There, I worked on distress tolerance,
emotional regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.

In hindsight, this was truly the best thing that could have happened to me. I am so grateful for this experience because it
has helped me heal. I feel lighter and less burdened. I am practicing radical acceptance. I no longer fight reality, but I ac-
cept it. Life still goes on around me, but my perception of the world is very different now. We are not what happens to us;
we are what we do with it. Times have changed and it’s time we change with it. We can erase the stigma of mental health
treatment by normalizing it.

Use Them Or Lose Them!

By John Messina, #9M
There is an old saying; "And now a word from your muscles: use them or lose them."

As we get close to summer, we are off. We can travel, we can relax, we can do what we want. I hope all
of you find the time to use your muscles. You are urged to use them any way you can and not be too
concerned with formulas and the so-called "right way." There is no right way. Moving is the right way.
If you remember the last article, I mentioned the best exercise you can do is the one that you'll do. How true. Just get out
and do anything but nothing. Walking is great, hiking, running, bike riding, swimming. Nike has the right idea when they
advertise "Just Do It". One doesn't have to deal with heart rates or length of exercise. Just get out and challenge yourself.
Remember: if it doesn't challenge you, then it doesn't change you.

Enjoy your time off and get out and use those muscles!

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 The Annual OFT Party hosted over 200
members including aides, monitors, teach-
ers, security and PPS staff! In addition to
celebrating the completion of a long year,
retirees from the 2020, 2021 and 2022
school year were honored in person.
Congratulations to all of our retirees!

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 Alison Milkins, #3, and
her husband, Gideon
welcomed baby Molly
Lynn on April 8th, She
weighed in at 5lbs. 7oz.
Patty Newcombe, #9M,
Jennifer Whyte, #9E, and her husband, Ray
Jennifer Lupia, #9M, was happy to celebrate
and her husband, Myles welcomed their 10th Danielle Andreno,
the engagement of her grandchild,
welcomed baby daughter, Janet to Craig #9M, her husband, and
Mila Rose on March Quinn Avery-Jean on proud big brother, Leo
Caruso on April 28th in May 12th. She weighed in
11th. She weighed in at Hawaii. are excited to announce
8lbs., 15oz. and 21 inch- at 7lbs. 9oz. and 19.75 the birth of baby Mi-
es. inches. chael Anthony on April
29th. He weighed in at
6lbs., 15oz. And 20
inches.

On Wednesday, May 18, newly tenured teach-

ers and TAs were celebrated at Kasey's Roof-
top in Rockville Centre. As a result of last
year's gathering restrictions, the tenured staff
from the 2020-21 school year was also cele-
brated. Congratulations to all newly tenured
staff members!

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On Tuesday, May 24, members of the OFT and affiliates gathered at Temple Avodah in
Oceanside to celebrate the end of the school year. Teachers ate, socialized, danced, and
participated in raffles sponsored by local businesses. A record number of members
attended, and a great time was had by all.

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