Youngstown Diocesan
Confederation of Teachers
ESTABLISHED 1968
LOCAL# 3504
Summer 2016
President’s Message
Greetings everyone!
Christ is Risen! Resurrexit sicut
dixit! Alleluia! Alleluia! With the
recent celebration of the Solemnity
of Pentecost, the Easter Season has
come to a close; however, may we
continue to be merciful Easter
people, people of the Resurrection,
who are filled with the Holy Spirit
in all that we do for our students
and our schools, for the glory of
God alone.
In addition to our usual
business, the Elementary Negotiation team successfully negotiated
with the Office of Catholic
Schools, in March, the Basic Contract.
Subsequently, the Local
Issues of the BC were also successfully negotiated by the St. Rose
Team, the St. James Team, and the
JFK Team. Although the LC Negotiations have also concluded, the
YDCT and the OCS were unable to
agree on a three-year salary proposal; therefore, the LC Salary
Schedule is only for the 2016-2017
school year. As such, a Memorandum of Understanding was composed and agreed upon by the Union and the OCS, which means that
we will return to the salary negotiation table again this coming summer, in order to collaborate on an
index scale for subsequent years of
the salary schedule of the Basic
Contract. A ratification vote of
both the Basic Contract and the
Local Issues will occur soon, and
notification of said meeting will be
announced in the very near future
by your Building Representative.
In other news, all of the
current Officers have been reelected, and I again look forward to
working with them this coming
year: Mary Ann Morrison, Treasurer; Karen Joseph, Elementary
VP; Chuck Lozier, Secretary; and
John Peplowski, High School VP.
Thanks to the membership for your
expression of confidence in us.
Our work can be very challenging
at times, so please keep all of the
Officers in your prayers as we
continue to do what is best for the
ranks, under the advisement of
NACST President, Dr. Rita C.
Schwartz, and our legal Counsel,
Attorney Dennis Haines (both to
whom we owe a debt of gratitude)!
Following in the footsteps of the modus-operandi practiced by former YDCT President,
Mrs. Barb Demesko, and former
OCS Superintendent, Dr. Nicholas
M. Wolsonovich, the YDCT and
the OCS continue to work together
with the grace of discernment, to
find a resolution to problems for
the good of our teachers, students,
and schools. We remember that we
are members of the Faith who are
determined to work for, and
not against, each other.
Now that does not say that
we always agree, or that
one branch of either unit
always operates correctly,
(as evidenced by an overwhelmingly-busy year for
both) but we are usually
able to come to a genuine
resolve to most situations.
Although it is indeed understood that according to the
Papal Encyclicals, we have
a right to collective bargaining, that is not to say that
because we are unionized
and we render dues, we
ignore what is right and
just. Yes, it is a given that
the YDCT is profoundly
committed to representing
the membership and protecting the integrity of our negotiated contract; however, we must be
attentive to our school and Diocesan Policies as well. To do otherwise is to contradict the teachings
of Our Holy Mother Church, and
the tenets of our Union. How sad it
is when issues escalate, unnecessarily, due to those involved, (from
both units) who are unwilling to
adhere to the expectations that we
are all required to follow. In this
Year of Mercy, may we all try to be
merciful to one another.
Sadly, on 2 May 2016,
we were informed of the closing of
St. Patrick School, in Hubbard.
St. Patrick is the oldest Roman
Catholic School in the Diocese,
and is certainly a gem in the
community, by providing the
students (as do all of our RC
schools) a faith-based Roman
Catholic education. Let us all
pray that the decision to close
this school will be reversed.
Easter has come to an
end and shortly so, too, will our
2015-2016 school year. Let us
use the gift of Summer, as a
time of reflection, appreciation,
and gratitude to Almighty God,
who has done great things for
us! May He watch over us,
protect and guide us as we travel and become guests of others.
And in return, may our own
“guest houses” manifest beacons of hospitality, hope and
inspiration for others!
As always, if I may
be of assistance to you, please
contact your Building Representative. Have a restful, peaceful and enjoyable Summer!
Take care,
Barbara
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News From the Front
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
St. Rose
Here at St. Rose School, we have had an exciting and busy Spring. Our Eighth Grade students received the
Sacrament of Confirmation on April 19. Our second grade students celebrated their First Communion on April 30. They
also participated in our annual May Crowning. Students in grades K-3 will be entertaining their mothers and grandmothers
with musical performances directed by our Music Teacher, Nate Zunic, at our "Mother's Day" Tea. Grades 4-8 will be attending a YSU baseball game at Eastwood Field on May 13, while grades K-3 will enjoy an exciting trip to "Wagon Trails"
on May 23. To conclude our school year, we will be having our annual Talent Show directed and planned by Nate Zunic
and Regina Racketa. We will then be attending our end-of- year picnic at Tod Park in Girard. Finally, we wish good luck to
our eighth grade students as they graduate and transition to high school.
Holy Family
Congratulations to Sarah and George Pirock on the birth of their first child. Madison Elizabeth Pirock
was born April 13, 2016. She weighed 7 lbs 7oz. Sarah teaches third grade. We wish them all the best!!! Our students at
Holy Family have participated in many things. Four seventh graders went to the Ohio History Day at Delaware, Ohio. They
are Nick LaPlant, Megan Brockway, Maddie Richie, and Jacob Shogren. The students were led by Mr. Donald Rudolph.
Two of our students, Elise and Andrew Armile won honorable mentions in the Catholic War Veterans essay contest. Also
Megan Brockway won an honorable mention in the Dom Leone writing contest. Andrew Armile, Meaghan Williams, Quinn
Barton, Sara Yossef, and Theo Ovaska won prizes at this year's English Festival at YSU. Congrats to all these students.
Holy Family's Spring Concert was held Monday, May 2. The band, choir, flutophones and K-4 students performed. Holy
Family will hold their talent show on May 31. Eighth Graders are getting ready to go to DC, have their retreat, and celebrate graduation. Good luck class of 2016!
St. Christine We are drawing to the end of the 2015-2016 school year and things are getting busy! Before Easter, we
had a very enjoyable play, The Lion King Junior, directed by Anita Philibin and Michele Vargo. April 15, the fifth and sixth
graders had a wonderful time at Mooney Ursuline Day. May 1, was a special, blessed day for the second graders who
made their First Communion. This month the 8th graders will go on their field trip to Pittsburgh. We would like to congratulate Mrs. Marge Gatto on her retirement. Mrs. Gatto has been the librarian at St. Christine School for 28 years. We thank
her for her many years of kindness and dedication.
Please pray for a special intention and have a great summer!
St. Patrick There have been winners galore at Saint Pat's! Liz Chrobak, a seventh grader, won an honorable mention
in the essay contest sponsored by the Catholic War Vets. Four students, Keila Cortes, Cade Ross, Aamna Khan, and
Alyssa Rodriguez qualified for the Regional History Bee in Pittsburgh. Two of those students, Cade and Aamna, qualified
to compete in the National Finals in Chicago during June. A 3rd grader, Nick Maillis, won 2nd place in the comic strip division of the Dom Leone Writing Competition. Finally, three students won awards at the YSU English Festival, Liz Chrobak,
Keila Cortes, and Lauren Ladd. Congratulations to all these students. Our 2nd graders received their First Holy Communion on May 1. 7th and 8th grade travelled to Pittsburgh for a few days of fun. A few of the highlights were the Carnegie
Science Museum and Kennywood Park. Finally, on a sad note, Father Swierz notified the parents and staff of the closing
of Saint Patrick School at the end of this school year. After more than a 140 year presence in Hubbard, no Catholic education will be available. Please keep these students, families, and teachers in your prayers during this difficult transition.
JFK Lower The third grade students in Mrs. Longo’s and Miss Richmond's classes at John F Kennedy Elementary
School went back in time to 1875. The third grade students spent the week reading Sarah Plain and Tall and learning
about how the pioneers of the old west lived. They finished their integrated unit by celebrating Pioneer Day. The students
spent the day not using any technology or electricity in the classroom. They churned butter, played pioneer games, and
made pioneer yarn dolls. The students also learned how to write with a quill and learned about the different things pioneers did to complete everyday chores, all while wearing the proper attire.
St. Nicholas
The students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade enjoyed honoring their grandparents and special persons, on Friday April 29th. They had a beautiful prayer service and cookies and punch to follow afterwards. The St.
Nicholas students are busy preparing for the Spring Concert, lead by Miss Johnson, which will be held Thursday Evening
May 12th. Grade five is excited to bring their pets to school and share their furry friends with the students and staff, as they
host their annual Pet Fair on Friday May 13th. Students in grades K-5 cannot wait to take a field trip to Mill Creek Metro
Parks Farm, to engage in learning activities. It is hard to believe that another year is coming to an end. The kindergarten
students are excitedly practicing and preparing for their graduation, which will take place on June 1st. While the kindergartners are preparing for their graduation ceremony, the eighth grade students are preparing for their graduation too, as
they get ready for their graduation Mass, which will be held Tuesday May 31st. The students at St. Nicholas school are
busy working hard and continuing to learn as we prepare to conclude another school year. The students and staff at St.
Nicholas school are looking forward to the School Picnic, which will take place on the last day of school. It is a great way to
end the school year and say our goodbyes as summer break begins.
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St. James It has been a busy spring at St. James School. We recently held our largest fund raiser of the year,
our Angel Auction! All enjoyed the evening at Skyland Pines Lodge. We are pleased to say that we raised around
$15,000 dollars! On Saturday May 7th, we hosted The Race for Chase 5 K race, held annually to benefit our scholarship fund. Chase Faiello was a third grade student who passed away several years ago and an event is held each
year in his memory. Thank you to the Confederation for the generous contribution to our fund raiser. Because of our
scholarship fund, several students are able to attend our school, who otherwise would not be able to attend.
Our second grade students made their First Holy Communion on Saturday May 14th. We will end our year full of field
trips, activity days and visits from the ice cream truck. No wonder we are all tired! Our last student day is June1st.
HIGH SCHOOLS
St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas was proud to be the first high school to present a play adaptation of
Napoleon Dynamite under play supervisor, Mary Pusateri, at Walsh University. The Boys' Basketball team made it to
one game short of a trip to Columbus for the state championships. The Junior Class held a successful retreat day of
service to various places in the community. The St. Thomas Aquinas community extends its sympathies to Mrs. Eleni
Granitsas on the loss of her mother. Mrs. Christine Schneider celebrated the marriage of her son. Congratulations to
Mrs. Joanne Barnhouse on receiving the Golden Apple award this school year. The faculty at St. Thomas Aquinas
awaits the announcement of a new President and Principal for both the high and middle schools.
Cardinal Mooney Great things continue to happen at Cardinal Mooney High School! We are proud of juniors
Tony Zeno and Joan Reardon who took first place at districts in the National History Day competition and moved on to
the state level. The Speech Team continues to live up to its reputation as a state powerhouse. The Duo Interpretation
team of Frank and Adriana Vennetti placed first and Gino Ginnetti took second at State. Overall, the team took 10th
out of 84 schools who qualified. Jen Gonda is the head coach and the legendary Diane Mastro Nard serves as an assistant coach. Under the direction of Pete Smith and Terri Kenner, the junior varsity Academic Challenge Team qualified to Nationals this summer. We are also proud of the baseball team who won the Bob Cene Park Catholic Baseball
Tournament by beating Ursuline in the finals. Math teacher Rob Raseta is an assistant coach. The Robocards robotics
team continues to grow and took part in the Buckeye Regional First Robotics Competition at Cleveland State University. Science teacher Ray Marks is the advisor. Congratulations to English Department Chair and long time teacher and
speech coach, Diane Mastro Nard who is retiring this year.
Ursuline Ursuline congratulates Sister Regina Rogers, O.S.U. for the well-deserved honor of being awarded the
Golden Apple given annually to one administrator in the Diocese of Youngstown. We also congratulate Gordon Hartranft on the birth of his grandson, Lucas. The Arts are thriving this Spring with the Band earning 2nd place in a competition in Virginia Beach, the Theatre performing “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” the Art classes displaying winners in the
Scholastic and Congressional Art Shows, and El Fuego performing at the Eagle of the Cross ceremony. The Spanish
classes hosted the 2nd Annual Fiesta de las Americas which was enjoyed by hundreds of guests. Students in the
Physics, History, and English classes earned several honors at the YSU Bridge Building, the History Day, and the
English Festival competitions at YSU. Finally, fifteen students and four adults from the S.O.S. Club helped International Samaritan build houses for deserving families in Nicaragua over Easter break.
Central Catholic Congratulations to Baseball Coach Doug Miller for his 700th win on 4/27/16! Coach Miller, who
is also the CCHS Athletic Director and Sociology Teacher, is the seventh coach in Ohio high school history to reach
the 700-win milestone — and the first from Stark County. Congratulations to Marty and Missy Drexler on the birth of
their 4th child and 1st daughter Katie Rose, born 4/15/16 and welcomed by brothers Josh, Luke, and Cody! Marty
teaches Math at CCHS. Congratulations to our 2016 Eagle of the Cross winners Gabby Butz and Dan Platek who
were honored at the Awards Ceremony on April 14th. Congratulations to the Speech & Debate Team who competed at
the OHSSL State Championship. Patty Schneider and Jen Vlacovsky took 6th in the State in Duo and Kate Sibila took
4th in Informative. Jared Vlacovsky broke to semis and finished in the top 12 in Program Oral Interpretation.Our CCHS
Auction took place on March 19th. It was the 25th Anniversary of the CCHS Auction! On Palm Sunday the CCHS Choir
and Select Choir held their annual Sacred Music Concert at St. Joan of Arc Church. A Mother-Daughter Tea was hosted by our French students and Mdm Julie Russell on April 10. On Sunday April 17th 30 juniors and 1 senior were inducted into the CCHS National Honor Society! Congratulations to all the members of NHS and their families. The
Spring Sports season is well underway and Spring sports are going strong. On April 23rd John Colangelo won the
100m at the Stark County Track Meet. Stark County record holder Devin Smith presented him with his medal. The
Spring Play is Macbeth and will be held May 13, 14, and 15. The Band, Choir, and Select Choir are getting ready for
their Spring Concert on May 18.
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Golden Apple Awards
The Office of Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Youngstown announced the 2016 winners of the Golden Apple
Award. Among the winners were Confederation members: Joanne Barnhouse, St. Thomas Aquinas High School;
Brooke DeJulia, John F. Kennedy School; JoAnn Frattaroli, St. Charles Elementary School; Julianne Grossman,
Holy Family Elementary School. Their selection, from a field of many outstanding educators in the Catholic
schools, is a recognition of the commitment and witness of all the Catholic school teachers and administrators
throughout the diocese. Through the generosity of the Donahue Family Foundation of Pittsburgh, the Golden Apple
Award honors outstanding individuals who teach or who are administrators in Catholic schools. The award includes
a cash reward of $5,000, a certificate, a Golden Apple paperweight and a Golden Apple lapel pin presented to the
awardees at a dinner at the Youngstown Country Club.
YDCT Executive Board
OFFICERS
BUILDING REPRESENTATIVES
Barbara J. McVicker - President
Ursuline High School
Gina Heeter
St. Nicholas School
Jennifer Policy
Cardinal Mooney
Cathy Boggs
St. James School
John Peplowski - Vice President
Ursuline High School
Patti Willis
St. Christine School
Jennifer DeMain
St. Charles School
Aimee Morrison
Ursuline High School
Karen Joseph - Vice President
St. Christine School
Diane Oswald
JFK Lower Campus
Peggy Jenkins
St. Rose School
Caroline Mulhall
Holy Family School
Mary Ann Morrison - Treasurer
Central Catholic High School
Maria Dick
Jeanne Maher
Matthew Pascarella
Canton Central Catholic St. Thomas Aquinas John F. Kennedy H.S.
Becky Lowry
Joanne Matune
St. Patrick School
St. Rose School
Chuck Lozier - Secretary
Central Catholic High School
N.B. Only those listed above are authorized to interpret the Basic Contract, advise, and represent the membership; therefore, please
consult only with your Building Representative, if in need of assistance.
A Prayer for Increasing Enrollment in Catholic Schools
O Good and Gracious God,
We praise and thank you for the students in our schools. It is a sacred privilege to continue the
teaching mission of your son, Jesus. We hear his words in our hearts: “Let the children come to
me! Do not hinder them.”
Lord, we are doing everything we can so that no children are hindered from coming to our
schools! We advertise, we market; we strategize and plan. What more can we do, Lord?
Please listen to our prayers as we ask you, Lord, to remove whatever hinders parents from
choosing a Catholic school for their children. Guide their thinking and their decisions. May our
desire to form a partnership with them be a source of hope and encouragement. Bless our efforts
to meet funding challenges so that we can fulfill our commitment to be a school for all.
Lord, we hold in prayer all the students you will send to our schools. Thank you, Lord, for
blessing us with a future with promise and hope.
Amen.
Y O UN G S TO W N D I O C E S AN C O N F ED E R AT I O N O F T E AC H E R S
Retirees’ Corner
Hobbies
How’s Re rement?
Joanne
Fossesco
St. Nicholas
Summer vaca on…
all year long!

Animal Advocate

Reading
Nothing beats re rement.

Great! I love being
able to go out for a
walk first thing in the
morning, or whenever
I feel like it; whether
it’s with friends or on
my own.

Taught 45 yrs.
Luann J.
Rossi
JFK
Taught 23.5 yrs.
Pat Honen
St. Chris ne
Taught 43 yrs.
Fantas c!

Places Visited
Fondest Memory
Visi ng my 3
daughters
Remembering all the
children’s smiling faces
and love, and hoping
you do make a difference in their lives.
Bingo/Card Par es  Every casino
within 240
 Church Bus Trips
miles
 Volunteering
Reading in Book
Club

Italy

San Diego

Baking for church

Florida

Volunteering

Nags Head

Member of WSGC

Washington DC

New York City
Enjoying family
me

Italy

Spain

Traveling

Turkey

Golfing

Australia

Reading

Peru

Croa a

Many wonderful mes
with students, especially
the 8th graders; trips to
DC, their sports, and
ac vi es. I loved to
teach math on all levels!
I enjoyed everyday of
my career. I dearly remember the love of my
students.