PUSD staff ready for school year

Handshakes, hugs and stories were exchanged before the all-important question was asked among them: “So, are you ready for another year?”

Hundreds of Porterville Unified School District teachers and administrators gathered Tuesday morning in the Frank “Buck” Shaffer Theatre inside the Porterville Memorial Auditorium for the annual Staff Welcome event.

The crowd listened to a couple of speeches, watched a few homemade videos, heard from a motivational speaker and were treated to some entertainment.

“This is going to be an incredible year,” PUSD Superintendent John Snavely told the sea of teachers. “I welcome you back. I so look forward to seeing all of you in your classrooms.”

School for PUSD’s 13,500 students and 670 teachers begins Monday.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’m ready for another year,” said Raelene Bonnar, who will soon begin her 15th year of service as a second-grade teacher at Vandalia Elementary School. “I’m looking forward to implementing some of the new teaching strategies I learned over the summer.”

After Snavely introduced PUSD’s new and returning board members, Governing Board President Hayley Buettner, who spent 10 years as a naval supply officer in the Navy before moving to Porterville, spoke to the crowd about the importance of results, training, respect, balance and teamwork as well as being resourceful, responsible and accountable.

A few videos — in which a handful of local students were asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “Why do you want to be in that profession?” “How much money will you make as a...?” and “What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a...?” — were then shown to the crowd.

A lot of the students said they hoped to become teachers because they wanted to help people learn and inspire them.

One student said he wanted to become a tattoo artist.

“I’m not sure we have a Pathway for that,” Snavely said after the video as the crowd continued to laugh.

Snavely then introduced PUSD’s new administrators — Anthony “Tony” Monreal, who will serve as PUSD’s assistant superintendent of human resources; Carla Crocker, who will serve as Los Robles Elementary School’s principal; and J.R. Ortiz, who will serve as John J. Doyel Elementary School’s program manager.

Additionally, Laura Geran and Lisa Lambie are Vandalia Elementary School’s and West Putnam Elementary School’s new principals, respectively.

Monreal also introduced 31 new teachers, who stood up when their names were read aloud.

“These are the new teachers in the PUSD family,” Monreal said. “Please treat them well, and share with them the great things that are happening at PUSD.”

Nine first-year tenured teachers, seven teachers with 35 or more years of teaching experience in Porterville and four former PUSD teachers who passed away within the year were recognized by Snavely as well. Rich Lambie, the 2011 Tulare County Teacher of the Year, was also recognized.

The guest speaker was Kate Adamson, who was left paralyzed for 70 days after suffering a massive brain-stem stroke in 1995. During those 10 weeks, Adamson was unable to communicate with the outside world and couldn’t even blink her eyes.

On Tuesday, using a cane, she paced back and forth on the stage and delivered a captivating speech. Adamson’s left hand remains paralyzed, but she told the teachers to focus on what they can do as opposed to what they can’t do.

“Instead of focusing on the problem, focus on the solution,” Adamson said. “Focus on what you have, not what you have lost. And remember, miracles are possible.”

Adamson’s two demonstrations — four volunteers were asked to come forward and peel a banana with one hand, and PUSD’s Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Ken Gibbs proved that putting on a bra with one hand is very possible — which brought much laughter from the crowd.

Adamson received a standing ovation.

After the event, the teachers were dismissed to their respective schools for staff meetings and classroom preparations.

John Miller, who has been an English teacher at Monache High School since 1993, said he is looking forward to whatever the new school year may bring.

“I’m excited about it,” Miller said. “You don’t know exactly what you’re going to get, but it’s all going to come together.”