Parent advocates honor 'HEROes'

During the week of May 22-26, the Albany Special Education Parent Advisory Council – SEPAC, for short – recognized 78 City School District of Albany employees as HEROes.

The HEROes were nominated for going above and beyond in their work on behalf of our students with disabilities. They work in every single district school; some work districtwide. 

Congratulations to all of them. A list of who they are and where they do their work follows in alphabetical order:

Marlette Aanensen-Ramundo, New Scotland Elementary School • Dawn Abrams, New Scotland Elementary School • Erin Andrews, Philip Schuyler Achievement Academy • Mary Ann Arnesen, Albany School of Humanities (ASH) • Rebecca Bachman, Montessori Magnet School • Lynn Bancroft, Arbor Hill Elementary School • Michelle Belvedere, North Albany Middle School • Todd Benton, North Albany Middle School • Patricia Brady, Arbor Hill Elementary School • Patricia Brennan, Albany High School • Martha Bresonis, Albany High School • Colleen Burke, Albany High School • Jessica Camardello, Montessori Magnet School • Kristen Clancy, New Scotland Elementary School • Nicole Colombetti, Albany High School • James Coupland, Arbor Hill Elementary School • Donna Cunningham, Albany High School • JoAnnie Dickson-Bostick, Albany High School • Michelle Dillon, Edmund J. O'Neal Middle School of Excellence • Katie Dring, Albany High School • Jill Flood, Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST) • Lynn Foley, Albany School of Humanities (ASH) • Nicole Forkeutis, Sheridan Preparatory Academy • Vernita Frost, North Albany Middle School • Teresa Giglio, Albany High School • Elaine Griessler, districtwide • Christina Harkavy, Giffen Memorial Elementary School • Kelly Hayes, North Albany Middle School • Shannon Hendley, Arbor Hill Elementary School • Sue Hodom, Montessori Magnet School • Joy Howard, William S. Hackett Middle School • Michelle Jenkins, Giffen Memorial Elementary School • Clarence Johnson (also known as “Grandpa”), Albany High School • Christine Kelle, Albany High School • Stephanie Kitto, Eagle Point Elementary School • Lamiyah Lanier-Black, Arbor Hill Elementary School • Katie Lawlor, Eagle Point Elementary School • Beth Lentini, Giffen Memorial Elementary School • Eric Lewis, Albany High School • Kelly MacNabb, William S. Hackett Middle School • Valarie Manning, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School • Kara McLoughlin, Albany High School • Shannon Mendrick, Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology (TOAST) • Jennifer Merritt, Pine Hills Elementary School • Nikky Messere, William S. Hackett Middle School • Micah Ben Reuben, Albany High School • Katie Miller, Albany High School • Tiffany Moore, Giffen Memorial Elementary School • Molly Mullen, Eagle Point Elementary School • Gina Nichols, Arbor Hill Elementary School • Micki Ornston, districtwide • Melissa Parsons, Eagle Point Elementary School • George Person, Eagle Point Elementary School • Jennifer Pratt, New Scotland Elementary School • Jenn Quinn, Albany High School • Stanley Ralph, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School • Jaclyn Rancourt, William S. Hackett Middle School • Erin Reeve, Albany High School • Shemisha Riggins, Delaware Community School • Erika Russo, Albany High School • Jackie Seyfferth, William S. Hackett Middle School • Catherine Shanahan, Montessori Magnet School • Kathy Shaw, Albany High School • Miriam Shor, Albany School of Humanities (ASH) • Bridget Smith, North Albany Middle School • Danielle Speanburg, William S. Hackett Middle School • Sidrah Stephens, William S. Hackett Middle School • Tonya Terry, Giffen Memorial Elementary School • Migdalia Torres, Giffen Memorial Elementary School • Rashaad Turner, Albany High School • Sean Underwood, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School • Maria Vaccaro, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School • Stacy VanCott, Tony Clement Center for Education • Timothy Weklar, Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School • Shahnaz William, Giffen Memorial Elementary School • Jessica Williams, districtwide • Courtney Williams, Pine Hills Elementary School • Amy Wilson, Arbor Hill Elementary School

You can click here to find out why each was nominated. 

SEPAC is a partner organization operated by district families, educators and community members who support each other and share information related to special education services in the district. Learn more about SEPAC here.