OLEAN — For their dedication to the Olean City School District and its students over the past four school years, nine Huskies educators were recognized Tuesday for achieving tenure.

Teachers with tenure commended at the regular Board of Education meeting included Alexander Kruse, Matthew Woleben and Anna-Elisabeth Charles at the high school, Rachel Barry, Kelly Everetts and Destiney Portlow at Olean Intermediate Middle School and Barbra Stabb, Pamela Foster and Shelley Baldwin at Washington West Elementary School.

Dr. Michael Irizarry, Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services, said the district’s impressive cohort of nine tenured employees was a significant increase over the past few years.

“We have certificates this year. I’m not sure if they were here before,” Irizarry said. “This cohort is the first, and moving forward, we’ll have these to celebrate this milestone.”

Irizarry said he’s going to each building during the week to present certificates to those who achieved tenure in the years since the prior assistant superintendent for academic services left the position.

Washington West principal Lauren Stuff spoke briefly on each of the teachers from her building being recognized. She said Stabb has been a committed team member of Washington West’s support personnel since 2010. When the opportunity arose, Stabb was one of the first to become a committed building teacher assistant, and she currently works with the math intervention team.

“Over the course of my time working with Barb as a teacher assistant, she’s provided feedback and she’s provided insight,” Stuff said. “Your experience as a whole, Barb, has really helped to make you truly deserving of this.”

Although she didn’t start at Washington West, Foster quickly forged bonds with students and staff alike when she did make the transition and start her teaching assistant journey, Stuff said. Helping to reinforce the need for teaching assistants, Foster has modeled her knowledge, instructional experience and commitment to the school community at large.

“You have this innate ability to make math fun, which is very important, and it helped to reinforce and strengthen the foundation of our program,” Stuff said. “Thank you, Mrs. Foster, for supporting our students and continuing to support the development of our program.”

A longtime presence in Washington West’s halls as a BOCES employee, Baldwin joined the building as a general education teacher and demonstrated a level of commitment that makes her deserving of tenure, Stuff said. Baldwin is constantly building community in the schools, and works tirelessly to build that sense of community in her classroom, focusing on the social and emotional needs of her students.

“Being a Kindergarten teacher is no small feat, but seeing the immense growth and development our students have made under her tutelage has been incredible,” Stuff said. “Mrs. Baldwin’s commitment to our school, and more so our district, makes her more than deserving of her tenure appointment.”

Over at the middle school, building principal Maureen DiCerbo said Barry came to the Olean district five years ago, originally as a special education teacher and later a general ed fourth-grade teacher. In that time, Barry has shown dedication to her fellow colleagues and her students, tailoring her teaching styles to each new class and showing commitment to each student’s needs.

“Rachel does an excellent job of recognizing and nurturing the talents of each of her students,” DiCerbo said. “We are excited and happy to have Rachel as part of our team.”

Coming from Cattaraugus-Little Valley, one of Everetts’s most endearing qualities is her calm, relaxing demenaor that is seen in her classroom every day, DiCerbo said. Everetts places an emphasis on academic success, working tirelessly to build relationships with each student.

“Through differentiation and modification, her instructional practices meet the needs of all the students and help build on their successes,” DiCerbo said. “Her consistency, high expectations, kindness and compassion make her the educator that she is, and we are grateful to have her as part of our team.”

A product of the Olean City School District, Portlow exemplifies what all teachers want to give their students — a great education and the opportunity to be successful, DiCerbo said. Portlow is a role model to all her students in her class and hopes that one day they will be where she is and accomplish what she has.

“In the classroom, Destiney maintains a structured and positive learning environment, managing student behavior and ensuring classroom organization,” DiCerbo said. “Destiney has strong communication skills with students, parents and colleagues, as well as an ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment.”

In the high school, principal Jeff Andreano said it was fitting to commend both Kruse and Charles as they are two more graduates of Olean who came back to their alma matter. He said knowing them as students assures him that their recognitions for achieving tenure are well-deserved.

“Not only can I tell you that they have strong character, strong morals and a deep compassion for their students, but honestly they are model citizens and community members of Olean,” Andreano said. “They went to college, came back and wanted to be Huskies with us, and how exciting is that.

Andreano noted that everyone who received tenure started on that path in Olean during the COVID-19 pandemic where schools were under a hybrid-learning model and students were generally less engaged with school.

“These two and everybody else in this room pushed through all that and got to this point,” he added. “They know how to plan, they know how to manage student behavior, they know how to engage learners and they are very worthwhile.”

Andreano also congratulated Woleban, who was not present, who has found a home in Olean, coming to the district after previously working in Fredonia. Woleban has become involved in several ventures outside of the classroom, Andreano said, which makes him all the more valuable of a teacher for the district.