Retiring Faculty Members Have Combined Experience Of 160+ Years

By Laurie Borst

This month marks the retirement of five veteran teachers, one social worker, and one high school secretary, who, combined, have given more than 160 years of service to Newtown schools. Retiring are middle school teachers Alice Privalsky and Gail Seymour; high school teachers Buni Kovacs, Karen Mann, and Mary Thomas; social worker DeEtta Breitwieser; and high school secretary Marianne Corbo.

Buni Kovacs came to Newtown as a substitute teacher, becoming a permanent hire in 1993 as a science teacher at the middle school. In 1999, she moved to the high school in special education. Alice Privalsky has taught math at the middle school since 1988. DeEtta Breitwieser joined the district in 1985 as the social worker, and has been focusing specifically on the elementary school level since 1996. Marianne Corbo started at the high school in 1970 when it opened, left to have children, joined the middle school staff in 1980, and has been back in the high school office since 1988.

Karen Mann began her teaching career as a high school English teacher in 1973. In 1992, she became the library media specialist. Gail Seymour came to Newtown in 1970, teaching economics at the high school. Twelve years later, she moved to the middle school, first teaching communications and, in 2000, she started teaching health education. Mary Thomas began by teaching Home Economics at Newtown High. The course has since evolved into Life Management and then Child Development.

When Mary Thomas first came to Newtown from New York, she was struck by how rural the area was. “I’m a city girl,” she said. “I didn’t know a duck from a swan. The students would come into class talking about their cows and horses.

“The students today are so much more sophisticated. All the way through the 80s, I had students who hadn’t left the state. Now, students go to Florida, California, Europe. They’re very aware, very cosmopolitan.”

Mary’s favorite memory of Newtown High has been the graduation ceremonies. “I like seeing [the students] all lined up in their gowns. It’s very moving when they all walk in, and then the recessional as they leave as graduates. I remember one graduation in the football stadium. It was a beautiful summer night, clear skies, all the parents.”

Now, she will be spending some time in England where her husband has relatives. Mary also plans to go to Cape Cod in October, something she could never do when she was teaching. “And, I am looking forward to being at home on my birthday, September 8. I have always been at school on my own birthday.”

Gail Seymour arrived in Newtown fresh from college in Boston

“I was very innocent, very naïve. I was very provincial, growing up in Woodbury. Al Cramer hired me. The school was very big and I was very unsure,” she admitted. “Back then, we used mimeograph machines — our fingers were always purple. I first worked with Mary Thomas. She was my mentor. It was the year the high school opened. Thirty-one or 32 of us were hired that year.”

The size of the schools and the technology are the big changes she sees since she began here.

“The students have always been the great part of the job. They’ve gone from being studious to involved with personal growth, and now, it’s back to being studious again. Now, there are a lot of differences between the teachers in terms of position and life experiences. When I started, we were all new, in the same situation.”

Gail has a “file of kudos,” all sorts of letters she has received from former students. One of them wrote, “Thanks for teaching me to cook. I’m the middle child, I get lost in the shuffle.” Another student who owns a B&B in Hawaii, wrote, “You were my Home Ec teacher, you taught me everything I know.” Yet another penned, “You taught me how to stir fry, and now I can stir fry anything!”

“Now, I want to give back while keeping mind and body active. I’m not stopping, just switching the route,” she stated. “I will have lunch with friends, get a trainer at the gym, take the time to enjoy things and plan future activities. It will make me a better person. I want to travel, take on challenges. I want to go to New York by myself. I’ve always gone with friends in the past.”

“I must say, it’s been a wonderful 36 years. Newtown helped me grow and become the teacher that I am,” she added.

Karen Mann began her career in Newtown as a student teacher in 1972.

“I was just thrilled coming here. I knew some of the people because I grew up in Bethel. It was exciting. I enjoyed being part of the classroom scene,” she said.

When asked about the biggest change she has seen at NHS, she replied, “Technology, without hesitation. The Internet is now a major research tool.

“Homecomings are some of my favorite memories. Former students come back, school spirit is everywhere. I enjoy watching as the students get the floats ready and decorate the hallways,” Karen offered.

When asked of future plans, she said, “Many gardens to tend, friends to see, places to go. I’ll be going to Florida in October through November. There will be less structure to each day. My husband is retired as well, so we’ll have time to travel the country.”

Alice Privalsky taught in New York City for 12 years before coming to Newtown and remembers, “It was so much easier teaching here. My own kids went through the Newtown system. [Administrators and faculty] were, and are, very proactive. Learning is a priority here. I had a lot of interaction, communication, with parents.

“The biggest change I’ve seen since coming here has been the population growth, of course, and the impacts that come with it. The value of education has been maintained or even increased despite it,” Alice said.

She spoke fondly of the relationships she has had, and still has, with the students, some of whom she taught many years ago.

“I’m am going to play now. We are moving to Maine. Maine in the summer and Florida in the winter. No more snow for me,” Alice said.

Colleagues of Buni Kovacs report that her catch phrase is: “There’s not enough time in a day.” She is always in the science labs, tearing down one experiment and setting up another, or working with her students.

Her own children attended Newtown schools, so before she worked in the system, she was aware of how good the schools were and how helpful the teachers were.

Buni echoed her fellow retirees when asked about changes since she has been here.

“The population, class size has changed a lot. Larger classes make it harder, especially in the science labs. You need eyes in the back of your head.

“I really enjoy working with Joan [Brand]. Sitting across from her, we engaged in rounds of daily banter. Our kids started at Montessori together,” Buni offered.

Buni looks forward to spending time with her family and traveling.

“My husband is retiring, too. We are going to visit our son just outside San Francisco. My husband’s brother is near Phoenix, Arizona. We will visit him in October. My husband and I are excited about seeing the Grand Canyon.”

When DeEtta Breitwieser came to Newtown, she was impressed with the caliber of the staff. “I received a very good response and lots of support from them. I attribute this to the previous social worker. She was highly effective. She had the staff well-informed of the job the social worker does.”

Change is inevitable, and DeEtta also cited population.

“It has just grown so much. Growth has been phenomenal,” she said.

DeEtta said, “I have so many wonderful memories. What I loved most was working directly with the students, teachers, and families. I work under the Family Systems Model, where the social worker meets with all parties involved. I problem solve to help students find more success.

“I plan to do some traveling now to visit family. I have two daughters in California who I only saw maybe twice a year. I’ll have more time for hobbies. I’d like to do some writing. I am taking a trip to Italy in September. One of my daughters is talking about a safari trip. That would be very exciting,” she concluded.

As Marianne Corbo thought back to her first impressions of Newtown, she remembers, “It wasn’t overcrowded. I came from a small high school. Coming here was a pleasure. It was a beautiful school, a fine school.”

She speaks of the changes, “The overcrowding, lack of lockers. The cafeteria … Parking is horrendous. The teachers are still great. I don’t know how they do it. And now, we have security. The Student Resource Officer is a good change.”

Like the other retirees, Marianne hesitated over a favorite memory.

“Good things happened all along the way. I liked when my children were here. I would see them during the day, like when they needed lunch money. Of course, the greenhouse was a wonderful addition.

“And Culinary is wonderful. They treat us well. We can buy lunches. They are very professional.”

Marianne is looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren. She would like to find a part-time job. “I’m at work at 7 am. I won’t miss that.

“I plan to spend a few days in Cape Cod in September. Now, I can go when I want to,” she added.