Date: Fri 31-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

schools-Ozane-retirement

Full Text:

Retiring Sandy Hook Secretary Kay Ozane Relishes The Prospect Of Leisure Time

Surrounded by `K's of appreciation made for her by all the Sandy Hook

children, Kay Ozane has happy memories of 33 years in the front office.

-Bee Photo, Evans

B Y D OROTHY E VANS

After 33 years as executive secretary to four different Sandy Hook School

principals, Kay Ozane is looking forward to her retirement beginning Friday,

January 31.

The years have just "flown by" she said Monday, as she thought back over all

the days and weeks spent answering the phone, working on budgets, purchasing

supplies, managing paperwork for school personnel and taking care of

"everything else that has to be done" in a busy elementary school office.

Now she looks forward to a new routine doing "nothing special" for a change,

with her focus centered on her Newtown home, her grown daughters, Adele and

Denise, and her husband, Joseph Ozane, who is also retired.

"It's the right time," Mrs Ozane said Monday, though she has enjoyed every

minute of her Sandy Hook job, "and it hasn't even seemed like that long."

"It's been nice to work with such nice people. Even though the staff has

changed, the atmosphere here stays constant - warm, friendly and supportive,"

she said.

But when she first stepped into the job more than three decades ago, Mrs Ozane

admitted she didn't expect she would stay with it for so long. No more than 14

days, actually.

She had been asked by then-Newtown Superintendent of Schools James Hinckley to

fill in "on a temporary basis for two weeks," she said.

That was May 11, 1963, she recalled, chuckling, "It's been a long two weeks!"

Mrs Ozane was already familiar with Newtown schools then, since her husband

was principal of Newtown High School.

A native of New London, Mrs Ozane had recently graduated from Pembroke College

in Brown University, Providence, R.I., where she also gained a secretarial

degree from the Katharine Gibbs School.

During the time she worked at Sandy Hook School and raised her two daughters,

Mrs Ozane was secretary to four principals: Alfred Lorenzetti, Joseph Schmidt,

Ron Vitarelli and Donna Page.

"It's been very comfortable. The PTA is so supportive and there's great staff

spirit here," she said.

"I can't think of a nicer place to spend almost 35 years. No one ever got

mad!" she added.

Certainly, it would be hard to imagine anyone losing his or her temper in the

presence of Mrs Ozane, whose gentle, soft-spoken nature is much appreciated by

her colleagues.

"She will be missed," said co-worker JoAnn DiDonato, who will be stepping into

Mrs Ozane's role as assistant to Mrs Page beginning the first week in

February.

Staff, friends and family members gathered on Sunday at the Stony Hill Inn for

a brunch in Mrs Ozane's honor featuring a breakfast spread that Mrs DiDonato

termed "fit for a queen."

"It was wonderful to have so many people I hadn't seen in a while come," Mrs

Ozane said, adding they had presented her with a beautiful memory book.

The Newtown Federation of Teachers also gave her a check toward purchase of an

oil painting by a Danbury artist, something she had said she has wanted for a

long time.

Mrs Ozane hopes to "dabble" in oil painting herself, to read and maybe join a

couple of clubs that meet during the day - something she hasn't been able to

do while working.