RTAM Board Biographies

rtaM Board 2011-2012

Richard Benoit

President Winnipeg, Manitoba Richard was elected to the RTAM Board of Directors in 2006. Since then he has been active on many committees including Public Relations, Benefits, Pensions, AGM, Political Action and Bylaws and Policy, having chaired the latter three for one year. In 2009-2010 he served as President of RTAM.

Born and raised in southwestern Manitoba, Richard was a teacher, principal, secretary-treasurer and superintendent of schools in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan. As well he taught Educational Administration at the University of Regina and retired as professor and administrator from the College universitaire de Saint-Boniface after twenty years of service.

Richard has been or is active on many Boards of Administration including Child and Family Services of Central Manitoba (chair for 6 years), Child and Family All Nations Coordinated Network (ANCR) and Parish Board of Administration (chair for nine years) and many other organizations. He was very involved in many professional committees at the local or provincial levels of MTS or STF, MASS, College and University of Manitoba committees in the faculties of Education and Graduate Studies.

Richard has enjoyed his experience as Chair of RTAM last year and is looking forward to continue collaborating with the Board and the entire membership in promoting the causes of RTAM for the coming year, if elected.

Richard and his wife Lucille (who retired in 2008 after 40 years in education, the last 27 as an administrator) are enjoying retirement and are very proud of their daughter Lauranne who is presently in her fourth year of teaching.

Wayne Hughes

Vice President Winnipeg, Manitoba

I have been involved with RTAM for the past six years as a committee member ( 6 years) and board member (5 years). Having chaired the political action committee for 2 years, in addition to being a member of the pension committee as well as a member on many ad hoc committees, I have been fortunate to gain a wide perspective on RTAM’s numerous activities. Due to this wide perspective I feel it is appropriate to put my name forward for the position of Vice President.

The coming year is going to be an important one with the upcoming Provincial Election and I therefore plan to continue my involvement with both the political action and pension committees. I also believe RTAM is achieving a well recognized standing as an advocate for all retired teachers and we need to continue our good work and image.

I look forward to your support.

Jag Malik

treasurer Gilbert Plains, Manitoba

After teaching for 26 years in Gilbert Plains Collegiate I retired in 1995 and decided to live in the town of Gilbert Plains.

During my teaching years I was involved with the Local Division Association of Manitoba Teachers’ Society in various capacities and served on the MTS Executive 5 years.

I became an RTAM Board member in 1997 and have served as Treasurer since 1999. I take this opportunity to thank you for your support during these years and ask for your continued support for another term as RTAM Treasurer.

rtaM directors at large 2011-2012

Dolores Hebert

Winnipeg

My name is Dolores Hebert. I retired from the Winnipeg School Division 8 years ago. I have had a varied and interesting career in Education. I have taught at all levels in British Columbia, Ontario and Manitoba. I was also lucky enough to teach in Germany for 2 years for the Department of National Defence.

I spent 3 years as a French consultant for the Department of Education. I finished my teaching career as a Principal. I was always involved as a teacher or administrator representative in my local associations. I spend my time now as a volunteer at the St. Boniface hospital gift shop, as well as the Retired Women Teachers’ Association, of which I will be President in the coming year.

I have always been interested and involved in associations with a purpose, such as RTAM. I feel I am capable and willing to work for RTAM, to better the lives of retired teachers.

Ron Kalinchuk

Virden Ron has served on the RTAM Board for the past three years. He has been the Website Committee Chair for those years and has also served on the Membership, Chapter Formation and Liaison/Membership, and Public Relations. As well he has been Chair of the Communications Committee which tries to combine the needs of Public Relations, KIT and Website to coordinate any communications that we do for the Association.

Ron has served as the Webmaster for the website and has been trying to develop a new look for the website. The work is an ongoing task and involves trying to preserve the good “old” material as well as adding new material as it becomes available. Things like posting pdf files of KIT are a major goal and all the past issues of KIT are slowly being added to the new site so they will be available to all.

Ron would like to become more pro-active in keeping the site relevant and updated and realizes there are many improvements to be made to the currently revamped site.

Ron wishes to have his name stand again for Director, so he may continue his work on the web site and continue to interact with a great group of retired teachers working very hard for the rights that we all deserve.

Ron represents the Western part of the Province and would like to continue serving as another representative from outside the great “perimeter wall”. (No slight intended to the many excellent and talented members from the great city of Winnipeg – you have been an inspiration to me!)

Ron asks for your continued support to make it possible for him to serve yet another year on the RTAM Board.

Barbara McDole

Winnipeg

I have just finished serving on the RWTA (Retired Womens’ Teachers Association) Board for nine years, and am presently on my second year with the RTAM Board.

I am continuing to work with my Service Dog, Bear, in the Louis Riel School Division and with St. Amant.

I will continue to work with the Wellness Committee and any other ad hoc committees that need support. I have put my name forward for another term as a Board member.

Anne Monk

Winnipeg

I have served for several years on the RTAM Board of Directors in several capacities. My main focus has been serving as first a member of and then as chairperson of the Pension Committee. While serving as chairperson, I have

also represented RTAM on the Teachers’ Pension Task Force. In addition, I have served as vice-president for two years and have been a member of a number of committees - the Political Action Committee, the AGM Committee, the Ad Hoc Brochures Committee and the Ad Hoc Office Space Committee.

My experience in pension governance has enabled me to be a resource on pension matters, having served ten years on the TRAF Board, including a time as vice-chair and acting chair of both the Board and the Investment Committee, and six years on the board of its investment management subsidiary, including serving as its chair. I look forward to continuing to work to further the interests of retired teachers with respect to the ongoing COLA problem.

My teaching career was spent entirely in the Winnipeg School Division. I am enjoying my retirement years, residing in Winnipeg and taking occasional trips abroad.

Judy Olmstead

Brandon I was born and raised in Swan River Valley. I attended the University of Manitoba, receiving a B. A. (1970) and Ed. (1971). I taught in Thompson, first in junior high, and then in middle years.

I served on the negotiating committee for the local association. I was also involved in coordinating several volunteer groups in Thompson, including Thompson Festival of the Arts, 4-H Club, and church craft sale.

I moved with my family to Brandon in 1997 where I spent the last 6 years teaching at and running a Hutterite colony school.

I have been an RTAM member since retiring four years ago, and have been secretary of WREA for the past two years. I enjoy singing, curling, gardening, travelling and spending time with my grandchildren. Dr. Mary Pankiw

Winnipeg

I was born and raised in Winnipeg where I received my early education. After Grade 12 I attended Normal School and graduated with a first class teaching certificate. I taught four years in rural Manitoba and then joined Winnipeg School Division No. 1 where I taught until retirement. My career of 42 years spanned all levels of the public school system.

Combining career, motherhood and study, I earned my BA at the University of Manitoba. Widowed, when the youngest of my five children was three, I completed my Bed. In 1972, I earned my MEd and was the first female to enroll full-time in the Faculty of Educational Administration at U of M. In the summer of 1976, I studied at the Taras Shevchenko University in Kyiv, Ukraine, then under U.S.S.R. In 1978 I earned my PhD at the Ukrainian Free University in Munich, Germany.

I have chaired and served professional committees, on the Winnipeg Teachers’ Association, Manitoba Teachers’ Society and Department of Education. I worked to further development of language and music education along with multiculturalism and advocated for issues at all levels.

I served on the Senate of University of Manitoba from 1982-88. As an elected delegate of the National Council of Women of Canada I attended the International Women’s Conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2006. From 2007-09, I served on the National Council of the Canadian College of Teachers as Vice-President and Councillor (Western Region).

I am a Past President of the Canadian College of Teaches (Manitoba chapter), Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church, Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada (Winnipeg Region), Manitoba Society of Seniors, Council of Women of Winnipeg, Ukrainian Canadian Women’s Council (Winnipeg), and Councils of Women of Manitoba: Life Members Association.

Honours/Awards:

1967 – Canada’s Centennial Medal for “outstanding contribution to education”. 1998 – YMCA-YWCA Woman of Distinction Award Alpha Omega Alumnae’s “Ukrainian Woman of the Year” Chatelaine’s “Who’s Who of Canadian Women”

2005 - Osvita Foundation of Manitoba, re: EnglishUkrainian Bilingual Program 2007 - FCCT (Fellow Canadian College of Teachers) 2008 - “HER STORY – THE CANADIAN WOMEN’S CALENDAR” featured on page 100 2010 - University of Manitoba Ukrainian Canadian Alumni Committee:

“Distinguished Alumna Award of the University of Manitoba for outstanding contribution and service to the Canadian and Ukrainian Canadian Community” in the field of education.

Currently, I am completing my term as President of the Retired Women Teachers’ Association of Manitoba during our 60th Anniversary Year. Also, I am a member of the City of Winnipeg’s Seniors Advisory Committee

As a RTAM Board Member these past two years, I served as Vice-President and as a member on three committees: Bylaws and Policy, Educational Advocacy and Travel.

It has been a privilege to serve all retired teachers. I look forward to continue serving on the RTAM Board and promoting the interests of all retired teachers.

Carol Pelton

Thompson

Carol Pelton, Owner/Manager of Travel Only Thompson, is completing her sixth year as a travel professional after retiring from teaching in 2003. Carol has formal education in special education and reading, and physical education with a minor in geography.

During her teaching career, she taught in Ontario, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Northern Manitoba with a range of teaching assignments from classroom teacher to Senior Department Head. In her position as Senior Department Head, she was responsible for teacher supervision and evaluation, school professional development and effective programme management.

In her role as a Resource Teacher, she co-authored a paper for the Boundaries Review Commission and cochaired a workshop on FASD. She was involved with her professional teachers’ associations either at a local or Provincial level.

Her extensive travel experiences began with representing the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture on a Junior Farmers’ Exchange to the United Kingdom in 1975. A teacher’s exchange to Australia in 1978, followed by three years in Papua New Guinea from 1981 - 1983 continued to expand her knowledge of many countries and the diversity of cultures. Her final trip prior to returning to Canada took her to Thailand, Burma, Nepal and a four month overland trip to the United Kingdom. She has continued to expand her travel destinations since returning to Canada in 1984.

Carol has been a member of the Business and Professional Women (BPW) since 1991. Locally, she has served in a variety of executive positions, as well as, representing the Club at Provincial and National Conventions. Provincially, she is a Past President and represented the Province on the National Board. Nationally, she held the position of Vice President. She co-chaired the National Convention held in Winnipeg in 2008. Internationally, Carol has attended Regional Meetings in St. Maarten and Cuba and Congresses in Vancouver, Melbourne and Lucerne. Carol, joined women from across Canada as part of a BPW Canada travel group visiting China in 1997 as part of a cultural exchange. She attended the Status of Women Conference at the United Nations in 2005 and as part of a BPW International panel on Education presented a paper entitled “ Education in Canada - Girls and Women as Learners: Promoting Education and Training”.

Carol established her own business in 1992 as a consultant for a company establishing computer-based adult education programming. Since that time, under her company umbrella, she has run a variety of home-based businesses with the most recent being Watkins and Travel Only. She has also been a landlord. Carol is currently a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Thompson Citizenship Council and the Rotary Club.

Carol’s volunteer activities within her teaching career and outside within the community have provided opportunities to develop leadership skills and to organize a variety of events/workshops in a collaborative setting and would be an asset to committee work with the RTAM Board.

Ted Poulter

Winnipeg

Ted Poulter was born in Winnipeg Oct.2, 1937. He received his early education in St. Vital and post secondary studies at St.John's College and the University of Manitoba attaining a B.A.(1958) and a B.Ed. (1962).

He taught in St. Vital S.D.#6 at Norberry Jr.High, Glenlawn Collegiate and Dakota Collegiate. He was vice principal at Dakota Collegiate 1966-1979 and Principal at St. George School and Glenwood School until he retired in 1990.

He has been married to his wife Edna since 1960 and has 2 children –daughter Pam(a registered nurse) and son John (a High school Physics teacher). He has been a RTAM member since his retirement, has attended several Annual Meetings and is currently President of the Riel Chapter of RTAM. He is running as a Director in the election at the Annual Meeting in May.

Peggy Prendergast

Winnipeg

Formerly a teacher and an administrator in the Winnipeg School Division, I have been associated with RTAM for the past 12 years in various capacities: oMember of the Group Benefits Committee (which then dealt with pensions), oVice-President and member of the MTS Pension Task Force Committee and thus on the Pension Task Force from 1999 to 2005

- President - Appointed Executive Director from 2000 until 2005 - Again elected an RTAM Board member - Chaired the Wellness Committee since the inception of the committee - Editorial Committee member for 9 years, - Pension Committee chair for 4 years and member for 10.

My commitment to RTAM is twofold: - assisting the Board in solving the COLA issue and - providing help to our members in the area of social, emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual wellness.

I also have a commitment to ‘seniors’ in the community generally. I believe in the concept of Age Friendly Cities. I teach for Creative Retirement Manitoba (CRM) and was a member of that Board for six years. I am a member of the Seniors’ Advisory Committee to the Mayor of the City of Winnipeg. I am also a member of the Manitoba Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.

I believe we, as retired teachers, are a significant part of a fast growing population of seniors in our Province. Seniors have a great deal of experience and energy to commit to our communities. They are living longer and are generally healthy. They also have needs and concerns that need to be recognized and dealt with by the governments of our Province, our Cities, and our Communities.

doreen sage

Neepawa From Swan River, and after teaching in the rural area, took a Business Education Course and worked for McLeods and Eatons. Went back to teaching and taught Business Education in Swan River and Neepawa. I have been on the RTAM Board for several years, as a member of the Finance Committee and Group Benefits Committee. I was the Chair of the Finance Committee, but because of changing needs of RTAM members, the committee was renamed Wellness. I organized many Wellness Seminars throughout the province.

I moved to the job of Editor of KIT nine years ago. I have found this to be most rewarding and I hope to be able to continue.

I live in Neepawa with husband Ed Sage. I do a variety of volunteering and spend time gardening.

John Sushelnitsky

Portage la Prairie

John grew up in Boissevain, took his B.A. at Brandon College (’64), taught two years in Tanzania, got his Teaching certificate (’67) at the U. of Manitoba and taught in Portage la Prairie until 2003.

He served the Manitoba Teachers’ Society in many capacities throughout his career and was given a life membership in 2004.

He joined the RTAM Board five years ago and has served on the Membership, Wellness and Political Action Committees as well as heading the Public Relations Committee each year.

He enjoys music and has started two bands that entertain at senior centers. Sports have always been a big part of his personal and teaching activity, and he continues to enjoy tennis.

J. norman Wiebe

Portage la Prairie Norman lives in Portage la Prairie. He is married with 2 children and 4 grandchildren. He grew up on a farm in southern Manitoba and taught for 35 years starting in a 1-room country school. He taught all grade levels and was an administrator for a number of years.

He has always been active in the MTS local associations in various executive positions. After retirement he substituted at the Agassiz Youth Centre for 8 years.

He previously served as Director on the RTAM board and was a member on the Political Action and Travel committees. He feels that RTAM must maintain a strong voice to protect the interests of retired teachers. Dr Mary Pankiw (Hrenchuk), was the 2011 Recipient of the Eira 'Babs' Friesen Lifetime Achievement Award. The Award was presented by the Honourable Minister Jennifer Howard, Minister of the Status of Women on May 4, 2011 at the Thirty-Fifth Annual YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Awards.

This Award is given by the Manitoba Women's Advisory Council, (Status of Women) to honour a woman who has made a unique contribution to women's equality.

Dr Pankiw received this Award for "expanding opportunities and promoting human rights through education, community service and advocacy."

This is the second time this Lifetime Achievement Award has been presented.

SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION RETIRED WOMEN TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION 1951-2011

s is for the students that we have taught. i is for the insPiration that they have brought. X is for the X number of lines that bullies were ordered to write. t is for the tears shed when the strap executed judgment and fright. i is for the inKWells where ribboned braids, by boyish pranks, were dipped. e is for eXciteMent when someone was unexpectedly tripped. t is for the togetherness of early school dismissal, freedom and fun. h is for the haPPiness during recess times under the golden sun. a is for the aPPles on teacher's desk, lined in rows, gifts shiny and red. n is for the neW day when sleepy heads were aroused from bed. n is for the naMes of students who earned stars shiny, silvery and bright. i is for the interest of various classes about everything in sight. V is for the ViM, Vigour and Vitality of every ViBrant class. e is for the enthusiasM in June over earning and receiving a “Pass.” r is for the reading, 'riting and 'rithMetic covered each day. s is for the sMiles that brightened us all each day along life's way. a is for the alarM that signalled everyone outside for each fire drill. r is for the rePorts that diligent students did thrill. y is for the yardsticKs that yesterdays' memories do fill.

These letters collected together Resonate reminiscently loud and clear “BEST WISHES” and “HAPPY SIXTIETH AnnIvERSARY” Reflecting dazzling DIAMOnDS far and near. April 14, 2011

Copyright Mary (Hrenchuk) Pankiw