MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT, SEPTEMBER 2025

I can still see it. I can still feel it. Sitting in the all purpose room at the McKenna Building
as streams of new teachers flooded in, ten to fifteen minutes before our first orientation
meeting. I remember one girl walking in AS the meeting was starting and I thought to
myself, “My god, the audacity of this girl showing up just right on time to your first day!”
Six years later, I married that girl.

This was the beginning of the first season of my career, my Autumn. I shared that season
with many of you. As new people, we clung to each other at the Middle School: People like
Paneptino, Hanley, Sherrard, Vantassel, Serio, Cohen…many of whom changed their last
names and I refuse to relearn them. My middle school team was my lifesource. People
like Mr. Eve, Big Frank LoCascio, Karen Kretch, Aileen Clancy, Dina Hughes, Debbie Gloor.
My nights were filled with pouring over lesson plans, anxious about each new school day,
that kid in my fifth period class who made my life miserable... My time outside of school
was unlimited to work and worry.

Then, my wife and I had children, the second season of my career, my Winter. Our family
priorities shifted as our children became the center of our lives. I learned that my sick
days were no longer for me. I had a foundation of confidence as a teacher. I didn’t
question everything I did, but I had to learn to use my time in school more efficiently
because my time outside of school was now filled with worrying about diapers and sleep
schedules.

Now, I find myself in Spring. Our family has a shared digital calendar and we try not to
think more than one day in advance for fear all hell may break loose. My wife and I
struggle with our work/life/activity balance like everyone else and whenever we meet a
family who seems like and projects that they have it all figured out, we know it’s
bull-oney.

For those of you who are in your Fall season, just starting off, embrace it. Embrace your
successes and your failures. Listen to those with more seasons under their belt. Be
gracious for advice offered. Take what works. Scrap what doesn’t. This profession is
filled with high highs and low lows. Focus on the highs. Administrators, see failure in
your new teachers the same way you want your teachers to see failure in their students.
Approach them with grace, and do what you can give them the tools and guidance to help
them do their job better.

For those of you in your Winter, ten years in, starting families, taking things on outside of
school, trying to find your work-life balance, keep trucking. Try to be present in your
work life when here and present in your home life when you’re home. For me, this is still
my biggest challenge.

For those of you who are with me…approaching our last season….expenses abound…our
doctors have gone from recommending vitamins to colonoscopies…life outside of our job
is a constant buzz of activity, let’s try to do more than survive together. Remember that
we chose a profession that allows us to have a second life after retirement. Let’s dodge
cynicism when we can, and continue to find joy that our job, at the end of the day, allows
us to be around kids and keep us young.

For those of you who are approaching your last season, your endless summer… screw you.

All of us in this room are in a different season of our careers and our lives. Our
professional lives will always run parallel to our personal lives. Today, I remind you that
our union runs parallel to both of these. And when I say OUR, I mean every union
member in this audience. We will be the ambassadors of changing the crap terms of Tier
6. We will be the ones to help shield against the threat that charter schools pose on Public
School funding. Our main focus should always be our families and our home life, our
professional goal should be to give the most we can to our students, but do not shirk our
collective responsibility of leaving our respective professions as good or better than those
who came before us left them for us.

Related, as all of our members know, we begin this year without having met to ratify the
terms of a new contract. I know that union and I believe the Board of Education
understands the respect that is inherent in having contractual peace with each bargaining
unit. I am encouraged from conversations with the Superintendent and the Board
President that we will work to resolve the remaining obstacles in a quick manner so that
our membership does not continue to work under an expired contract.

I’m not here to tell you that no matter what season that you’re in, approach it positively.
You’re adults. Your mental state will not be changed based on what you hear from me
today.
I’m here to say that there is strength in numbers. We, TAL members, Secretarial
members, aides, custodians, nurses, maintenance, administration and the Board of
Education have a common bond amongst us. For good or for bad, we are on this
merry-go-round together.

Always take time to reflect on your personal life and remember that we should strive to
work to live NOT live to work.

Really think about where you are in your professional career, how much you’ve learned
and the impact you’ve had and will have on kids.

But do not forget to take account and ask yourself, What have I done to make my
profession and Public Education stronger?

TAL members, I am honored to have been selected by default to serve as your President.

The TAL Executive Board: Sean McGevna, Megan Maronski, Roseann Geiger, Jennifer
Kelly, Michelle Perino, Maureen Benson, Kristen Alamia and Bill Schutt wish you a great
year in this season your lives and your work…as for the union part…we’ll be in touch.

See you all soon.

In solidarity,
John Savastano