This month's Staff Spotlight is presented to Leah Turner and Roseann Gardinier in honor of their hard work, dedication, and compassion for CCSD and our students!
Leah Turner is a third-grade teacher at South Side Elementary School and has been working for the district since 2015. Prior to joining Canastota, she worked as a long-term substitute in Chittenango.
Ms. Turner graduated from Chittenango Central Schools in 1996 and attended SUNY Cortland thereafter, where she pursued her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Childhood Education with a Master's Degree in Literacy.
There are many things she enjoys about her job at CCSD. She believes that third grade is an exceptional year for students in terms of social and academic growth. She enjoys being a part of their passion for learning new things and their willingness to take risks. Ms. Turner also loves being able to teach them to be resourceful.
When she isn't working, Ms. Turner loves to travel, usually to tropical destinations! She also enjoys attending concerts, reading, hosting gatherings, and spending time with her friends and family. Along with her students, her South Side family has also made her truly love her job. She feels lucky to have gained wonderful friendships throughout the years and believes that her colleagues have all been an instrumental part of her professional growth as an educator.
Roseann Gardinier is a proud alumnus of CCSD, having graduated from high school in 1984. After graduation, she joined the United States Navy and later earned her nursing degree from SUNY Morrisville. Mrs. Gardinier worked in several different scopes of nursing before joining CCSD in 2009. She served as the RSES School Nurse for a decade before transferring to the High School in 2019. She has been with the JSHS for five years, making it a total of 15 years with the Canastota School District.
According to Mrs. Gardinier, she has grown both personally and professionally while working at CCSD. She has had the opportunity to work with many supportive and amazing staff members, and has cared for hundreds of wonderful students. She has also built strong relationships with parents and community members of Canastota.
When she isn’t working, Mrs. Gardinier loves spending time with her family. She is a proud mother of three daughters and a stepmother of two boys. She is also a grandmother of seven grandchildren. When the weather is warm and inviting, her favorite activities are camping, kayaking, and gardening. During cold weather and rainy days, she prefers curling up with a blanket and a good book. Her favorite hobby is cross-stitching.
We thank Ms. Turner and Mrs. Gardinier again for all their hard work and dedication to our CCSD students!