Betsy Romano

Betsy can vividly recall the day in 1974 when she was hired as Hamburg High School’s sole art teacher. She shared her extensive portfolio with Associate Superintendent, Mr. Edwin Osborne. Displayed upon his office floor were four years of nude figure drawings along with other evidence of her artistic skills and instructional techniques. This provided all Mr. Osborne needed to know. Much to Ed’s relief, the interview was successful…and brief!

From that day forward, opportunities for expanded course offerings and leadership roles soon became paramount as student enrollments multiplied rapidly.

Yearbook art editor, literary magazine advisor, Art Department Chair/District Coordinator, NYSATA presenter, technology facilitator, annual reviewer and NYSATA Authentic Portfolio Assessment Institute contributor were some of the welcome challenges for affecting positive change.

Working cooperatively at various department levels and with other disciplines provided a wealth of perspectives from which to base decisions to further support student success and collegiality. The process of such reflection was more important than any summative product.

There are too many students to count, but so many relationships to recall. Fostering mutual respect was key while still maintaining that professional separation. Betsy laughed, cried, argued, critiqued, praised and became comfortably “still” with her students. Any teacher’s ultimate triumph is to eventually become unnecessary; able to breathe freely having made a difference between success and failure. The final product may have needed wanting, but the critical process of knowing how to learn was everything!

Of course, no one lives the teaching life alone. In addition to Betsy’s teenage charges, Betsy thanks her many mentors from whom she learned not only content, but intangible qualities such as compassion, empathy, patience and honesty; a debt that can never be repaid.

Betsy lives in Blasdell, NY, with her husband of fifty years, Michael, and their son, Sam.