By Kathy Brown.
Back in 1971, Killingworth was part of the Clinton Public School system, and Dr. Lewin Joel, then Superintendent, and Robert LeBlanc, then principal of Killingworth Elementary School, hired Noreen Rodney as a special education teacher for grades K-4. Noreen started work on January 24, 1972.
Noreen is dual certified in Special Education and Elementary Education Grades 1-6. She has taught both special education and regular education at our schools, and especially loved teaching reading and math.
In September 1981, Noreen met the new art teacher at KES, Jay Granucci, who went from room to room on a rolling cart.
Noreen and Jay were married in 1986.
Jay Granucci began teaching art at KES. He then moved to Burr Elementary School, then split his time between Haddam Elementary School and Burr, and then moved back to Burr only when Haddam Elementary closed permanently.
In 1987, Noreen was transferred to Burr Elementary School. Soon after that, Noreen recalls, “[Redistricting] sent a part of KES students to BES. Within the next few years, a building project at Haddam Elementary School sent a section of HES students to Burr. Parents were not happy about that. I was asked to teach 5th grade for a year. It was a very difficult year because I feel that there was a great deal of community tension with parents not being happy.”
The following year, Noreen returned to her “happy place: third grade, and stayed there until my retirement in 2011.”
That retirement was VERY short-lived.
“As I was going through the receiving line of administrators at the Board of Education celebration to honor retirees, Dr. Janice Harris whispered in my ear, ‘Come work for me at HES,’ and my life as a para-educator began. I guess I wasn’t truly ready for retirement and still not!” explained Noreen.
“Teaching in RSD 17 has given me the privilege to work with very awesome colleagues,” said Noreen. “I have met so many wonderful parents who are now dear friends. And have been privileged to teach many children of former students who never left town. I also have colleagues now at BES who were former students of mine.”
“I have had the honor of not only teaching alongside both Jay and Noreen, but I was also their student,” said Becky Harkin, a 2nd grade teacher at Burr. “Jay was my Art teacher when I attended KES as a child and Noreen was my 2nd grade math teacher! Time passed and I became a teacher myself and was interviewed for my first teaching position at Burr in 2001. I was surprised as I walked in and saw Noreen Granucci in the front office. She recognized me right away, more than 15 years later! Noreen and Jay have such a passion for their jobs and this shows every day.”
“Mrs. Granucci impacted our kids in her own gentle way,” said Katie Packtor, the mother of two children who went through HES. “A kind-hearted woman, [Mrs. Granucci] was always someone that my kids could go to when they needed help or support. Her spirit shines in her smile, and kids recognize that kind of honest commitment. She was always working above and beyond, from welcoming the kids in the morning to managing dismissal and after-school clubs.”
“Noreen is dedicated to her students, both during the school year and over the summer months when she works with students,” said Paige Boudreau, Kindergarten teacher at BES. “As a paraprofessional, she gives 100 percent to her students, even after 50 years of teaching!”
On January 13, Noreen was honored with flowers and balloons by Superintendent Jeff Wihbey, BES Principal Brienne Whidden, Board Member Jennifer Favalora, Reading Coach Judy Nacca, Special Education teacher Tania Shaw, Art Teacher Jay Granucci, 2nd grade teacher Tracey Penney and all of the room 12 second graders.
On January 18, Noreen was honored by the Board of Education at their January Meeting. “Superintendent Wihbey announced that I had worked for eight principals, seven superintendents, taught for 65,975 hours and spent 9,090 days in the classroom!” said Noreen.
On January 24 (the actual 50th anniversary), Noreen was honored AGAIN by all of her BES colleagues, “and showered with gifts from them all and a delicious vanilla cake which was enjoyed by all.”
Noreen isn’t the only Granucci dedicating decades to our district. Jay has been working here for 41 years.
“Mr. G taught our kids art, but he also gave them confidence, encouraged their creativity, and fostered their unique skills,” said Katie Packtor. “I owe a debt of gratitude to both Noreen and Jay.”
Jay is well known for his fantastic art shows each year at the elementary schools.
“[BES principal Brienne Whidden] asked me when she first came to Burr if I would be interested in doing a whole school art installation to help make our school look more kid-friendly,” said Jay.
“Our first art installation was a butterfly mural, where each child designed their own butterfly. I gave it the title, ‘Until you spread your wings, you have no idea how far you can fly.’”
Then he started looking for an idea for another permanent installation. “After research, I found an idea inspired by the artist Dale Chihuly, who is an amazing glass sculpture artist, which in this case would involve using recycled bottles,” said Jay.
Jay’s excitement about art is infectious.
“Mr. Granucci truly cultivated the love I still have for art today,” said Audrey Gaynier. “While I do not have art in my professional career in the Coast Guard, I have found joy in oil painting on nautical and aeronautical charts. I am so lucky to have been a student of Jay Granucci.”
“[Jay] is so creative and goes above and beyond what an art teacher can do with his students,” said Paige Boudreau. “He meets my students where they are, and helps my students create the most beautiful art pieces. Jay is always looking out for the teachers’ well-being and is extremely supportive of the teachers in the building.”
“Mr. Granucci is one of the most talented and dedicated professionals I have worked with,” explained Michele Tackett, former Kindergarten teacher, BES. “What was most admirable was how he was able to balance family life with his career. Always putting in many hours beyond the school day, I remember him putting up artwork in the late afternoons while happily carrying his youngest child on his back! He and Mrs. Granucci always wore a smile despite the demands of teaching with a growing family.”
“It’s truly amazing how he brought out the best in each child,” said Samantha Merwin, parent of a former HES student. “He has so much patience and talent. The district is blessed to have had his leadership for so many years.”
Jay spent hours planning the new art installation for Burr.
“I played around with ideas that would be the most effective, eye catching, and how the kids could each participate as well as how it would need to be best constructed,” explained Jay. “I thought colored permanent markers were the way to go for adding color to the recycled bottles, but I wasn’t satisfied with the intensity of the colored markers when applied to the bottles. I knew acrylic paints would have to be my next option, as it is the only type of paint that would adhere to the bottles.”
Luckily for Jay he had a huge supply of acrylic paints in a rainbow of colors that overflowed from a cabinet since combining schools and losing grades 4-6 to the Intermediate and Middle Schools. “The acrylic paint ended up being the perfect choice for painting the bottles,” said Jay. “I asked for bottle donations from parents, and we were able to collect over 1000!”
Next came the actual painting.
“Over the course of about a week, every child, K-3, with their smocks protecting their clothes, painted multiple bottles in every color of the rainbow,” said Jay. “The next step was cutting the bottles.”
Because of the complexity of cutting the bottles into thin spirals, Jay and a few of the school’s paraprofessionals took on that task. “I would estimate the finished sculpture weighs about 40-50 pounds,” explained Jay. “The kids were so excited to see it finally take shape during the permanent installation process.”
“I have had the privilege of working with the Granuccis for many years at RSD17,” said Jenn Leavitt, former teacher at HES, now at HKMS. “As a community, we are so lucky to have two educators from the same family who encourage students to believe in themselves and have confidence that everyone can achieve a high level of knowledge with hard work. They are truly two gems of this community.”
