Welcome to the Iota website where you can find everything you need to be an active member of DKG, Iota Chapter.  Be sure to check each page for all the latest information. The Iota Chapter is located in Camden County ,New Jersey and was organized in April 1966.

 Leading women educators impacting education worldwide

2020-2022 BIENNIUM OFFICERS

  • ​​President - Stacy Kasse                                       Email: stacykasse@comcast.net
  • First Vice President - Camy Kobylinski  Email: camyk@msn.com
  • Membership - Sharon Gardner                             Email: If you need to email Sharon, please call or email Stacy and she will give you the information. 
  • Recording secretary -to be initiated 
  • Corresponding Secretary -
  • Diane Papadine Email: dpapadinec@gmail.com
  • Treasurer -  Denise McDermott     Email:  If you need to email Denise, please call or email Stacy and she will give you the information. 
  • Parliamentarian - Jeanne WhalenEmail: jhwhalen@verizon.net
  • Yearbook- Irene Maskaly                                   Email: wesrosee@verizon.net
  • Past President: Candice Zachowski.     If you need to email Candy, please call or email Stacy and she will give you the information. 
  • Historian: Margie Maines email.  mmaines@aol.com
​Dear Iota Sisters,

June 30 marked the end of some of our chapter officers' terms of office.  I want to thank Candy, Linda, and Catherine who have passed the gavel (so to speak because they couldn't do that physically) to Camy, Denise, Faith, and Diane.  I hope you will stay involved in Delta Kappa Gamma and provide assistance to our new officers.  A big thanks for all you have done and I look forward to working with you in the future.  I love being part of the DKG-Iota team.

Stacy


​Welcome to Our New  2020 Initiates!
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Toni Benecchi
Katelynn Brotz
Shari Douglass
Jessica Graham
Jennifer Grimaldi
Jamie Grookett
Colleen Verton 

Did you get the New Member Packet?The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of more than 75,000 key women educators in 17 countries, welcomes you. You were invited to membership because educators in your chapter recognized your potential as an outstanding educator and leader.  https://www.dkgnj-alpha.org/uploads/1/2/0/5/120531779/newmemberkit.pdf and find out everything about your membership, including how to submit to the Bulletin and the Exchange, as well how to apply for scholarships/stipends, and much more.  

​JENNIFER GRIMALDI INDUCTED INTO IOTA CHAPTER OF DELTA KAPPA GAMMA
From the WTS Website
District Director of School Counseling Jennifer Grimaldi has been inducted into the IOTA Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Key Women Educators. One of the purposes of DKG is to recognize and honor women who have demonstrated distinctive service in the field of education. 
“Membership in DKG is by nomination only, and we are extremely pleased to welcome Jennifer into this society,” said Stacy Kasse, President of the IOTA Chapter, who announced Grimaldi’s May 6th induction.
“We are very proud of this honor for Ms. Grimaldi,” Washington Township Superintendent of Schools Joe Bollendorf said. “She continues to display excellent leadership as our District counseling director.  We extend our sincere congratulations and heartfelt appreciation for all she brings to the staff and students of our District each day.”

Currently, there are 65,000 members of DKG in 17 countries worldwide.  DKG International offers scholarship opportunities for degree advancement, leadership, publishing, as well as travel and networking opportunities.  Chapter and state organizations participate in a wide variety of ventures including support for future collegiate educators, early career educators, local food banks, Schools for Africa initiative, DKG at the United Nations, Ronald McDonald houses, literacy programs, and local libraries. DKG is proud to pursue worthwhile projects that make a difference around the world.

A 1993 graduate of Holy Family University with a bachelor of arts in elementary education and special education, Grimaldi earned a master of arts in school counseling from Rowan University in 1998. She holds New Jersey certifications as an elementary teacher, teacher of students with disabilities, school counselor, supervisor, principal and school administrator. She is also a licensed disaster response crisis counselor and a substance abuse coordinator.

Grimaldi, a New Jersey Teacher of the Year nominee in 1997, was honored in 2008 as the Camden County School Counselor of the Year and in 2011 as a General Colin L. Powell Service Award recipient. She was the 2011 Naviance Excellence in Leadership finalist and a 2013 nominee for the American School Counselor Association Counselor of the Year award. In May of 2019, she was the inaugural recipient of Rowan University’s Dr. Hector Rios Community Change Agent Award. A graduate of the program, Grimaldi studied u


 DKGNJ State Newsletter
Read it here!
It includes descriptions of all the workshops at the convention and much more.
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Congratulations to Faith and Sean on the arrival of their new baby boy!!

Jaime Auletto Grookett is excited to announce she'll be starting her MFA in Creative Writing (fiction) this fall at Drexel University. She will also have a TA and will be teaching writing at Drexel. Here’s to something good happening in 2020!
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Adding to Jaime's news, she has just been published on GrandLittleThings.com. Her poem, Unsung, is below

                         Unsung  
Her words trickle from her tongue like fire
Blaze through the darkness, igniting night
Still air rattles from the heat, bubbles up
spills over the edges of convention
Her honest words have the power to spark
And, with the mere soft fanning of a sigh,
take down ancient forests of rudiments
Destroying the homes of antiquity Burning, burning, burning, below a bright
sky as blinding as the fire she bore Let the brazen trees burn in effigy Crooners, male, of course, no nest to protect
Their haughty songs bellowing through treetops
The sound of freedom as they flee the flames
The fairywren who lays the eggs evolved
Songless, silent, hushed, unwilling to risk
As much as any alluring voice asks
I, too, seek humiliating refuge in silence,
Protecting my own vulnerable nest, Sacrificing my voice, my truth, my song,
My words singe the corners of convention
Threaten a lush forest of protection
When I sought a listener for my song


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 * Important Updates *
Dues are due. Please send $80.00 to Denise McDermott 
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Meet Catherine Schofield, Deptford's District Teacher of the Year
By ANDREW TURCO. (from the Deptford SUN)
As a teacher of introductory to advanced sciences, Schofield instructs ninth and 10th graders in college prep physical science. But the two-time recipient of the award also finds creative ways to get students involved with their community. Students who take her class start out with the base skills of data points collection and what to do during an experiment. From there, they move on to basic chemistry, followed by  nuclear chemistry, basic physics such as velocity and acceleration and a taste of earth science.  During Schofield’s advanced environmental science class last year, students were instructed to research alternate energy sources and present their information by creating a children’s book.  “What they had to do was say to themselves ‘Here’s the alternate energy source. If I try to put this into a children’s book, it can’t be incredibly complex,’” Schofield explained. “These are advanced kids, so they had to bring it down to a level of a child.” But that wasn’t the best part, Schofield recalled. After their project, her high schoolers met with children from the special education class and helped them create their own book on a science topic, namely the weather.  “For me, it brought the community together,” Schofield noted. “My students got to share their time with them and help them to create something special that is still in their classroom to this day.” Schofield began her career in 1979 as a Middletown middle school teacher. From there, she taught K-12, going back and forth between Christian and public education, while taking time off to raise her child. She’s been at Deptford High School since 2005.  Her favorite thing about the profession is that no two days are the same.  “It’s always an adventure; you never know what you’re going to walk into,” Schofield explained. “Ninety-nine percent of the time it’s wonderful stuff. Periodically you have a challenge, but we get the challenges so we can appreciate those wonderful moments.” She considers technology — specifically cellphones — the most challenging part of her job because it can hinder the ability to connect in person.  “In the grand scheme of things, when they go out into the workforce or on to college, it’s the relationships that matter.”  

DKGNJ State Website

DKG International Website

2020 International Convention Promotion Video!
Click our Events Tab for more details!
                                                                   
 
TONI BENECCHI INDUCTED INTO IOTA CHAPTER OF DELTA KAPPA GAMMA

Chestnut Ridge Middle School orchestra and music appreciation teacher Toni Benecchi has been inducted into the IOTA Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Key Women Educators. One of the purposes of DKG is to recognize and honor women who have demonstrated distinctive service in the field of education. 

“Membership in DKG is by nomination only, and we are extremely pleased to welcome Toni into this society,” said Stacy Kasse, President of the IOTA Chapter, who announced Benecchi’s May 6th induction.

“Toni is a well-respected veteran music educator in our District,” District supervisor of visual and performing arts Casey Corigliano said.” As the orchestra director at Chestnut Ridge Middle School, she has impacted so many students over her career through her energetic, enthusiastic and engaging teaching style. Her students have performed very well under her leadership, having earned numerous individual and ensemble accolades over the years. She was recently recognized as a teacher of the year and is a valuable member of our department. Ms. Benecchi is most deserving of this distinction.”

“Toni is well deserving of this award and recognition,” CRMS principal Jim Barnes said. “Toni is an extremely hard-working educator who always puts her students first. She creates high energy lessons and always gets the most out of her students. As a result, many of her students achieve the ultimate success with music education. The Chestnut Ridge Middle School staff would like to congratulate Toni Benecchi, and we wish her continued success.”
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Toni has spent the past 21 years in Washington Township, Benecchi was honored as the CRMS 2017-18 Teacher of the Year. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in music education from New Jersey City University and a master’s in music and music technology from West Chester University.

Currently, there are 65,000 members of DKG in 17 countries worldwide.  DKG International offers scholarship opportunities for degree advancement, leadership, publishing, as well as travel and networking opportunities.  Chapter and state organizations participate in a wide variety of ventures including support for future collegiate educators, early career educators, local food banks, Schools for Africa initiative, DKG at the United Nations, Ronald McDonald houses, literacy programs, and local libraries. DKG is proud to pursue worthwhile projects that make a difference around
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​                                                                      Exciting Member News!
                                                      Congrats Kimberly Dickstein Hughes!

(TRENTON) – Haddonfield Memorial High School teacher Kimberly Dickstein Hughes was chosen by the New Jersey Board of Education as the 2019/2020 Teacher of the Year. Upon being honored in the State House on Monday, Assembly Democrats Louis Greenwald and Pamela Lampitt (both D-Camden, Burlington) released the following joint statement:

“Kimberly Dickstein Hughes deserves every bit of recognition she has received for her ongoing efforts to educate and inspire her students. This Voorhees native stayed close to her roots by teaching students within her own county, and is now the first Camden County educator to receive this award.
            “She has changed the lives of countless teenagers through her work at Haddonfield Memorial High School over the past 11 years by encouraging her students to get involved in their community. 
             “By making community service and global citizenship key components in her classes, Kimberly has inspired the young people of our district to see themselves as a part of something bigger and work towards helping others.
             “Kimberly herself has participated in various organizations and events related to youth, education and the community. For her efforts, she has received several awards throughout the years, including the Camden County Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal.
             “We want to commend her for the impact she has had on our community and congratulate her on being named Teacher of the Year. Haddonfield is lucky to have her.”


Greenwald & Lampitt Congratulate
Haddonfield Educator on Being Named
‘Teacher of the Year’ by NJ Board of Education
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Last Updated March, 2020
By Webmaster:  Shannon Pizzuta shannonpizzuta@yahoo.com
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