I wish to thank you for all the articles regarding Floral Park Memorial High School that I have read in the Floral Park Dispatch since I started my subscription in 1994. I am writing this in honor of a very special, loyal, long-time, dedicated employee of the Sewanhaka Central High School District who is retiring.

Antoinette Fiore began her career as an English teacher and class advisor at Sewanhaka High School 34 years ago. There she met her Prince Charming, music teacher Leo Ursini, and they married and had two children, Angela and James. They spend as much time as they can with their two adult children and their dear son-in-law, Angelo.

Twenty-one years ago, Mrs. Ursini interviewed with Mr. Robert Nagle, guidance chair at Floral Park Memorial, for a counselor position. He recently shared stories of how vividly he remembers Mrs. Ursini's professionalism and sincerity in answering his interview questions. Many Floral Park Memorial families and faculty are grateful he hired her because Mrs. Ursini certainly always gave of herself untirelessly with her hand constantly on the pulse of our school. She certainly accomplished a lot and never wavered in her constant support whether it was a normal day or during all the crises and tragedies that have touched our school community.

Since it is summer and difficult to reach the school for input, I am taking the liberty of repeating the dedication to Mrs. Antoinette Ursini as placed by her department in the 2006 yearbook. It reads: "A counselor for all seasons and all reasons. Mrs. Antoinette Ursini has served the students and families of Floral Park Memorial for 21 years and for 14 years prior in the English department at Sewanhaka High School. With her charming smile and keen fashion sense, Mrs. Ursini has exuded warmth, kindness and an unrelenting enthusiasm for her work with the students in her charge. She will be remembered not only for her school counselor role but also for her commitment to the district at every level, including as Floral Park Memorial Trumpet advisor, her yearly attendance at the district music festival and for her years as class advisor and peer mediation facilitator. Mrs. Ursini was a strong mentor to new counselors and a beacon of encouragement to all the pupil personnel staff. Her celebratory and generous nature reached far beyond her department, touching the lives of all those in the district who have had the pleasure of working alongside her. For your undying dedication to Floral Park and the Sewanhaka Central High School District, we thank you and wish you all the best as you retire."

Trumpet Literary Magazine has received many prestigious awards under Mrs. Ursini's leadership. Trumpet staff dedicated this year's edition to Mrs. Antoinette Ursini and began it with a quote that describes her well: Veni, vidi, vici - (I came, I saw, I conquered) -- Julius Caesar. It is my guess that if the Class of 2007 looks around at their graduation next year, they will see her smiling face in the crowd!

Now that I have shared about this wonderful counselor from the eyes of everyone else, let me try to share from my personal experiences. Where do I begin? I really would need an entire issue to express my heartfelt gratitude and positive experiences. Like many parents, I was very apprehensive in 1994 about sending my not-yet 12-year-old son, Dan, to a much different environment than the safe halls of John Lewis Childs School. During the orientations, etc., she was so reassuring and spoke not only from the eyes of a school counselor but also from the eyes of a parent. It was very reassuring to have been assigned a counselor with a sincere, loving and open heart! I was able to say absolutely anything to her, in any tone and in any mood, without fear of being judged by her. She truly knew how to be an objective counselor.

At the first school conference when I had my 6-year-old, Joe, with me, he commented, "that lady is so flamboyant." She was wearing a bright dress with a scarf. This wouldn't be that funny except that he was only 6 years old at the time and little did we know that 12 years later he would be in Mrs. Ursini's case load and graduate at the top of the class. He is now extremely thankful to have had his guidance counselor write him a "flamboyant" recommendation letter, which we are sure was a big help in getting him into his first-choice college.

Mrs. Ursini worked around the clock to support all her students and she truly left a wonderful legacy. She never made her students or parents feel that their mountains of the moment were molehills, although in time we would sometimes realize that ourselves. She took every concern seriously and I often felt that she was my guidance counselor because at times concerns became monumental, especially during the first college application process.

Mrs. Ursini was such a role model to me. After a decade we got more comfortable speaking to each other and shared stories about serious illnesses of our loved ones and the pain in watching them suffer. In retrospect, I think back and admire how she was able to stay at school with the Trumpet, for an event or just to catch up with college recommendations until late and then check up on the elderly and then return to work and do the same all over again without ever letting anything fall through the cracks. It is her unwavering dedication and love of both her family and career that has constantly given me courage to persevere.

In October 1999 during the application process for my first son, I woke up at 2 a.m. with anxiety over one of the early packages due Nov. 1. Being obsessive, I figured, why not just call and leave a message so I wouldn't worry. The phone rang and immediately I heard, "hello." Yes, you guessed it. It was Mrs. Ursini herself! She was busy at her desk at 2 a.m. so that everything would get out before deadline.

In closing, I am thrilled that she and her loving husband, Leo, will now be able to enjoy quality time together, without having to share their time with Antoinette's other love, Floral Park Memorial. I am equally sad for the future families at Floral Park Memorial because Mrs. Ursini's retirement will leave a void for students, faculty and parents alike.