This year, the Hornell CSD said goodbye to over 240 years of experience across the district.

At the end of the 2022-23 school year, the Hornell City School District bid farewell to nine distinguished educators and administrators: Elizabeth Cardamone, Sandra Hillman, Penelope Smith, Diane Talbot, Douglas Brown, Mary Losecco, Jennifer Sorochin, Sean Gaffney and school bus driver Gary Kneale.

Cardamone, Hornell Class of 1981, is retiring after 21 years in the district. She is retiring as a kindergarten teacher at North Hornell School.

Two teachers and Hornell alumni are retiring from the Intermediate School. Hillman, Class of 1978, has spent six years in the district and has worked with the girls soccer team for many years. Smith, Class of 1977, has been with the district for 22 years and worked closely with the music department as a director for musicals and chaperone for competitions.

Brown and Talbot are retiring after careers teaching at Hornell High School. Brown has been a special education teacher for 27 years, and Talbot is retiring after 33 years as a math teacher in the district.

Sorochin served the Hornell district for 15 years. She retired in February as the director of elementary STEM.

Hornell Alumni Class of 1985, Gaffney, served the district for 27 years. Throughout his tenure, he was a special education teacher, dean of students, assistant principal and principal at the Hornell High School, Intermediate and North Hornell schools. Gaffney also coached boys soccer and tennis.

2023 Retirees

Douglas Brown High School Special Education Teacher, 27 in district (37 total)
Elizabeth Cardamone Elementary Teacher, 21 years in district (25 total)
Sean Gaffney Administrator, 27 years in district (33 total)
Sandra Hillman Elementary Teacher, 6 years in district (16 total)
Gary Kneale School Bus Driver, 25 years
Mary Losecco Teacher Aide, 21 years
Penelope Smith Elementary Teacher, 22 years
Jennifer Sorochin Administrator, 15 in district, (29 total)
Diane Talbot High School Math Teacher, 33 years