Southern York County Life

Blind teacher an inspiration for religious class

Zach Galante quickly raised his hand and said his name several times. Though several other students were doing the same, Zach wanted to be the one to give the answer. His teacher had asked, “What is an epistle?” When the teacher nodded her head in his direction, he blurted out his answer.

“Zach 1—letter.” And Zach 1—there are two Zacharys in the class—was right.

The 11-year-old fifth-grader and his fellow students say their names before they ask questions, give answers or offer comments. This helps their teacher, Sandy Stegmayer, who is legally blind, know which student is speaking.

A retired special-education teacher, Stegmayer, 61, now leads a fifth-grade religious education class at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church’s Parish Center in New Freedom. Stegmayer teaches the class from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. Wednesdays, when more than a dozen students gather to learn about the tenets of the Catholic Church.

“She’s really nice,” said Zach, who attends Southern Elementary School. “She’s taught me a lot about my religion and God.”

Forgets the dog: Zach said he often forgets that his teacher’s guide dog—Doreena, 71/2-year old golden retriever—is in the room. “Sometimes, I’ll glance over and I’ll see her stand up or walk around some or pace, but that’s about it,” he said after a recent class. “It’s nice to have a dog in the classroom.”

Stegmayer said she didn’t plan on returning to the classroom after completing a 35-year academic career that included teaching special education in a middle school in Massachusetts. She moved to New Freedom last year after marrying resident Alan Stegmayer. They are members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. The church had been looking for volunteer teachers for its religious education program. Always a teacher, Stegmayer knew what she had to do. And she enjoys it.

“I think the biggest difference is the fact that these kids have no learning disabilities,” she said. “You say it, they got it. I’m used to having to go over things many, many times and repeat things. But with these children, it’s like omigosh, they got it.”

Stegmayer said she has a genetic condition that has been causing her to lose her sight since she was 7 years old. She said she had “very high function legal blindness” until her mid-30s. During that time she was able to read print and did not need a guide dog. But her sight has been intensely deteriorating for the past 15 years. Her vision problems have not diminished her ability to teach or her faith in God, the teacher said.

“That’s not an issue,” she said. “It’s just the lot in life, the hand I’ve been dealt.”

‘Such an example’: Gerald Budzynski, the religious program’s coordinator, said this is Stegmayer’s first year teaching the fifth-grade class. He said the program includes more than 600 school-age children. “She is such an example for our children, such an inspiration,” he said. “She does a tremendous job in sharing her faith. She’s so enthusiastic about her faith. And she relates to the children well.”

Stegmayer is an awesome lady who knows her stuff, said Stacey Gloeckner, a parent who assists the teacher during class time. “I’ve learned so much just being in her class,” Gloeckner said. “She’s awesome with the kids. She recognizes them by their voice. The way she moves around in classroom when she’s talking with them, you would never know she can’t see.”

Before class ended, Stegmayer encouraged her students to turn to God when their faith is challenged because of life issues. “It’s really, really hard sometimes to constantly believe when you have doubts,” she said. “Don’t worry about it. That’s when you pray and talk to God and you study about God ... and you ask God for help.”

Gloeckner’s son, Zachary (Zach 2), an 11-year-old fifth-grader at Shrewsbury Elementary School, said he’s learning that lesson. “I worry a lot and it helps when she talks about how God will help us,” he said. “I see what she’s done with her faith, and that’s what I should do.”

Source: The York Dispatch (we obtain permission for external material)
by EYANA ADAH MCMILLAN
Posted by Dan Baldwin on 04/06/2007 at 01:12 PM in News

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