Still Serving After Career in Teaching
President Frank Valeri has appointed retired Taunton teacher Jacqueline Gorrie to fill a vacancy on the Mass Retirees Association’s Executive Board.
Jacqueline “Jackie” Gorrie, who began and ended her 36-year teaching career in the Taunton Public Schools as a second- grade and kindergarten teacher, will fill the seat formerly held by the retired Executive Director of the Mass Teachers’ Retirement system, Joan Schloss.
As a lifelong public school educator, Jackie’s advocacy for her profession and her students led her to many leadership roles within her Union, as well as a number of local, labor and retiree related offices. Locally, she served as president of the Taunton Education Association (TEA) for ten years, as well as a number of other offices, such as the public relations and political action chairperson, the secretary, vice president/grievance chairperson and building rep. for the TEA.
Her community activism led her to multiple state and national advocacy positions such as a member of the Mass. Teachers’ Retirement Board, Massachusetts Teachers’ Association Board of Directors and subsequently as a member of the National Education Association (NEA) Board of Directors.
Currently, Jackie is a member of the MTRS Board of Trustees and serves as its Vice Chair.
In response to Jackie Gorrie’s willingness to serve as a member of the Mass Retiree’s Executive Board, President Valeri stated that he is very much looking forward to working with Jackie, “I think this will be such a positive addition to our E-Board composition. Especially, because she will be joining Anne Wass on the Board who is another exceptional advocate for retired public employees and also a retired teacher and fellow MTRS Board Member.” There are approximately 66,000 Massachusetts retired teachers in the MTRS.
A resident of Randolph, Jackie continues to be an active voice for retiree issues. She holds a BA from Bridgewater State College and an M.Ed from Cambridge College. She is married to Stephen Gorrie , former president of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association from 1997-2002.