Staff Chaperones

Lee Pittman has been part of the Sycamore Junior High School staff since 1976. She began instructing in science and physical education, but currently instructs full-time in physical and health education.

During her term of service, she took a hiatus of 5 years to be with her sons Eric and Bryan (now 30 and 28 years of age, respectively). Mrs. Pittman also coaches basketball, golf, track, tennis and the ski club.

As with the other Staff Chaperones, Mrs. Pittman has travelled with the SCSS since its first tour in 2003. Her favorite cities in past tours have been Prague, Rotherburg and Venice and Rome. Among the best of her memories on these tours have been the Melk Abbey, the Ice Caves in Salzburg, bike rides, the Vatican – and listening to the SCSS choir perform!

Victor Harris has taught Social Studies at Sycamore for 21 of his 22 years in education. He is the Social Studies Department Supervisor and he teaches 8th grade American History.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities he coaches three sports both at the junior high and high school. At the junior high he is an Assistant Coach for the 8th Grade football team and the Head Baseball Coach. At Sycamore High School he has been the Junior Varsity Girls basketball Coach for the past 17 years.

Mr. Harris attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and received both his undergrad and Master’s degrees from Miami. He did his student teaching at Sycamore High School and Sycamore Junior High and after teaching his first year at Hughes High School in the Cincinnati Public School system he came to Sycamore in 1990.

This will be his fifth European trip with the SCSS and he also chaperones the domestic choir trips with Mrs. Gartner and the other staff chaperones.

He resides in Symmes Township, a suburb of Cincinnati, with his patient and lovely wife Meghan, who is a full time mom, and his 7-year old son Ty and 4-year old daughter Paige. Both children are enthusiastic singers who are both looking forward to singing in the Junior High choirs. Mr. Harris enjoys sports, reading and spending time with his family.

Paul Alexander retired in 2009 after thirty-six years of teaching at Sycamore Junior High. He is still active as a year-round coach and subs at both Sycamore High School and the junior high. Mr. Alexander enjoys running, biking, skiing, basketball and softball. He also participates in various musical endeavors and can be seen around town singing and playing guitar in his son’s band– Waiting On Ben.

Mr. Alexander has accompanied Mrs. Gartner on all four of the previous SCSS European adventures. Each tour has been uniquely rewarding, and he’s sure this one will again be special! He believes that it is the people we will be traveling with and the ones we’ll meet along the way that will make this trip equally unforgettable! “I am deeply grateful to Mrs. Gartner for unselfishly creating these opportunities and enriching the lives of so many wonderful people.”

Kevin Kreiner has taught at Sycamore Junior High for the last 31 years. In that time he has taught Physical Education and Health,  also some 7th grade science.

Mr. Kreiner has also coached at the Junior High.  He has coached 6 years of girls volleyball, 25 years of 8th grade football, both as an assistant and head coach. Also, he coached track as an assistant and head coach for the last 31 years.

Mr. Kreiner retired from teaching on May 31.  Mr. Kreiner lives in Colerain Township with his wife Seretha.  They are the proud parents of Ben, Joel, and Kelly (Kelly was a SCSS member for the Europe 2005 trip). Mr.  Kreiner has accompanied Mrs. Gartner on all previous Europe trips.  He was also a chaperone on most of the domestic Junior High choir trips (including the very first one in 1991).