FALLS VILLAGE - Forty years is a long time for anyone to work in one place. But it's been quite a run for Elizabeth "Dolly" Spadaccini.

For all but one of those years, Spadaccini has been the executive secretary for Region One's pupil services office, which administers special education for the school district. She was honored for her service and dedication before Monday's Board of Education meeting in the Housatonic Valley Regional High School library media center.

About 60 people turned out for the event, including former and current colleagues of Spadaccini's, as well as family members. All were effusive in the their praise of the 57-year-old Spadaccini, who began work for the school district shortly after graduating from Housatonic in 1968.

"Dolly's my right arm, my left arm and my head," said current pupil services director Theresa Terry. "She has survived eight superintendents and seven special ed directors." Terry lauded Spadaccini's persistence, her great memory and her astounding accuracy.

"It's amazing that over 40 years, Dolly has convinced all those people that they were her bosses," quipped Dominick Vita, Region One's pupil services director from 1992 to 1997 and now the school superintendent in Litchfield.

In addition to Vita, the regional Board of Education and current regional administrators, some past Region One employees were also on hand. Among them were longtime (now retired) Housatonic executive secretary Clementine "Bunny" McGuire, and former high school principals Jack Mahoney and Ed Kirby, for whom Spadaccini worked for a year when she first started her tenure at Region One in 1968. Kirby was also a regional superintendent.

Also present were Julia Segalla, Vita's predecessor as pupil services director; former Region One Board Chair Katharine Gannett; and former longtime Kent Center School Principal Ed Epstein.

Retired Housatonic history teacher Frank Ruotolo was there, too. Ruotolo was a young teacher in his first year at Housatonic when Spadaccini, then a senior, was a student in his Contemporary Problems class.

Spadaccini's husband, Morris, an electrician, and her brother, Bill Pickert, recalled that Spadaccini received her nickname because she weighed only 4 pounds as a newborn.

Terry produced a copy of the Region One budget from 1969. She noted that the entire budget for the assistant superintendent's office, which at that time included special education, was only a little more than $220,000. This year, the budget for pupil services alone is almost $5 million.

Forty years ago, Terry said, the superintendent's office was also in the "White House" on Warren Turnpike Road, along with pupil services. Board of Education meetings were held upstairs. "When it rained, they put out buckets," Terry said.

Region One Superintendent Patricia Chamberlain presented Spadaccini with a glass plaque mounted on a wooden base. The memento recognized Spadaccini for her outstanding service. In addition, a tree will be planted in the school's arboretum in her name.