Dates set for new school opening ceremonies

Construction of three new Algoma District School Board schools is on time, sayss Superintendent of Education Asima Vezina.

At a meeting last night, school trustees heard that the new F.H. Clergue French Immersion School will be essentially complete by July 15 and a ceremony to open it will take place on August 24.

Superior Heights Collegiate and Vocational Secondary School will be essentially complete by August 1 and the ceremony to officially open it will take place August 30.

The new Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 school in Hornepayne is expected to be essentially completed later in August.

No date has been set yet to officially open that school.

"All three schools will be ready to accept students in September at the start of the school year," Vezina said.

Also last night's meeting the board approved appointments of several new secondary and elementary vice principals.

Full details on these appointments follow in a media release from the board.

************************* The Algoma District School Board (ADSB) approved the appointment of four elementary vice principals and the appointment of two acting vice principals effective September 1, 2011:

Anthony McCabe

Currently a teacher at Grand View Public School, Anthony started his career in 2001 at Arthur Henderson Public School.

In recent years, he has worked at Northern Heights, Ben R. McMullin and Grand View.

Mr. McCabe's specialist qualifications in reading and mathematics will certainly be an asset to him in his new role at Thessalon P.S.

Heide Marrato

Heide began her teaching career in the Central Algoma area in 1989.

She also taught at Johnson-Tarbutt Public School and at Northern Heights Public School.

Mrs. Marrato has a masters of education degree as well as additional qualifications in mathematics, special education and primary education.

She will commence her new role as vice principal at Queen Elizabeth Public School.

Nancy Rancourt

Nancy began her career with ADSB in 2001.

She has been a teacher in the board's French Immersion program since that time working at both F.H. Clergue and Rosedale.

Most recently, Mme Rancourt has worked as a special assignment teacher at the education centre supporting all French as a Second Language programs from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Her sound understanding of second language learning will be a great addition to F.H. Clergue Public School where she will commence her role as vice principal.

Natalie Culbert

Natalie began her career with ADSB in 2003 in the North Shore area of the board.

She moved to the Sault area in 2004 and then began working in French Immersion in 2006.

Most recently, she has worked as a special assignment teacher, Kindergarten to Grade 6, in the area of numeracy/ mathematics.

Natalie will commence her new role as vice principal at Rosedale Public School.

Patricia Aelick

Patti began with ADSB in 2002 as an occasional and has worked at a variety of schools both in the classroom and as a primary intervention teacher and special education resource teacher.

Mrs. Aelick has specialist qualifications in reading and primary education.

She will begin her administrative career as an acting vice principal at Anna McCrea Public School.

Adrienne Edwards

Adrienne started her career with the Bluewater District School Board in 2000 and came to the Algoma District School Board in 2004.

She has worked at Blind River P.S. and Rockhaven schools.

Her qualifications span the primary, junior, intermediate and senior divisions and she has additional qualifications in special education.

Adrienne will commence her administrative role as acting vice principal at Iron Bridge Public School.

************************* The appointment of an acting vice-principal was approved by the board at the special board meeting on Tuesday, May 31.

Jan Marrelli

Jan has worked in the Algoma District School Board since 1998.

She has provided both board-wide and provincial level leadership in student success activities and secondary program, including work with literacy, numeracy, pathways, and supporting at-risk students.

Jan has been instrumental in our Board's work with the specialist high skills majors programs and the School-College Work Initiative (SCWI).

She has also provided instructional leadership in assessment and evaluation, differentiated instruction, and in the use of technology and data.

Jan has specialist qualifications in business education and guidance.

Jan will assume the acting vice principal role at White Pines Collegiate in September 2011.

************************* Award winning public speaking presentation

David Watts, a Grade 8 student from Blind River Public School, presented his award-winning speech on The Significance of Water, to the Board on Tuesday night.

The board offered congratulations to David, who achieved a Silver Award on Saturday, April 30 at the Provincial Public Speaking competition held in Orillia, Ontario, sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion.

To achieve at this level, David had to successfully win at four previous competitions - town, zone, district, area and then provincial level.

His speech is an eye-opening reminder of how important water is to all living things.

************************* Update on ABCD/ student success

Superintendent of Education Asima Vezina introduced members from the Algoma District School Board student senate who in turn shared what their schools have been doing to introduce Project ABCD (Action for Building a Community that is Drug Free) this year.

Student Senate Members from Alexander Henry High School, CASS, Chapleau Secondary, Michipicoten High School, Korah, Superior Heights, WC Eaket (Blind River) and White Pines shared their success stories of projects and outreach that they did over the school year to support this initiative.

Every school had an ABCD team made up of youth who organized a variety of initiatives at their individual schools over the year ranging from a variety of presentations, the production of The Choice is in Your Hands bracelets and Project ABCD spirit wear, lunch information meetings with police officers and community partners and the organization of a wellness day where community partners shared their time to teach yoga, dance, karate (to name a few) and introduced a number of other healthy recreational choices for teens.

Acting Principal Joey Turco spoke highly of a guest speaker, Tom Regehr, who made 11 presentations to ADSB secondary students over a period of six days.

Tom shared his personal experience with drug and alcohol addiction with students and re-enforced the importance of talking about problems we may be experiencing and not being afraid to ask adults for help.

Turco reported that students were very receptive to Tom's presentation and identified with his humour, his personal story and his inspirational message.

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