Submitted by Brenda Brewer, Principal, and Breanna Heels, Vice-Principal
Here we are almost at the end of September already! We blinked and it went from the beginning of September to the end just like that. They say time flies when you are having fun, and I’d say that has proven to be true.
Brenda has been the Vice-Principal at Bruce Peninsula District School (BPDS) and St Edmund’s Public School (St. Ed’s) for several years, and has now taken on the role of Principal, replacing Matt Pickett, who is now retired. Of course, if you know Matt, he will always be busy doing something and I’m sure we can expect visits from him in the future. Breanna, both a former student and teacher at BPDS, is excited to return as Vice-Principal.
Despite continued Covid protocols, staff and students are happy to be back at school! There is a sense of joy and hum of happiness as you walk through the hallways and into classrooms. At BPDS, we currently have 207 elementary students and 100 secondary students, and at St. Edmund’s, 17 students.
New & Returning Teachers
We also have some new and returning teachers, which we would like to introduce to you:
In Elementary:
• Jordan Collins – JK/SK Teacher
• Sanda Rimay – SK/1 Teacher, who shares the classroom with Penny Phillips
• Bonita Myles – Grade 5/6 Teacher until October when Larissa McLay returns from her leave
• Colleen Martindale – Prep Coverage Teacher at both BPDS and St. Edmund’s
• Ali Mielhausen – Prep Coverage Teacher
• Rachel McLay – French and Music Teacher for JK-8 students
In Secondary:
• Tajalli Barfoot – Secondary Teacher, teaching Grade 9 Phys. Ed and Grade 9/10 and 11/12 Art this semester
• Nancy McAfee – Secondary Teacher, teaching DL this semester
• Zane Davies – Zane is teaching Co-op and Grade 9 Geography until February when Ashley Myles returns from her leave
• Mike Laing – Mike has returned home to BPDS after spending a few years at Saugeen District Secondary School. Mike is teaching Science, Math and Senior Outers.
With new staff and students, BPDS and St. Edmund’s continue to grow and thrive!
Elementary students have been having Fun Fridays with dress-up days and outdoor activities, and extracurriculars are starting again for both elementary and secondary. As you read this, secondary students are on a 5-day canoe trip in Killarney Provincial Park!
Masks continue to be mandatory indoors, but students can remove their masks when outside, while still practicing physical distancing. We still have frequent handwashing and sanitizing, and resources and teaching tools are cleaned between use.
Elementary students are in cohorts during recess, so certain groups have recess outside together every day, and all students eat lunch in their classrooms.
In secondary, students are on a modified semester, so during week A/B, they take class A all morning and then class B all afternoon, and then during the next week C/D, class C all morning and class D all afternoon. Although we all want to get back to ‘normal’ as soon as we can, staff and students have seamlessly adapted, and we are amazed every day at the resiliency of the staff and students.
We know the success of our schools is intricately connected with the support of the community! It is humbling and an honour to serve the communities on the Bruce Peninsula, and we look forward to an exciting, and hopefully more normal school year!
If you don’t already follow our Facebook page, you can follow us at Bruce Peninsula DS to see all of the amazing things happening at the school.
We hope we can open our doors to the community soon, but until then, if you ever have questions or concerns, give us a call at (519) 793-3211 or by email: Brenda_Brewer@bwdsb.on.ca and Breanna_Heels@bwdsb.on.ca.
