The Elmwood Emblem | October 2019

Emblem OCTOBER 2019

Introducing our new Head of School

MR. JAMES WHITEHOUSE

2019 CLOSING CEREMONIES | PAGE 4

ELMWOOD’S UNIQUE UNIVERSITY COUNSELLING PROCESS | PAGE 16

PHILANTHROPY REPORT: A YEAR OF GIVING | PAGE 33

The Elmwood Fund Fuelling Inspiration

WHY DO WE PLACE SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON INSPIRATION? Inspiration is the thing that takes good to great. It is the difference between standing in the crowd and soaring above.

Inspiration makes challenges seem like opportunities. It is what sets Elmwood apart.

For our Elmwood girls, that inspiration can be found all around them. They are surrounded by people and given opportunities that will challenge and motivate them to grow, thrive and realize their dreams. They see their classmates pushing beyond boundaries, working hard to achieve their goals. They look up to older girls who are accomplished and confident. They get to know teachers who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of their pupils. And they have opportunities to take risks, give back to their community and hone their leadership skills. Our girls go on to become well-rounded, open-minded and successful women who are inspiring in turn.

How can we be sure to continue the cultivation of this uniquely inspiring environment?

Your support is the key.

Your gift to the Elmwood Fund helps ensure the School remains‌ A diverse community, where the best and brightest students in Ottawa, supported through our scholarship program, are raising the bar for all of their peers.

A leading-edge educational environment, where our outstanding faculty are supported in their pursuit of excellence and lifelong learning.

A place where every girl is inspired to reach her full potential.

Please consider a gift to the Elmwood Fund in support of our diverse and unrivalled educational experience. You may make your gift online at Elmwood.ca.

WHAT’S INSIDE

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD

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CLOSING CEREMONES

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GRADUATE SUCCESS

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GRADUATE PROFILES

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THE YEAR THAT WAS

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ELMWOOD’S NEW JUNIOR SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME

ELMWOOD’S NEWLY EXPANDED EARLY YEARS PROGRAMME

A YEAR OF GIVING

24 WELCOME MR. JAMES WHITEHOUSE

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The Elmwood family is very pleased to announce James Whitehouse as Elmwood’s new Head of School

By Chloe Girvan

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ELMWOOD STUDENTS DISCOVER FULL POTENTIAL THROUGH PATHS, PASSIONS

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Elmwood’s unique university counselling process allows girls to find success through their niches

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by Briana Tomkinson

EDITORS: Jennifer Irwin-Jackson Erica Eades Lindsay Germano PHOTOGRAPHERS: Karenna Boychuk Lindsay Germano

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ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE

Chris Snow Lindsay Ralph CONTRIBUTORS: Elise Aylen Christine Blackadar ‘88 Angela Boychuk Erica Eades

Highlights of Elmwood’s many donors, sponsors and volunteers who helped us live our mission to inspire each girl to reach her full potential

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PACTUM SERVA SOCIETY

ELITE ATHLETE PROGRAM HELPS GIRLS EXCEL IN BOTH SCHOOL & SPORT ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT: ALICIA KERRIGAN ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT: ALEXANDRA KAHSENNI:IO NAHWEGAHBOW

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CLASS NOTES

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IN MEMORIAM

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CHERYL BOUGHTON

ECUADOR TRIP: COMMUNITY SERVICE ADVENTURE

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DR. MOHAMMAD MAHIN

INSPIRING GIRL: JASMINE BESSENS

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STAFF NEWS

HEAD GIRL: MACKENZIE JOHNSON 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY TRIP

Katie Fraser Jennifer Irwin-Jackson Chloe Girvan Donna Moffat Kimberly Senf James Whitehouse DESIGN: Karenna Boychuk

ELMWOOD SCHOOL 261 Buena Vista Rd. Ottawa ON K1M 0V9 | (613) 749-6761 info@elmwood.ca | elmwood.ca

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL J A M E S W H I T E H O U S E, H E A D O F S C H O O L

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Starting school this year feels very different for me for obvious reasons. With my appointment as the new Head of School comes excitement and a desire to create a better school every day for our girls. This is mixed, however, with a sense of respect for the heritage and traditions that have led our school to this point in its history.

The world of education is changing and adapting, as it should, but the foundations of quality education remain the same as they have for generations – enthusiastic and passionate teachers, curious and engaged students and an educational environment that fosters respect and kindness. As a school, we are well-positioned to add to that foundation flexibility and opportunity so our girls can go beyond these walls and take advantage of all the wider community has to offer them. It is through this balance of tradition and innovation that we will create a truly personalized learning experience and pathway for each girl, helping her reach her full potential.

As we now move into the final year of our current Strategic Plan, we will start planning our new strategic direction. One aspect of this, and moving forward generally, we are keen to start is hearing more from our community about the school. As you know, you can only improve with feedback, and yours is essential. It will help inform our vision for the future, which is an exciting one to imagine.

The most special aspect of Elmwood is, of course, the community and connections we have here. A true sense of family exists within and beyond our walls based on togetherness, respect and kindness. Our founder Theodora Philpot, had a vision for Elmwood as a place where children could grow to be “joyous, strong, companionable and free.” This vision rings as true today as it did more than 100 years ago and will always be an anchor for our school.

Within this issue of the Elmwood Emblem, we invite you to celebrate the Class of 2019 and learn what goes into helping them take the next step to their bright future. You will also meet my family, hear the latest news of many alumnae and join us in recognizing the contributions of our generous community in our 2019 Philanthropy Report. We hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to any feedback you might have.

Yours truly,

1 Our new Head of School, James Whitehouse, with Grade 8 students Caroline Alsembach ’23, Zoélie Petit ’23 and Alessia Salazar ’23 at the Middle School Closing Ceremony. | 2 Junior school students Angelina Yang ’32 and Ella Krisciunas ’32. | 3 The Class of 2019 celebrate 100 more nights until graduation. | 4 Chloe Li ’26 takes a break from the house games to blow some bubbles during Spirit Day afternoon. | 5 Students in middle and high school across Ottawa participated in Elmwood’s first Lead Like a Girl conference. | 6 Ailish Saranchuk ’19 presents the Crody-Word Roland Renead award to Adora Turland ’23 at the Middle School Athletics Awards.

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O C TO B E R 2019

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E L M WO O D.C A

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2019

CLOSING CEREMONIES

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1 Elmwood graduates, Hala Abu Dalfa ’19, Melanie Li ’19, Grace McNally ’19 and Nuha Yousuf ’19. | 2 Grade 5 students take the stage after receiving their Grade 5 Certificate of Achievements and yellow roses. | 3 Grade 8 student, Bianca Sugunasiri ’23 with her parents Shalin Sugunasiri and Jacqueline Palumbo-Sugunasiri. | 4 Senior School Prefect, Maya Kors ’19 addresses the audience at Senior School Closing Ceremonies. | 5 Diane Slaunwhite ’25, Noura Fawzy Bukhari ’25, Madéline Petit ’25, Elizabeth Chen-Baker ’25 and Rowan Parkinson ’25 at the Middle School Closing Ceremony reception. | 6 Grade 5 students Rowyn Pratt ’26 and Raluca Voina. | 7 Layan Kuhail ’30 and Stella Hines ‘30 were all smiles following the Junior School Closing Ceremonies. | 8 Chair of the Parents’ Association, Juliana Nightingale presents Gabrielle Merkley ’23 with the Middle School Parents’ Association Committee Award. | 9 Mr. Ryan Hodgins presents Yasmin Dhanani ’27 with her Grade 4 Certificate of Achievement. | 10 Elmwood’s Class of 2019 at the Graduation Dinner and Dance.

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E L M WO O D.C A

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GRADUATE SUCCESS 6

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CLASS OF

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Post-secondary admissions offers

100%

University entrance scholarships

100%

Ontario Scholars

100%

Total Scholarship Value Offered

$1,830,00

Average Scholarship Offer Per Graduate

$36,478

International Baccalaureate Diploma and Certificate Candidates

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2019 Post-secondary Destinations 69% Ontario 22% Other Canadian Provinces 9% United States

2019 Post-secondary Programs 50% Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Programs 34% Arts and Social Sciences Programs 9% Fine Arts 7% Business and Commerce

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32 GRADUATES, ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES Hala Abu Dalfa McGill University Materials Engineering Emma Boushey Queen’s University Commerce

Nika Jalali Ryerson University Performance Production

Alexa Burry University of Ottawa Social Sciences

Zarish Jawad Western University Medical Sciences

Abigail Butler Fordham University Liberal Arts

Zaina Khan McGill University Civil Engineering

Alex Byrne McGill University Psychology and Political Science

Maya Kors Renaissance College, University of New Brunswick Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Leadership

Portia Cooper University of Ottawa Biophysical Sciences Grace Goldberg Huron University College, Western University Ivey School of Business Governance, Leadership, and Ethics Reem Hamzah University of Ottawa Biomedical Science

Yanqing Hu University of British Columbia Economics

Tiffany Li Wu Queen’s University Global Development Studies

Ailish Saranchuk Queen’s University Life Sciences

Keiren McClelland Dalhousie University Law, Justice, and Society

Isabella Thomas Queen’s University Life Sciences

Grace McNally University of Alabama Kinesiology - Human Performance and Exercise Science

Stephanie Townsend Trent University Cultural Studies Film and Media

Amanda Nightingale University of Toronto Architectural Studies Charlotte Noxon Queen’s University Mathematics

Lily-Anne Villemaire Carleton University Humanities Avery Want Queen’s University Chemistry Jaida Wilson University of Waterloo Environmental Engineering

Cheuk Wai Kwan ArtCenter College of Design Illustration

Kennedy Reid Queen’s University Psychology

Alexa Lamontagne Bothwell University of British Columbia History

Scarlett Sanabria-Ramos University of Ottawa Health Sciences

Zhirui Xing University of Toronto Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Melanie Li Queen’s University Life Sciences

Jagnoor Saran University of Ottawa Psychology

Nuha Yousuf Wilfrid Laurier University Music Classical Voice

CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK TO OUR 2019 GRADUATES AS THEY EMBARK ON THE NEXT STEP OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY.

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GRADUATE PROFILES THESE MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2019 JOIN AN IMPRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF ELMWOOD ALUMNI.

EMMA BOUSHEY The only “lifer” in the Class of 2019, Emma was known for her genuine kindness, her strong work ethic, and her attention to detail. With an interest in being a change-maker in the world of business, Emma (and her younger sister Alex) created an online business in 2018 focused on women’s health and wellness. President and co-founder of WIN - “Women in Need”, a portion of each sale of WIN merchandise is donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

During her time at Elmwood, Emma was committed to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Programme, completing all three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold, while also training as a member of the Elmwood Rowing Team from 2015 – 2018. With a goal of studying business at university, Emma was also involved in the Stock Market Club and DECA. Emma’s enjoyment of Economics, Mathematics, and all things business-related served her well as she was offered admission and scholarship recognition at some of Canada’s top Commerce programs.

Emma will be attending the highly selective Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

ABIGAIL BUTLER Abigail fully embraced Elmwood life with her enthusiasm and many talents. Naturally quiet, it did not take long for Abigail’s school spirit to present itself. As the Wilson House Prefect in Grade 12 and wearing bright yellow garb, Abigail led with pride during various House competitions. In addition, Abigail was a committed member of Elmwood Theatre and the Elmwood Cappies Critics Team.

A high-level competitive rower with the Ottawa Rowing Club, Abigail has been dedicated to the sport since early high school. Her talents in rowing combined with her achievement of the International Baccalaureate Diploma landed Abigail the opportunity of attending an American university. Abigail accepted an offer to Fordham University in New York City where she secured a spot on their NCAA Division 1 Women’s Rowing Crew, supported by a very generous full athletic scholarship, plus the Fordham Loyola Scholarship, recognizing her academic performance and leadership abilities. Abigail has not yet decided on a major, but is very excited to embrace the philosophy and value of a Liberal Arts education by exploring a variety of subjects during her prelaw Bachelor’s degree.

PORTIA COOPER A gifted science student and athlete, Portia always brought her mature, positive attitude to all she did. She took pride in all her course work and thrived on being challenged with the material she was studying, but her true passion in science is in the area of biology. Portia was awarded the Academic Subject Prize in Biology, and was able to apply her love of biology with her community involvement and her interest in outdoor education as she completed her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

A provincially ranked volleyball player, Portia was being recruited by universities across Canada.

But after careful consideration, Portia signed on with the University of Ottawa Gee Gees Varsity Women’s Volleyball team. While playing for the Gee Gees, Portia will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics, with an emphasis on biophysical sciences—the perfect complement to her athletic endeavours and her interest in human biology.

A current member of the Team Ontario Elite, Portia has also been selected as part of the prestigious Quest for Gold program, which will support her in her quest to gain national and international status as a volleyball player, while also fulfilling her educational goals.

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GRACE GOLDBERG A natural leader from her earliest days as an Elmwood student, Grace is friendly, compassionate and always sees the good in everyone. She offers a kind, calm and supportive presence to all members of our community.

Head Girl of Elmwood, Grace’s leadership abilities and her strong moral character set the bar high, particularly regarding an ambitious and self-initiated legacy project, the Lead Like a Girl Conference for Middle School girls. Her inclusive, positive leadership style in combination with her excellent academic record and strong level of commitment to her community resulted in Grace being awarded the Hellmuth Scholarship at Huron University College, Western University.

Grace’s passion for leading people inspired her to seek out post-secondary programs that were focused on management and business. She was offered a dual degree program at the University of British Columbia in the Bachelor of Arts + Masters in Management program through the Sauder School of Business, as well as a place at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Like Grace handles all difficult decisions, she gave each offer deep consideration.

Grace proudly accepted her offer to Huron University College at Western University, where she will pursue a five-year double degree that combines a Bachelor of Arts in Governance, Leadership and Ethics with an Honours in Business Administration from the highly selective Richard Ivey School of Business, where Grace received Advanced Entry Opportunity status.

ZAINA KHAN The quintessential IB Diploma student, Zaina went beyond the typical IB student course load to ensure all doors remained open while making her decision about what and where she would study. Winner of the IB Learner Profile Award and the Academic Subject Prize in Physics, it comes as no surprise that Zaina was also the Schulich Leader Nominee—an award that recognizes students who show promise in the pursuit of becoming global pioneers in STEM fields through their programs of study at university.

Her exceptional creative writing skills rewarded Zaina with Elmwood’s first Best Critic Award at the 2019 Cappies Award Gala. A dedicated member of Elmwood Theatre and the Elmwood Cappies, she was also a key member of Elmwood’s award-winning Critic Team and Marketing and Publicity Team. Zaina was recognized with the Margaret White Award, named for Elmwood’s seventh Headmistress, and given to one graduating student for their outstanding contributions to the extra-curricular life of the school.

A student who sees the natural connection between the creative and the scientific, Zaina received offers from some of Canada’s most selective STEM programs. Zaina proudly accepted her offer to her number one choice university, McGill University, where she will study Civil Engineering with Co-op, building her a foundation for her long-term goal of studying Architecture.

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MAYA KORS Maya demonstrated outstanding leadership skills this year as the Senior School Prefect, while also maintaining a high level of commitment to service in her community. The recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Award, Maya is recognized with this provincial award for going above and beyond the required volunteer hours with her outstanding demonstration of community service during her high school years. Maya also completed the Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme, and was awarded her Gold Award in June by the Lieutenant Governors and Territorial Commissioners of Canada at an official ceremony in Toronto.

Committed to making the world a better place, Maya selected a university experience that truly aligns with her personal values and her interest in science, the environment, and global studies. She is thrilled to accept her offer to Renaissance College at the University of New Brunswick, where only 25 students are admitted to this very selective program each year. Maya will pursue a Bachelor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Leadership, where she will be involved in two mandatory internships, one in Canada in the area of environment, and one international internship in the area of cross-cultural learning. Maya will also pursue a minor option that will mentor and prepare her for her long-term goal of Medical School.

ALEXA LAMONTAGNE-BOTHWELL Head of Fry, Alexa’s fun-loving spirit and genuine kindness was a natural fit in leading Fry to victory of the House Cup. Alexa’s love for art, history, theatre, and cultures have served her well on many fronts. Alexa was awarded the Academic Subject Prizes for both History and for Classical Civilizations. Alexa won Best Supporting Actress in a Play for her role in the Elmwood Theatre production of The Light Burns Blue (2019) and Best Ensemble in a Play for the school’s production of Blue Stockings (2017).

With offers to consider from top universities across Canada, Alexa stayed true to her number one choice, the University of British Columbia in beautiful Vancouver. Alexa will be pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree, with an intended major in History.

CHARLOTTE NOXON A recipient of the prestigious Governor General’s Academic Medal—awarded to the student with the highest grade point average in their graduating class—Charlotte’s exceptional academic abilities straddle both mathematics and the humanities. Charlotte was recognized with the Academic Subject Prize in Mathematics - Calculus and Vectors, including a perfect 7 in IB SL Math; plus the Academic Subject Prize in English, as well as a perfect 7 in IB HL Economics.

Recognizing Charlotte’s weekly dedication to supporting school assemblies through her high school years, Charlotte was awarded the Linda McGregor Technology Award.

With a love of pure mathematics and a deep passion for great books, debate, and logic, Charlotte knew her post-secondary studies needed to include both areas of interest. Charlotte is excited to be attending her top choice school, Queen’s University, where she will pursue an Honours Bachelor of Science, with a double major in mathematics and philosophy.

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NEWS AND NOTES

BY LINDSAY GERMANO, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

RUN FOR THE CURE 1

Elmwood once again participated in the CIBC Run for the Cure on September 30. This annual event is a 5k or 1k walk or run that raises funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. It is the largest single-day, volunteer-led event in Canada in support of the breast cancer cause.

We have been participating as a school for a number of years, and it is always wonderful to see the dedicated commitment of our students and staff. Thank you to our Community Prefect, Alex Byrne ‘19, for organizing this great event, which also included the Change for the Cure fundraising initiative, and our annual Pink Accessories Day! HOUSE EVENTS The 2018/2019 school year was filled to the brim with many exciting house events! Kicking off the season was our annual Keller Dog Day. Hosted by Head of Keller, Stephanie Townsend ‘19, Keller Dog Day offered a fun-filled day in the sun in support of the Canadian Guide Dogs. Next up was the Fry Skating Party, hosted by house head Alexa Bothwell ‘19. The night began with a few hours of skating at the newly opened Rockcliffe Park Ice Rink, and was followed by a hearty feast prepared by Chef Candice. All proceeds from this annual event went to the Ottawa Humane Society. The Nightingale Breakfast was next on the docket, where house head Jagnoor Saran ‘19 organized a great morning in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Finally we had the Wilson Carnival, organized by Abigail Butler ‘19. The Carnival was a wonderful night filled with candy apples, cotton candy, popcorn, and inflatable carnival games—all in support of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Ottawa.

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HOLLY TEA AND ART SHOW

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On the first weekend of December, we welcomed the holiday season with one of our most beloved annual traditions: the Old Girls’ Art Show and Holly Tea! The festive event began with the Art Show Vernissage, which included a wonderful assortment of watercolours, ceramics, jewelry and textiles—all created by members of the Elmwood community. The very popular Holly Tea also took place that weekend. Organized by the Elmwood Parents’ Association, this much-loved event featured a tasty assortment of tea and treats.

Guests were treated to a performance by the Holly Tea Choir—led by Elmwood’s own music teacher, Ms. Evelyn Pike, and senior kindergarten teacher, Ms. Kate Meadowcroft—and had the opportunity to take festive holiday photos with Santa Claus.

FATHER-DAUGHTER DINNER DANCE On February 2, we hosted our 30th Annual Father Daughter Ball.

The girls and their fathers made their way to 50 Sussex for “a magical night under the northern lights”. The evening was filled with great company, amazing food and an awesome dance party! There was also an incredible surprise performance by Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine. A huge thank you to event chair, Catherine McLaughlin, the amazing student committee and the parent volunteers who helped to make it such an unforgettable night!

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1 Elmwood’s 2019 Community Prefect, Alex Byrne ’19 shares a video in assembly leading up to the Run for the Cure event. | 2 Stephanie Townsend ’19 with her sweet pup celebrating Keller Dog Day. | 3 Sisters Cheryl Kwan ‘29 and Christy Kwan ‘29 waiting to meet Santa at the Holly Tea event. | 4 Lilly Allen ’21, Maya Allen ‘23, and Kailey Walker ‘21 with their dads at the Father Daughter Ball. | 5 Elmwood’s Classic Club members at the 2018/19 Classics Conference. Front Row: Tiffany Li Wu ’19 and Jaida Wilson ‘19 Back Row: Tina Yao ’20, Helmi Lehtonen ’20 and Alexis Patrascu ‘19 | 6 Jagnoor Saran ’19, Nuha Yousuf ’19 and Isabella Thomas ’19 at the 100 Nights Dinner. | 7 Elizabeth Heatherington ’63 and Maliheh Sary at the Cheers for Volunteers event.

MATHLETES

CHEERS FOR VOLUNTEERS

This year, Elmwood students performed brilliantly in a series of challenging math competitions. Beginning with our youngest girls, Emma Hemsch ‘25 and Rowan Parkinson ‘25 both finished in the top 10% at the Elementary Math Olympiad. Rowan also received the highest mark in her age category and received an additional medal for earning top marks in the Pythagoras math contest. Meanwhile, Avery Parkinson ‘22 made the provincial honour roll in the Pascal math contest; was Elmwood’s top scorer in the Fryer math competition, as well as the regional winner; and she was one of only 19 students in Ontario to receive a perfect score. She also received the top medal for the Euclid contest, an exam typically written by students in Grade 12. Finally, Grace Brunner ‘21 was named to the provincial honour roll in the Cayley contest, and Cindy Li ‘22 was Elmwood’s top student in the Fermat math competition. We are so proud of all our girls, and commend them on another great year of competition!

On June 4, we hosted our annual Cheers for Volunteers luncheon.

This beloved event is our way of honouring the many wonderful volunteers who support Elmwood throughout the year. Whether that’s helping out in the Pound or the Eagles’ Nest, chaperoning school trips, or organizing the annual Gala—there are so many ways our team of dedicated volunteers help make Elmwood such a wonderful place. Thank you to everyone who donated their time and energy to the school this year!

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CLASSICS CONFERENCE

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Our Classics team represented Elmwood beautifully at the 51st Annual Classics Conferences. This small yet determined group competed with enthusiasm and commitment; helped others and shared resources; and demonstrated great leadership and problem-solving in the process! Jaida Wilson ‘19, Tiffany Li Wu 19, Alexis Patrascu ‘19, Helmi Lehtonen ‘20 and Tina Yao ‘20 showed what a group of dedicated, hard-working and enthusiastic students can achieve, even when facing teams many times their size. They returned home with eight trophies and a huge number of ribbons, including awards for Best Chariot Design, Best School Display, and Top Creative Team.

Congratulations, girls, on another incredible year of Classics!

100 NIGHTS On March 7, the Class of 2019 joined their teachers and Elmwood alumnae for a special dinner celebrating the last 100 nights before graduation. It was a wonderful evening filled with great food, inspiring speeches, and lots of reminiscing on years gone by. We would like to thank Maja Campara ‘05 for joining us and sharing your stories of life after Elmwood.

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NEWS AND NOTES RILEY THE THERAPY DOG

JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSICALS

We were thrilled to announce an exciting new initiative this year that is aimed at supporting student health and wellness: The Therapy Dog Program, created by Elmwood’s Director of Finance and Administration, Ms. Tanja Mackin. Ms. Mackin has been volunteering with a non-profit organization called Ottawa Therapy Dogs for over 15 years, and now she has brought the program, along with her 9-yearold golden retriever, Riley, to Elmwood! The program is designed to help lower student stress and anxiety—especially during more hectic times of year. This year alone, Riley paid visits during the Middle/ Senior exam period, and during the annual MAP Testing.

Our Junior School students took centre stage this year, performing a series of musical productions for their parents and peers. Up first was the Grade 5 performance of Victorian Villainy—a hilarious whodunit in which almost everyone is a suspect. This was followed by the Grade 1/2 production of Stone Soup in April. Our young students shone in their rendition of this classic tale, which highlights the importance of sharing and helping others. Next, we were treated to the Grade 3 production of Rats!. Based on The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning, Rats! offered up a modern twist on an old favourite. Our Grade 4 class closed out the season in May with their show, Shake It Up with Shakespeare! Thank you to Ms. Evelyn Pike for directing each of these productions, and to Ms. Alli MacDougall for assisting with the choreography.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION This year’s Middle School Production highlighted the work of Canadian author L.M. Montgomery, as our young actors presented their rendition of the classic story, Anne of Green Gables. The entire cast and crew showcased their energy, skill and dramatic talent throughout this wonderful performance. Thank you to Ms. Josselyn for her leadership and inspiration—and congratulations to all of the young thespians who worked on this production!

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THE INSIDE RIDE Back in February, Elmwood once again took part in the annual Inside Ride. Presented by the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation, the Inside Ride is Canada’s first indoor cycling challenge and fundraising event dedicated to raising money in support of children with cancer and their families. This year’s event at Elmwood, which was hosted by Sports Prefect, Ailish Saranchuk ‘19, raised an incredible $22,000 for this worthy cause. Congratulations to Ailish -- and thank you to everyone who raised money and participated in this wonderful event!

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TORONTO ALUMNAE EVENT On Wednesday, May 22, we were thrilled to host 25 women from classes 1999 to 2018 for an alumnae reunion event at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. It was a wonderful evening of great wine, delicious food, conversation, connection, laughter, and memories.

A highlight of the evening was when our guests had the chance to browse yearbooks from each of their graduating years, spending time reminiscing about their time at Elmwood. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this wonderful event, and especially to Reba Wilson ‘10 and Lucy Zheng ‘10 for co-hosting.

VISIT FROM CROATIAN PRESIDENT

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We were delighted to welcome the President of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovi, to Elmwood on May 13. President Grabar-Kitarović is a remarkable leader, having been elected the first female President and the youngest President in Croatia’s history. She recently became Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders, a highly prestigious organization of current and former women Presidents and Prime Ministers. During Monday’s visit, she spoke with our Grade 8 and 9 girls about believing in yourself, seizing opportunities and challenging stereotypes. We were thrilled she chose to spend time with our students during her official state visit, which also included meet-andgreets with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette.

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LEAD LIKE A GIRL

ELMWOOD SCHOLARS

On Tuesday, April 30, Elmwood hosted its inaugural Lead Like a Girl conference. Created by Head Girl, Grace Goldberg ‘19, and led by a dedicated team of senior school students, this groundbreaking new event offered middle school girls from across the city the chance to develop and strengthen their leadership skills. We were thrilled to welcome nearly 100 students from 10 local schools, who joined our own middle school girls for the day. The Student Planning Committee put together an impressive range of events, including fun leadership activities and inspiring keynote speakers. Thank you to our wonderful guests, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Samra Zafar, for joining us and sharing your experiences with our students. This event would not have been possible without the dedicated leadership of our Head Girl, Grace, and the ongoing support of Elmwood’s Head of School, Ms. Boughton, who helped guide our students through the entire planning process.

Congratulations to Elmwood’s internal scholarship recipients for 2019 - 2020!

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MYP Scholarship - awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, contribute to school life and have shown exceptional understanding and practice of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile.

Elizabeth Chen-Baker ‘25 Rowan Parkinson ‘25

Mia Philipson ‘25 Khaliya Thawer ‘25

Senior School Scholarship - awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, contribute to school life and have demonstrated positive leadership ability through involvement in school life and/or the greater community.

Zafreen Abdullah ‘23 Emma Farquar ‘23 Olivia Howe ‘23 Mikayla Johnson ‘23

Hailey Kay ‘23 Gabrielle Merkley ‘23 Bianca Suganasiri ‘23 Sonja Swettenham ‘23

Summa Summarum Scholarship - awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, contribute to school life and appreciate the benefits of and understand the expected rigour and commitment level of the IB Diploma Programme.

Grace Charness ‘21 Aviva Gerring ‘21 Hannah Gerring ‘21

Sabrina Fan ‘21 Maggie Fyfe ‘21 Caitlin Walsh ‘21

OTTAWA REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR Elmwood was very well represented at the Ottawa Regional Science Fair in April. Avery Parkinson ‘22 (Girl vs. Machine) won an all expenses paid trip to the Canada-Wide Science Fair, and also received the Divisional Award, Intermediate - Discovery, Interdisciplinary Award, Second Place (Intermediate) and Best in Age Category (Intermediate). In addition, Christina Nightingale ‘23 and Cassandra Olivier ‘23. (Is Your Perception A Deception?) and Zafreen Abdullah ‘23 (Quick Relief?) received the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine - Independent Health Science Research Award. Finally, Bianca Sugunasiri ‘23 (Sit Up and Pay Attention!) came Second for the Interdisciplinary awards (Junior). Congratulations to all our young scientists for another great year!

1 Alexis Teschendorf ‘28, Rose Jackson ‘27, Aysha Aldhafeeri ‘28 and Liyana Esmie ‘28 with Elmwood’s therapy dog, Riley. | 2 Katherine Howarth ‘21, Maizie Solomon ‘21, Grace Charness ‘21, Orla Kelly ‘21, Maggie Fyfe ’21 and Sophie Barbeau-O’Connor ‘21 at the Inside Ride. | 3 The Grade 3 cast of musical, Rats! | 4 Elmwood’s Middle School production, Anne of Green Gables. | 5 Co-hosts of the Toronto Alumnae Event, Reba Wilson ‘10 and Lucy Zheng ’10. | 6 Elmwood students greet the President of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovi. | 7 Lead like a Girl committee members with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Ms. Boughton. | 8 Summa Summarum Scholarship recipients, Sabrina Fan ’21, Hannah Gerring ’21, Maggie Fyfe ’21, Aviva Gerring ’21, Grace Charness ’21 and Caitlin Walsh ’21 with Chair of Elmwood’s Board, Mr. Peter Hudson.

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ELMWOOD STUDENTS DISCOVER FULL POTENTIAL THROUGH PATHS, PASSIONS

By Briana Tomkinson Postmedia Content Works

Teenagers are often peppered with questions by well-meaning adults asking what they want to do when they grow up. Some have a ready answer. More often they respond with a shrug, or a shy, “I don’t know.”

Being unsure is not only normal but increasingly likely. In a world where whole categories of jobs are being disrupted by artificial intelligence, outsourcing and paradigm-shifting innovations, and millions of people work in industries that didn’t exist a decade ago, the career opportunities of the future are ever-changing, and in some cases, don’t even exist yet.

According to Donna Naufal Moffatt, Elmwood’s Director of Academic Counselling, in this rapidly changing world, it’s no longer enough for students to pick a career.

Success lies in finding your unique niche. And Elmwood’s unique university counselling process allows girls to do just that.

Ms. Naufal Moffatt begins a one-on-one process with girls in early high school that helps them start to build a vision of their future that is not just based on a single career pathway. The process begins with conversations and vision boards to help girls become more aware of their strengths, weaknesses, aspirations and interests, and gradually becomes more specific as they approach graduation.

While she does talk about career opportunities with each individual student, Ms. Naufal Moffatt said she begins by encouraging them to ask themselves big questions like: Where do I fit in this world? What inspires me? What change do I want to see? How do I want to contribute?

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According to Donna Naufal Moffatt, Elmwood’s Director of Academic Counselling, in this rapidly changing world, it’s no longer enough for students to pick a career. Success lies in finding your unique niche. And Elmwood’s unique university counselling process allows girls to do just that.

“I love it when students say they have no idea what they want to do because I think that’s the best place to be. They aren’t rigid in an idea of what they want to become.

They have the most flexibility to explore options,” Ms. Naufal Moffatt says. “Being confused or uncertain is not a bad thing, it is actually a really great thing from my perspective.”

With more than 25 years of teaching experience (22 years at Elmwood), Ms. Naufal Moffatt now works full-time as the school’s academic and university counsellor helping students identify what they want to accomplish and who they want to become when they leave Elmwood. She explores various ways a student can achieve their future goals by presenting programs and pathways that will support skill development and growth as a whole person.

Once they have reflected on the big questions, she then helps steer them toward universities, programs and scholarship opportunities that align with their personal values and goals, and supports students as they wade through the sea of application forms. She also helps students understand the academic prerequisites for programs that interest them, including any required testing for international programs.

Ms. Naufal Moffatt says the vast majority of Elmwood students are able to qualify for academic scholarships based on grades alone, which they get automatically when they are accepted to a university. But she also helps identify other opportunities for merit scholarships or financial aid for students as well, including named scholarships in students’ top-ranked universities, prestigious foundation scholarships and athletic scholarships. The results are impressive – this year’s graduating class of 32 received $1.83 million in scholarship offers with an average per graduate of more than $57,000. Unlike some schools, Elmwood doesn’t limit how many applications students can request help with; they can ask for help to apply to as many scholarships and programs as they wish.

Ms. Naufal Moffatt says a key takeaway for many students is that they don’t necessarily have to have it all figured out by the time they turn 18.

“The path isn’t necessarily linear. It’s more like pieces of a puzzle coming together,” she said. “The more options they have, and the more diverse and open they are, the better off they are.”

According to Zaina Khan ’19, the school’s approach helped her feel more confident in her vision of what she wanted to do

after graduation.

Zaina applied to several programs that reflected her diverse academic interests. After sifting through the offers from universities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), business, science, and interdisciplinary arts, she will join the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics at McGill University in September with a long term goal of studying architecture.

“Ms. Naufal Moffatt said when I’m in doubt, think about what makes me tick,” Zaina said. “What is it at the heart of all of this that really inspires me and keeps me engaged, and fuels what I want to do in this world?”

Class of 2019 grad Jaida Wilson, who accepted an offer in the University of Waterloo’s exceptionally competitive Environmental Engineering program, also credits Elmwood’s uniquely supportive approach with helping her identify her area of focus in post-secondary studies.

“I feel the path I’m going down really suits me and it’s what I want to do,” Jaida said.

“Ms. Naufal Moffatt really helps us to understand both ourselves and the programs we’re applying to, so we know where we’re going and we have a lot of confidence in our path.”

“Ms. Naufal Moffatt said when I’m in doubt, think about what makes me tick...What is it at the heart of all of this that really inspires me and keeps me engaged, and fuels what I want to do in this world?”

- ZAINA KHAN ’19

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NEW

ELMWOOD’S

JUNIOR SCHOOL

ENRICHMENT PROGRAM 18

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By Erica Eades, Library and Literacy Specialist

If you stop by Elmwood’s Junior School on a Tuesday or Thursday around noon, you are likely to be met with a flurry of excitement. There you will find yogis and dancers milling about, while artists and scientists gear up for their next big project. You might even hear murmurings of French, Spanish and Mandarin, as students rehearse their newly acquired language skills.

This is all thanks to the new Junior School Enrichment program, which was introduced in September 2018 after a months-long design-thinking process. “Design thinking starts with a powerful question being developed,” explains Christine Blackadar, Deputy Head of Elmwood’s Junior School. “The question we landed on was: How might we rethink the school day to create a richer, more meaningful experience in our Junior School?”

Based on the success of the Middle School Enrichment program, which launched in 2017, the school decided to create a new version that was geared more towards our younger students.

The resulting Enrichment block provides girls in Grades 1-5 with two 50-minute periods a week that are dedicated entirely to co-curricular activity.

A main goal of this new Enrichment program was to eliminate the need for lunch-time clubs, which require students to miss out on recess. By removing clubs from the hectic lunch hour, this time is now dedicated entirely to nutrition, relaxation and play, which Grade 2 teacher Chandra Wiegand notes is a key benefit of the schedule change. “Play and the development of social skills are of great importance at the primary and junior years,” she says. The new program also allows students to enjoy Enrichment activities for a longer period of time and engage with them in a more meaningful way.

Program leaders, which include Junior, Middle and Senior School staff, as well as outside instructors, offer weekly sessions that cover everything from creative arts to STEM to physical activity. The programs offered throughout this first year were incredibly wide-ranging. Students with a flair for the arts could choose from Introduction to Irish Dance (taught by Sue Fay Healy, owner of the renowned SFH dance studio), Writer’s Workshop, Sketchnoting and more, while those curious about the world around them could take part in Lab Rats, Mandarin Club, and Latin and the Roman World—all of which were led by Senior School faculty who are experts in their respective fields.

There were also plenty of opportunities to stay active and learn a new sport. This year alone, students studied everything from yoga to rock-climb-

ing to running and fitness. It was often during these more physical activities that faculty saw the most significant personal development. As one teacher noted, “During the rock-climbing Enrichment, I witnessed a lot of student growth, as the girls challenged themselves and pushed themselves to limits that they perhaps didn’t know they could reach.”

Through the Enrichment program, students are granted the power to choose two activities each term, putting them in control of their own learning. Additionally, the fact that there are no grades involved means the focus is on learning for the sake of learning. This helps empower students to step outside of their comfort zone and try new things—regardless of prior knowledge in a subject area or perceived skill level.

“Teachers also remarked that they really enjoyed teaching multi-age groups and watching different relationships and interactions develop,” notes Ms. Blackadar. “We frequently observed older students stepping forward to support younger students and the younger girls set new goals based on the skills of older students.” One group of Grade 3 students were so inspired by this dynamic that they recently proposed their own Enrichment activity. They are currently working with Ms. Blackadar to create and run an Enrichment class for their peers, which will hopefully begin in September 2019.

However, the Enrichment program is only one way that the Junior School has been expanding its co-curricular offerings as of late. The 2018 – 2019 school year also saw the introduction of a new, optional Skill Builders schedule, which runs twice a week after school. During this time, Elmwood faculty offer a variety of skill-building activities such as math facts, French verbs, keyboarding and cursive handwriting. These 30-minute sessions offer a supportive, low-stakes environment for students to develop foundational skills, and are available at no cost to anyone looking for additional practice or enrichment.

At Elmwood, we are always looking for innovative ways to inspire our students to reach their full potential. Through these programs, our Junior School girls have been encouraged to step outside of their comfort zones, uncover new talents, and develop their friendships. It was wonderful to see them respond so enthusiastically and embrace the programs wholeheartedly. As both the Enrichment and Skill Builder programs continue to grow, we look forward to providing even more rich, meaningful learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom.

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ALL THE WORLD’S A

STAGE

By Angela Boychuk, Director of Elmwood Theatre

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Elmwood Theatre has enjoyed a tremendous year, beginning last August 2018 with our trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, under the auspices of the American High School Theatre Festival (ASHTF). With umbrellas in hand, and a song in their heart, the 19-member ensemble devised a show entitled Brollies & Bumbershoots that drew on a selection of song, poetry, prose, physical theatre and dance to take a playful look at the centuries-old use of the basic ‘parasol’.

Their presence in Edinburgh was so keenly felt that at one of their public performances, the students were thrilled to see, seated in the audience, a large group of professional actors from not one but two shows that they had attended earlier in the week. So impressed were these professional artists by the students’ passion for theatre, that they had made a point of coming out to support Elmwood Theatre’s work and, in turn, to give the students their very positive critical feedback. So ebullient were the students by this experience, as well as other similar moments of note while at the Fringe in Scotland, that their feet hardly touched the ground for the remainder of the trip.

This cultural program has become an important and enriching one for the arts students at Elmwood; actors, visual artists and musicians play a very important role on-stage and behind the scenes, and being able to perform at the world’s largest fringe festival is, without question, a positive and life-changing experience for those who have attended one or more of the last three trips to Scotland. For this reason, Elmwood

Theatre is delighted to have been invited by AHSTF to return again next August 2020; already there is an exceptionally talented group of students who have committed to attending, which also means spending much time over the next winter preparing another original show to take across to Britain.

No sooner did the students return from the festival last summer than we began to work on the main-stage production, a new play by English playwright, Silva Semerciyan entitled The Light Burns Blue. The text examines the true story of The Cottingley Fairies and the photographs taken in 1917 by 17-year old Elsie Wright and her young cousin, Frances Griffiths during a time when Britain was grieving the tragic loss of their young men who had gone to war. Considering our own contemporary dilemma as we wrestle daily to discern the difference in our social media between real and ‘fake’ news, the story of Elsie and Frances resonated because of their own struggles dealing with sudden notoriety owing to the overwhelming public reaction their photographs of fairies generated at the time.

Coincidentally, just as we were preparing the show, the real midge camera belonging to Frances Griffiths, as well as several of the original photographs, made headlines again as they were sold for a considerable sum at auction this past winter. The play, a story of a tightly-knit community—as well as a pragmatic journalist who sets about to unearth the truth of the story—provided a lovely challenge for our young actors who had to bring to the stage a healthy balance of the text’s humour and pathos; it also involved

some very precise ensemble work, including physical theatre, which the students mastered beautifully.

So favourably received was the production that just this past spring the show garnered 12 Cappies nominations, which led to 7 Cappies awards, including Best Play, presented at the 2019 Cappies Gala at the National Arts Centre—the fourth time we have been awarded this honour in just five years. Other awards included Top Senior Cappies Critic (Zaina Khan ’19), Cappies Critic Team (Jagnoor Saran ’19, Stephanie Townsend ’19, Grace Goldberg ’19, Maya Ladki ’20, Arielle Farina ’20, Maya Kors ’19, Nuha Yousuf ’19 and Abigail Butler ’19), Marketing and Publicity (Jagnoor Saran ’19, Zaina Khan ’19, Stephanie Townsend ’19, and Abigail Butler ’19), Featured Actress in a Play (Maggie Fyfe ’21), Supporting Actress in a Play (Alexa Bothwell ’19), and Lead Actress in a Play (Alex Byrne ’19).

The success of the show speaks to the enormous dedication on the part of the students who commit their time, artistry and passion—over many long hours of rehearsal—in order to achieve a high standard of excellence. Their experience, which instills a strong sense of discipline, hard work, collaboration and artistic appreciation, are attributes that these young women will carry with them for years to come, in any profession they choose. They will, no doubt, become life-long patrons of the arts, recognizing that it is the creativity of others, if not themselves directly, who bring beauty and meaning into our communities.

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ELMWOOD’S NEWLY EXPANDED

EARLY YEARS PROGRAMME

By Erica Eades, Library and Literacy Specialist

At Elmwood, we have long been dedicated to providing a top-quality Early Years Programme, offering a holistic, International Baccalaureate education for even our youngest learners. However, the 2018/2019 school year brought forth a series of exciting changes, as we proudly launched a newly expanded, fully licensed Pre-Kindergarten programme last fall. This means that our Pre-K class, which has been operating on a smaller scale since 2017, is now officially recognized as a licensed preschool by the Ontario Ministry of Education. As

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a result of this change, we can now accommodate a greater number of students, while still maintaining the high level of quality and expertise that families have come to expect from Elmwood.

Christine Blackadar, Deputy Head of Elmwood’s Junior School, helped spearhead this recent transformation. “We went through an exciting and thorough process to become Ontario licensed,” she says. “We have been delighted to establish a licensed Pre-Kindergarten program to include three-year-olds.”

A

A key component of the licensing process was the hiring of two new Early Childhood Educators, Ms. Stephanie Dore and Ms. Carole Hawley, who Ms. Blackadar describes as being “well versed in ensuring that the important developmental needs of our youngest students are met.” These talented educators joined the team last fall and have spent the year since establishing a thoughtful and engaging program for our young learners. Their hiring also allows us to maintain a low student to teacher ratio in our Pre-K class, resulting in a safe and stimulating environment for all children.

By joining Elmwood in Pre-K, students will now be able to benefit from the full range of the IB continuum, beginning with the Primary Years Programme.

The PYP curriculum, which is rooted in the principle of agency, allows students to take control of their own learning. They are encouraged to inquire, question, wonder and theorize about themselves, others and the world around them, while also developing essential socio-emotional, physical and cognitive skills. It is extremely important that students develop these skills early on, as the first five years of a child’s life are some of the most formative for brain development.

As Senior Kindergarten teacher Kate Meadowcroft notes, “This is a child’s first introduction into the world of education. It’s imperative that this is a positive experience, since it will affect their view towards school for the rest of their lives.” Students who enroll in Elmwood’s Early Years Programme are therefore at a clear advantage, developing more of the skills they need to succeed in life—from problem-solving and collaboration to confidence and self-esteem—all from the comfort of a caring and dedicated learning environment.

Ms. Meadowcroft believes that what sets Elmwood apart from other Early Years programmes in the city is the fact that we follow both Ministry and International Baccalaureate guidelines. Under the IB, there is a major focus on inquiry-based learning, which encourages investigation, exploration and curiosity. The result is an educational program that is largely student-led, allowing children to ask big questions and search for answers. She also says that younger students can benefit from the cohesive nature of the program, as children as young as Pre-K start to learn the terminology of the IB Learner Profile. “Every teacher from the very beginning of the educational journey will use that same language -- of what it means to be balanced, to be a risk-taker, to be caring, “ she says. “Students really benefit from the consistency of that approach.”

In addition to the classroom environment, Ms. Meadowcroft says Elmwood’s focus on outdoor play is incredibly beneficial, especially in the Early Years. From Pre-K to SK, students spend a portion of every day outdoors -- rain or shine. “We place the utmost value on children being outside,” says Ms. Meadowcroft. “Our students are being inquiring, they’re being curious, they’re exploring the world.

It’s giving them more opportunities to feel connected to nature and to the environment.”

There is also growing evidence that suggests an increase in outdoor play can have a positive impact on children’s eyesight. As Ms. Meadowcroft notes, “We are seeing a rise in myopia [or nearsightedness], and children are having to wear glasses earlier in order to see far distances.” Many doctors believe this could be the result of children spending too much time indoors, as they do not have the opportunity to focus on objects in the distance.

Elmwood’s commitment to spending time outdoors, every day, is therefore another key benefit of the Early Years Programme.

But what really distinguishes Elmwood’s Early Years Programme is its sense of community. As Ms. Hawley notes, students “develop a strong sense of belonging—among their classmates, the school, and the Elmwood community at large.” This is accomplished through a myriad of school-wide activities— such as House Spirit Days, the Big Sisters Club, and the annual Holiday Concert—which bring together students of all ages and help to foster lifelong, multigrade friendships. Our Early Years students are able to look up to these older girls, who regularly model positive aspects of the Learner Profile as they help lead initiatives throughout the school.

It has been wonderful to see the Early Years Programme adapt and change over the last year, and we are thrilled that this new licensing has allowed us to welcome even more students to our Pre-K programme. At Elmwood, we remain committed to providing an exceptional IB education for students of all ages -- and this expansion is just one of the many ways we are continuing to pursue our mission of inspiring each girl to reach her full potential.

If you would like to learn more about Early Years education at Elmwood, please visit elmwood.ca/academics/early-years.

To inquire about admissions or to submit an application, visit elmwood.ca/admissions.

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welcome

JAMES WHITEHOUSE B Y C H L O E G I RVAN

The Elmwood family is very pleased to announce the appointment of James Whitehouse as Elmwood’s new Head of School.

Prior to his new appointment, James was the Deputy Head of the Middle and Senior Schools, a role he had held since 2012. Selected as Head of School for his impressive professional background, including an understanding of cutting-edge trends in education and in-depth knowledge of the challenges young women will face in the future, James also brings personal traits of integrity, empathy, strong communication and interpersonal skills to his new role.

Married to Nicola, an OCSB Vice Principal, and Canadian who grew up in Ottawa, the couple are proud parents of a son, Oliver (8) and daughter, Isla (6) who attends Elmwood in Grade 1.

A self-described “happy-go-lucky” kid, James and his two brothers grew up in the heart of Europe, starting on a British military base in Germany, where his father was hired to be a headteacher at British military schools. James estimates that the family moved about eight to ten times, making him extremely adaptable.

Reasons provided by James, for choosing his mother as his inspiration, provide further insight into how he was shaped into the man he is today.

“Mum was with us all the time and gave us all the love in the world. She is a social being whose whole attitude to life was having fun and she wanted us to see the world. She has also always been a strong, powerful teacher, who started schools on the base herself.”

Prior to joining Elmwood, James was an Assistant Head at Seven Kings High School in Redbridge, London, one of the top twelve state schools in the United Kingdom.

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Originally brought to Elmwood by former Head of School, Cheryl Boughton, to improve the standards of teaching, James gives a lot of credit to the United Kingdom’s educational system for teaching him the value of placing high standards on things. “In the UK you are inspected by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, who has the power to close a school during an inspection if they feel that that the school is not fulfilling its duty. This inevitably improves the quality of teaching and having that professional upbringing made me an excellent teacher.”

One of his first contributions to Elmwood was a large supply of doorstops. “The goal was to create an open culture where the classroom becomes just a place where a teacher happens to be teaching at that time.

Where people are welcome to enter and exit, as long as they do not disrupt the learning.

People still laugh because there are doorstops everywhere.”

The institutor of a peer review system at Elmwood, he encourages teachers to observe each other in the classroom and provide feedback. “In England, I was used to having four to five people in my classroom every day. There was a bit of nervousness when we started this practice here, but soon the staff recognized it as a good thing that would only make them better educators.”

Earlier years of teaching in schools where students had very little, often returning home to extreme poverty, also taught James so much about the value of education and the importance of forgiveness. “Every day is a fresh start and a new opportunity to do better. I believe in letting people know that it is okay to make mistakes and that my door is always open. I want everyone who leaves my office to feel better than when they arrived.”

When it comes to listing the personal traits he brings to Elmwood, James humbly suggests asking others for their input. “I think I am good at building trust, community, and making people feel valued. I have been described as a diplomat, capable of bringing people together to create an understanding and way forward. I would like to think I am a good listener and hope to bring a sense of calm.”

As to his weaknesses, “Some people say that I am too kind but, I am okay with that.

My biggest bugbear is when people say that you have to be strict and authoritarian. I have worked in some of the toughest schools and you don’t have to be that way. You just have to get respect and that comes from

being fair and consistent.”

Angered by, “So little really.” James will not tolerate unkindness at any level or bad behaviour in connection to the school. “I don’t believe that we have to accept that destructive habits are just part of being a normal teenager. It comes back to teaching the importance of having respect for yourself and others.”

Asked what it is he loves about Elmwood, he smiles. “There is some sort of magic here.

I walk in every day and kids ask me how I am and what is going on in my life. They care about each other and I love seeing connections form between people who are so different. It is like a family where people love the kids and the kids love them back.”

Finding joy in seeing the girls show up each morning, often tumbling out of cars with multiple bags, musical instruments and wet hair, James marvels at just how much they love to learn. “They are leaders and so smart. They also come here with a sense of knowing that they are not yet a finished product and are on this journey together.

Nobody has to be closed or hide who they are. There is very little fear of trying new things or how that will be perceived. They are just amazing, normal kids.”

The qualities he strives to instill in Elmwood’s students are the same ones chosen for his own two children. “You have to be kind

and have respect for yourself and others and be a part of a community. My unwavering expectation is kindness which is sometimes really hard to give. What is important in life is how we represent ourselves to each other.

Not just what you achieve and don’t achieve but the impact you leave on people’s lives.”

As a former professional rugby player for the Wasps Rugby Football Club, James also encourages each Elmwood student to experience playing on a team, at any level. “My key values in life came from sport. It taught me hard work, confidence, respect, risk-taking, resilience and what it takes to be a friend.

Sport also takes you away from every other distraction, such as technology, and requires the use of life’s most important communication skills.”

If possible, he would give each Elmwood graduate the gift of, “confidence, with a splash of humility as it will, “open any door.”

He also wishes graduates an understanding of themselves and what unique strengths they bring to the table.

Calling New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, “one of the world’s most influential leaders,” James would like to see more women involved in politics and other global professions to ensure the conversations, products, policies and programs shaping our society, include the voices and perspectives of women.

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“We want girls to go into the world empowered and with the skills and tools to do whatever they want. If I can shout louder or push their case, I always will. For me, it is about who cares enough about these girls to help them realize their dreams. I just reached one of my dreams, to be the Head of School, which has been my goal since becoming an educator.”

Looking forward to the new school year and all that is ahead, James cannot wait for the first bell to ring. “I like to think of the future vision of the school as being our vision and not my vision. I am a high believer that it is us and not me and that I am just lucky enough to steer the ship.

Elmwood has huge potential in terms of its footprint in the world.

Right now, we are known for being a very successful amazing place and I would like the school to continue building on that reputation nationally and internationally so that every girl has even greater opportunities.

I am so inspired by the people I work with each day and grateful to those who have gone before leaving Elmwood in a position of strength. It is, however, our students who are the most important to me as I take on this exciting role. My commitment is to them and the brighter future that we will all create together. I am just excited for where the school can go.”

- James Whitehouse

FUN QUESTIONS WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG?

The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan. As a history teacher I challenge the girls to look at all perspectives of what we consider history. This book takes a new look at the History we know and makes us challenge our assumptions. Challenging preconceptions is extremely important for learning and this book certainly does that.

Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon. It always makes me feel good.

HOW DO YOU RELAX? Running, sitting in a hammock or swimming. My peace is anywhere near water. I also love hanging out with my kids as they destress me and make me giggle.

Friendship is really important to me as well.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? To always put one foot in front of the other, just keep walking and be present. I learned this from my dad.

HAVE YOU MET ANY OF THE ROYALS? I met Prince Harry, while playing rugby, when he was a very little fan of about nine years old.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR?

IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANYONE ALIVE OR DEAD WHO WOULD IT BE?

Blue for the sea. I love water.

Margaret Thatcher. I would love to ask her how she felt just before she made the decision to take the country into the Falklands War.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD IN THE ELMWOOD CAFETERIA?

AND IF THEODORA PHILPOT ALSO HAPPENED TO BE AT THE SAME TABLE? When I read about Theodora Philpot, she talked about wanting Elmwood to be a place where children were, “joyous, companionable, strong and free.” As she lived in such strict times with conservative values, I would love to know what this meant to her and what it looked like. I think that Elmwood still has this in spades as students are allowed to have fun and be who they are.

But I wonder what she would think now about what she started!

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SURVIVE? My wife, kids and friends. I also need honest people around me who are comfortable telling me what they really think.

The spicy pork salad!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE? The Breakfast Club because it is about kids expressing themselves and challenging the establishment. It is what we still see every day. Very different people coming together and getting along with each other, which is what schools make people do. It makes you see other people’s character and personality and value people that are different from you.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE HERO OF FICTION? I think it would be Aragorn, also known as Strider from The Lord of the Rings. He is a wanderer. His main job is to look after people and make sure they are safe; and I really relate to that. He has really good morals and guiding principles and resembles something that I think a person should aspire to.

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H E AD G I R L

MACKENZIE JOHNSON

By Kimberly Senf, Librarian

When Mackenzie Johnson came to Elmwood in Grade 6, she never would have imagined that she would begin her Grade 12 year as Elmwood’s Head Girl. Shyness was a significant obstacle for her before she came to Elmwood and applying for a prefect position was not something that would have been on her to-do list back then. After spending the past six years at Elmwood, that shyness has become a thing of the past. Her family is so proud that she is headed into her final year at Elmwood as Head Girl. She is thinking about the big footsteps she is following in, but is also ready to make her mark on this position of leadership within the school.

Mackenzie was inspired to run for the position of Head Girl by the girls that held the position for the past two years - Bronte Assadzadeh ‘18 and Grace Goldberg ‘19. She found their tenures as Head Girl made such a difference in the school. The inaugural Lead Like a Girl conference for Middle School girls is one piece of that leadership and ambition that came to fruition last year.

Mackenzie got to take on the position of Co-Logistics Lead for the conference, as well as having a seat at the table as part of the Advisory Team that helped establish the core foundation of the conference. She particularly enjoyed working alongside her Senior School peers to coordinate the logistics of the conference such as the food, seating charts and transportation - because it really is the details that pull it all together.

When asked what she would like to accomplish during her time as Head Girl, Mackenzie was ready with a unique answer. “There’s a culture of kindness that has been incorporated recently and it’s become more evident in the school. I really want to help promote that culture - I really want to make a difference here.” She also wants to make sure that the younger girls in the Junior and Middle School, girls like herself,

see that the position of Head Girl is one that is open and available to any of them. “I could never have seen myself becoming Head Girl when I started at Elmwood.

I want girls in younger grades to think of the position of Head Girl as a real possibility and to create an environment where they would feel comfortable trying anything they want to do.”

Creating a welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment are priorities at the top of Mackenzie’s list for her time as Head Girl this year. She knows she will not be able to do it alone and she is looking forward to working with the prefects as a team that supports and looks out for each other. She wants the perfect team to have the chance to shine when they are running their specific events like Keller Dog Day, CIBC Run for the Cure and Wilson Fiesta -- and she will always make sure she is there to help them along the way.

Taking on the role of Head Girl this year has meant that Mackenzie has had to put a pause on training and competing in rhythmic gymnastics, a sport she has been involved with since she was 10 years old. She knew that heading into Grade 12 would be a busy time, and with a prefect position as well as university applications to complete, there would never be enough time to give the sport the attention it requires. She feels that she accomplished what she set out to do in the sport and keeps her ties to the rhythmic gymnastics community by coaching recreational summer camps for youth as well as a few evenings a week throughout the school year.

There is no doubt that this year will be a busy one for Mackenzie, but she is as ready as ever to take on the challenge. With goals of promoting kindness and increasing awareness around making Elmwood prefect events more eco-friendly, she’s already off to a great start. Who knows what the rest of the year will bring?

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D-DAY TRIP LON DON / NOR M ANDY / PAR I S

By Laura Grace Conlon, Teacher

This spring, twelve Elmwood students and two teachers attended the official Canadian ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy, which marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe during the Second World War. As it is said: “La liberté est venue de la mer.” How few words to mark such a profound turning point in history – not just in other people’s history, that of the liberated and the dying, the missing and the waiting – but in that of humanity. Standing peacefully at Juno Beach on the 6th of June, caressed by a steady wind and fortified by an excessive number of bakery fresh baguette sandwiches, nothing could have prepared us for either the presence or the absence: the presence of those who had survived, the absence of those lost, the presence of the sea and the sands, all ignorant of what had gone before them, and above all, the absence of noise, the sheer stillness and gentleness of where we stood.

We had very diligently been doing exactly that: readying ourselves to appreciate the history we were about to become part of.

Our tour began in London, where we saw all of the attractions right down to Platform 9 ¾. Satiated by traditional fare and satis-

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fied by the sights, we then focused our attention, touring the Imperial War Museum and the Churchill War Rooms. In particular, the latter were indelibly stamped with the imprint of a determination which had preceded us. Despite the crowds, they were unnaturally quiet, perhaps as a nod to Churchill whose admonitions against unnecessary noise were scattered throughout: “Whistling is forbidden in this corridor at all times.” Perhaps. Yet, I think that even three quarters of a century later, surrounded by wartime maps noiselessly marking the movement of armies, secret government chambers, intimate apartments, hushed telephone rooms, and tokens of a normalcy long since abandoned, “Sunny and fair today”, visitors simply let the silence fall upon them, listening for the telltale signs of a war most could not remember.

After crossing the Chunnel, seeing the landmarks in Paris, and eating more macarons than anyone will admit to, we travelled through Dieppe, meandering towards our principal objective, and to my astonishment, at the ceremony, all was calm. By the end of our tour, we had visited numerous memorials, military cemeteries, museums, trenches, underground quarries, some of which are famous and some of which are not, and everywhere, there was quiet, a gentle ocean breeze, lush grass, flowers, tokens of appreciation left on graves, silently moving humans set against a tranquil background. When civilians read about war, there is such an emphasis on the unremitting cacophony, the lack of stillness, the constant something, that at times it was hard to superimpose the images of history onto our experiences. And then it dawned on me that this was the whole point, this is what we were thanking them for, what we had journeyed for: a moment of stillness in a peaceful land. Lest we forget.

ECUADOR TRIP QUIT O / NAP O R I V E R / BE L L AV I S TA

By Kimberly Senf, Librarian Service. Adventure. Community. That’s what 18 students from Grades 7-9 signed up for when they chose to take part in a service learning trip to Ecuador at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Organized by ME to WE, a social enterprise that curates global service trips for youth, Elmwood students embarked on the experience of a lifetime to the Amazon rainforest. This service trip provides students with the opportunity to participate in challenging work at community build sites, while also coupling that with cultural immersion and social justice activities.

After landing in Quito we boarded a bus for Minga Lodge, situated on the Napo River, near the city of Tena. After a delicious pizza lunch and many winding, bumpy roads, we finally arrived at the last spot that our bus could drive us to - the port where we boarded the motorized canoe that would become our regular mode of transport along the Napo River. Breathtaking views of the Ecuadorian rainforest greeted us from the minute we stepped into the canoe until it docked at Minga Lodge.

Each day after a delicious breakfast of locally-grown foods that included yuca and plantains, we made our way to our work site in Bellavista, a community along the Napo River. ME to WE has been working with the village for some time and the project we worked on involved laying the foundation for one of the school buildings, as well

as building a rock pathway, and decorating the outside of a building with a rock mosaic. The work was physically demanding, and included activities such as filling wheelbarrows with sand and gravel and mixing concrete by hand. Many stones were loaded into wheelbarrows and it was safe to say that everyone was covered in dirt of many varieties by the end of each day - but we were also extremely satisfied with the work that we accomplished at the build site.

After our mornings of construction work in Bellavista, our facilitators ensured that we had ample time for cultural immersion activities. We met local artisans and had the chance to experience how they make their livelihood in rural Ecuador. We met the wife of a local activist who fought to get clean water for their community (having only recently achieved this goal for their families). We planted banana trees and learned more about agriculture in the area. We also had the chance to experience two jungle hikes during our stay in the Amazon - one daytime hike where our jungle guide pointed out many interesting insects and plants, and another at night that allowed students to see what comes out in the jungle after dark.

The hands-on learning experiences did not end when we left the work site. Each evening the facilitators led group activities that centered on the WE Villages five pillars that they utilize when working to develop communities: education, water, food, health and opportunity.

These pillars are the foundation for the action plans that all students on the trip returned home with. These plans allow students to shift the ideas and concepts developed in Ecuador into plans that they can execute upon their return to Ottawa. The projects that take shape from the ideas developed in Ecuador will be with these students, and the Elmwood community, for years to come.

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INSPIRING GIRL

JASMINE BESSENS

By Kimberly Senf, Librarian

found mountain biking Horseback riding, runwith her club as well, in ning, cross-country skiing, order to keep training all mountain biking, reading She found that getting out of her comfort zone year round.

—these are all activities Even though this will that Jasmine Bessens is each week by speaking in assembly has made only be Jasmine’s second passionate about. Jasmine year at Elmwood, she arrived at Elmwood for her speaking in class that much easier. has not hesitated to Grade 7 year with a strong get involved in school foundation in French from activities. She was her time at Trille des Bois, voted in as a member a French public school. communicate. It’s not like we get our horses of Middle School House Council. She was Starting out at Elmwood last year, she felt to go do something, instead we explore very thankful for the encouragement of her the Grade 7 representative for Nightingale what to do and do it with them. If we see new teachers that made her feel welcome House and may run again this year as well. our horses are uncomfortable, we approach and informed right at the beginning of the She also participated in Elmwood Reads, the things differently.” This approach is one that school year. battle of the books competition that takes Jasmine enjoys. Jasmine likes that natural In addition to focussing on her academics, place at Elmwood every spring. Jasmine horsemanship allows riders to be firm but Jasmine is also an active rider. She has been represented Sarah Dessen’s book, The Truth have the lightness that they need at the same practicing natural horsemanship for the past About Forever, and made it halfway through time. Through the natural horsemanship three years and she has been riding since this year’s competition. She found that approach that she follows when working she was six years old. She fell into the world getting out of her comfort zone each week by with her horse, she can “look somewhere and of natural horsemanship by happenstance speaking in assembly has made speaking in my horse is so connected to me that he goes when she was looking for a new barn to conclass that much easier. She enjoys reading, in there.” She spends several evenings a week at tinue riding lessons at, and Stillwater Stables particular books about horses and horseback the stable working with her horse, Aladdin. in Russell was one that her family found at riding. One of her favourites is Jockey Girl, a Running is another passion of hers and that time. Stillwater Stables believes in the realistic fiction story about a girl who wants natural horsemanship approach that involves one that she was able to take part in as a to become a jockey. member of the cross country team at Elmobserving horse behaviour and communiAs she enters her last year of Middle wood. She runs the 5K every year as part cation in order to imitate similar methods School her options are wide open—House of the May race weekend in Ottawa.

In the when communicating with the animals.

Council, enrichments, clubs, sports teams— winter months she is an avid cross-country This type of horsemanship is based on as well as all of her extracurricular activities respect and trust with the horse, and it is one skier at Nakkertok and usually has a race outside of school. It will be great to see what every weekend as part of her club activities. that resonates with Jasmine. “When you’re When she isn’t running and skiing she can be she becomes involved with this year! with the horse it’s important to know how to

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A YEAR OF

GIVING 2018 – 2019 ELMWOOD COMMUNITY GENEROSITY AND VOLUNTEERISM

THANK YOU The spirit of generosity has been part of the fabric of Elmwood for more than 100 years.

Last year was a shining example of what is possible when our community comes together in support of our girls and the mission of our school. Our community’s collective investment in, commitment to and support of Elmwood made so many things possible and continues to strengthen our financial future.

This report honours the many donors, sponsors and volunteers who helped us live our mission to inspire each girl to reach her full potential.

REVENUE

EXPENSES STUDENT SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND ACTIVITIES

92% FINANCIAL AID

TUITION AND FEES

11% 5%

13%

8% FUNDRAISING

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ADMINISTRATION AND FACILITY

71% EDUCATION EXPENSES

HEAR US ROAR

266 ATTENDEES

39 SPONSORS

903 ONLINE BIDS FOR 187 ITEMS

ELMWOOD GALA 44%

T O TAL F U N D R AI S I N G 2018 – 2019

1% CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP

21%

34% ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

$968,278

DIRECTED GIVING

ELMWOOD FUND

82% PARTICIPATION OF CURRENT COMMUNITY

90

STUDENTS SUPPORTED WITH SCHOLARSHIPS

CLASS OF 2019 LEGACY GIFT

$554,676 DISTRIBUTED IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

100% PARTICIPATION $5,838.55 ENDOWED

25

TEACHERS SUPPORTED IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

165

PA R E N T VOLUNTEERS

In March 2019, we unveiled our new Science and Innovation Wing. Our new state-of-theart spaces – which include glass walled Innovation Labs and Lab Prep area with flexible furniture, a central Collaboration Hub and a Virtual Reality Room – promote the transparency of learning, cross-disciplinary teaching and educational best practices ensuring the best possible STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education for Elmwood girls.

THANK YOU TO THE MORE THAN 110 DONORS WHO HAVE ALREADY SUPPORTED OUR NEW SCIENCE AND INNOVATION WING ANTONIA AND CRAIG BETTS Daniel and Bibbi Alfredsson Aik Aliferis Susan and Eric Alsembach Vana Andreou and Mario D’Addario Lindsay Appotive Rita Arseneau Alireza Assadzadeh Steven Assaly Elise Aylen and David McGovern Alexei O’Connor and Denis Barbeau Craig Bascombe Sheila Bayne Paul Beaulé Tracey Bergeron Ginger Bertrand Cheryl and David Boughton Stephanie James-Brennan and Chris Brennan Joan Brodie

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DEBRA AND DAVID WU

KELLY AND PETER HUDSON

Gord Brownlee Sarah Murray and Nicholas Caragianis Denise and Dan Carruthers Mitchell Charness Jan and Ken Clarke Aileen Conway and Ted Woodhead Catherine Coulter Atul Dilawri Richard Dionne Alan Doak Sharon Ebata Lynne Evenson Rose Fincham-Dinsdale Harley Finkelstein Louise and John French Alice and Doug Fyfe David Gerring Youssef Ghantous Nancy and Mike Greenley Ana Guillermina Remonda Maryam Haghighi Elizabeth Heatherington

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Charles Hofley Phil Hopwood Elizabeth and Derek Howe Sébastian Huard Peter and Ann Marie Hume Billie and Jake Irving Jennifer and Paul Jackson Nicky and Brad Jacobs Dominique Jacobson and Marcus Minshall Mollie Johnson Andrea Johnson and David Little Janis Jones Erik Karlsson Swathi Kappagantula Jan Kennedy and Brook Bangsboll Naoko Kors Liana and Malek Ladki Lillian Lai and Sonny Dhanani Shawn Lawrence Patrick Leblond

WHITNEY FOX AND DAN GOLDBERG Lan Li and Gang Deng Crickett and John Lindgren Wei (Rain) Lu Jane Mathew and Scott Parkinson Nila Matthews Neuczki Mathurin Catherine and Terry McLaughlin Azhra McMahon Véronique French-Merkley and Benjamin Merkley Hassan Moghadam Christine Murray Sean Murray Clara and Simon Nehme Peter and Nina Nicolini Valerie Nixon Karen Noseworthy Bayo Odutola Jacqueline Palumbo and Shalin Sugunasiri Alexandra Pattee Kinga Petrovai

TERLIN CONSTRUCTION Jeannie and Jacob Polisuk Frank Porcari Michael Potter Hussain Rahal Shawn Rivers Robyn Ryan Bell and James Ryan Nadine Sabine Janice and Tim Saunders Michael Schwartz Emily and David Segal Sam Shalaby Brad Sigouin Gail Silver Mike Slaunwhite Brian Sullivan Jamilah Taib Murray Cindy Tomlinson Keon Donna Vermeij Julie Waterhouse Dongmei (Melanie) Wei Mengyi (Elf) Yao Ying Zhang Joanna Znotins Parmoun Zolfaghari

PA C T U M S E RVA S O C I E T Y Donors with cumulative giving history of $5,000 or more are permanently recognized on our Donor Wall located in the Atrium. Names are listed as requested by the donor.

SUMMA SUMMARUM “HIGHEST OF HIGH” $250,000 AND GREATER Thomas Ahearn Rebecca Baker & John Witherspoon Rod & Sandy Bryden Dan & Denise Carruthers Elmwood School Parents & Friends Association Ethel Fauquier Daniel Goldberg & Whitney Fox Peter & Kelly Hudson Sean Murray & Jamilah Taib-Murray ’82 Jeannie & Jacob Polisuk Michael Potter John & Jennifer Ruddy Jim & Pam Skippen Lilias Southam ’37 Senator Cairine R. Wilson David & Debra Wu PARENS “FOUNDER” $100,000 – $249,000 Craig & Antonia Betts Chris Brennan & Stephanie James-Brennan The Robert Campeau Family Foundation Norma (Wilson) Davies ’42 Paul & Adelle Deacon The Gillin Family Derek & Elizabeth Howe Brendan Lucas & Chloe Lucas Terry & Catherine McLaughlin Benjamin Merkley & Véronique French Merkley ’96 Brooke, Ava & Mila Mierins Esme Pepall ’34 R. Howard Webster Foundation William White The Zed Family

Carol Kirby Anja Kloch ’88 Raymond Kuate Konga Katie ’97 & Ruth Lark ’10 Dennis & Andrea Laurin Kenneth & Christina Loeb David & Diana Mason David McClenahan Anne McDougall Burton & Susan Merkley Simon & Clara Nehme Tim & Janice Saunders The Peers & Snelling Family Brian & Cathy Peters Gordon & Wendy Peters Andy & Bonnie Robinson Rockwell International Canada Lawrence Schembri & Elizabeth Springer Janet Southam Ritchie ’30 Bob & Jill Strachan Ronald & Wendy Sumner Fayez & Nooren Thawer Toller Memorial Fund Janet Uren ’68 Rolland Villemaire & Judith Wilcox Irena Wight Allan & Marilyn Wilson Greg Wilson & Joanne McBean-Wilson The Honorable Cairine R.M. Wilson ’31 The Yau Family

AUCTOR “BUILDER” $10,000 – $24,999 Rahim & Shahin Abdullah Peter & Denise Allen Anonymous Denis Barbeau & Alexei O’Connor Jagtar & Manjit Basi Paul Beaulé Prof. Jamie Benidickson David & Barbara Berks Luc Berube & Odette Laneuville E.W. Bickle Foundation PATRONUS “PATRON” John, Johanna & Jennifer ’04 Blakney $25,000 – $99,999 David & Patricia Boomer Sanjay & Colleen Acharya Jody Bothwell & Maryam Haghighi Rita & Ray Arseneau Gretta Bradley Laureen Assaly Ole Bredberg & Berta Canizares Stephen & Sandra Assaly The Janet & Charles Burns Foundation The Baxter Family Peter & Nenita Clark Donald & Sheila Bayne Patrick & Patricia Coady Olivier & Pascale Benloulou James & Vera Cody J.P. Bickell Foundation Elizabeth Coristine ’34 Douglas & Sharon Black Michael Bolitho & Angelica Thiele-Bolitho David & Peggy Cork Michael Crystal & Tracey Thompson David & Cheryl Boughton Mario Cuconato & Robin Boushey & France Bourbonnais Danielle May-Cuconato Jean-Luc & Catherine Brazeau Mario D’Addario & Vana Andreou Neil Bregman, Katherine Jeans & Elizabeth Davis Ivy Bregman The Dawes Family Janet Burns ’29 Nicholas Caragianis & Sarah Murray ’79 Gang Deng and Lan Li Dave & Jill Dickinson Catherine Coulter & George Dolhai Gordon & Margaret Douglas Eleanor Creery Victor Duret & Hilary McCormack Elmwood School Staff Ellen Ewert John, Louise, Veronique ’96, Katherine Ellis '51 Isabelle ’98 & David French Stephen Gallagher Michael & Karen Fung Kee Fung Deborah Gill '64 Philip & Beata Garel-Jones Elizabeth (Raymont) Heatherington ’63 Paul Faynwachs Joan Henderson Mike & Nancy Greenley The Griffith Foundation Arthur Howarth & Michelle Martin Peter Griffiths & Willa Griffiths-Kersten IBM Lucy Grossman-Hensel Alfred Jay & Kim Ling Morag S. Gundy Andrea Johnson & David Little Ann Marie & Peter Hume Cynthia Kasem & Julia Campbell ’08 Alice Hunt Estate of Nancy Kneeland (Martin) Lori & Gary Hutchinson Donegani ’38

Louis & Patricia Lamontagne Allan MacEwen Joan Matthews-Khan ’50 Jean C. McCloskey Sarah McDonald ’04, Katherine McDonald ’09 & Heather McDonald ’11 E.B. McDougall Ian McDowell & Carrol Pitters John & Jane Melloul In Memory of Maxine Miller & Stuart Noble David Milne & Pam Gibb-Carsley Marcus Minshall & Dominique Jacobson ’02 Scott & Christine Murray Harry & Lee Near Robert & Joanne Nelson Akiko Nishiyama ’78 Scott Parkinson & Jane Mathew N.E. Peters Foundation Frank and Nancy O'Dea John & Liz Pigott Judy (Nesbitt) Reid ’50 The Kathleen M. Richardson Foundation Inc. Jonathan Richter & Raquelle Dupuis Nizar & Nadia Rida Michael Robinson & Mary-Louise Walsh Annette Rossiter Joanna Rozanski ’03 John & Amy Russell James Ryan & Robyn Ryan Bell Jack & Nadine Sabine Charles Saikaley Frank & Hannah Sellers Susan (Reid) Senn ’77 In memory of Sandra Sharpe (1987 – 2007) Andrei & Nadia Shirobokov Sanjeev & Lalita Singla Helen Hirsh Spence & David Spence George Tawagi & Françine Belleau John Thomson & Susan Sollars Shalin Sugunasiri & Jacqueline Palumbo-Sugunasiri Fred & Jean Toller Gregory Townsend & Anna Liberta Townsend Glen & Ann Tremblay Ted Woodhead & Aileen Conway Kenneth Young & Valerie Nixon Thomas Znotins & Sandra Fraser AMICUS “FRIEND” $5,000 – $9,999 Faiza & Aly Abdulla Carmen Abela Lilias Ahearn ’58 David and Kate Angell Anonymous David, Sharon, Ryan, Jaye & Brody Appotive Christian Asselin & Joanne Lefebvre Sol Avisar & Karen Brook Brook Bangsboll & Jan Kennedy Blake, Denise & Quincy Batson Mary Beattie Allan & Sarah Bifield Christine (McGregor) Blackadar ’88 Peter Bouzanis & Maureen Donnelly John Brooks & Anna Blauveldt Richard and Kristin Brunner Gregory & Pilar Bryson Judith (Maclaren) Caldwell ’51 Juliet Caragianis ’11 Sophia Caragianis ’15 Nazib & Nimira Charania

Mitchell Charness & Janice Palmer Jian Chen & Fang Wang Yan Chen & Nancy Zhang Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Class of 2015 Class of 2016 Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Norma H. Clumpus-Delean, '52 Helen Cooper Glenn Coulter Anna Cundill ’35 Doug Ducharme & Junya Devine Mitchel Fein Chris Fournier James Frodsham The Geddes Family Elizabeth B. Gill ’26 The Greenehaven Foundation The Guimaraes Family Nicholas Gummeson David Goldstein & Kim Doran James Haebe & Sharon Ebata Maureen L. Harper ’84 Nobutaka Hayashi & Natalie Piche Yongping Hu and Wei Jiang Matthew Jones and Virginia Roth Grant & Dawn King Peter & Susan Knowlton Arlie Koyman Malek & Liana Ladki Kerry & Roshene Lawson Michael & Suzanne Lewis John & Crickett Lindgren The Mackenzie Foundation Donald Maclaren ’38 Nancy MacLaren ’44 Gary & Louise Maffett The McLaughlin Foundation Mark and Azhra McMahon Janis & Hilda Mierins Foundation Husein & Nimet Moloo Ed Morgan & Mollie Johnson William & Mary Elizabeth Mulock Peter & Nina Nicolini Darren & Clare Nippard Bernard & Linda Normand The Paterson Foundation Jaime Pitfield & Nicole Jauvin Oliver Portner & Kathleen Gartke Christopher & Jean Rath Cynthia Rathwell Patrick & Beverly Reid Don & Meena Roberts Emile, Cheryl, Rachael & Paul Rodrigues Ian & Melissa Shabinsky Kelly Spence and Elizabeth Thompson Emmanuel Simantirakis & Voula Karamanos A.L. Smith Neville Smith and Dodie Lewis-Smith Brad & Heather Sweeney Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib & Elisa Chan Weiping Tong & Ying Chen Raman Tuli & Caroline Bigue William & Barbara Turner Geoffrey & Silvana Waddington Betty (Caldwell) Walker ’44 Dongmei (Melanie) Wei Ralph & Helen Westington Barbara Whitley ’36 Nhanci Wright Mengyi Yao and Ying Zhang Jinxue (Kevin) Zhang Sheng Zhang E L M WO O D.C A

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THANK YOU TO OUR 2018 – 2019 DONORS We sincerely thank all our parents, past parents, grandparents, alumnae, staff and friends who supported Elmwood School, based on receipted donations, between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. Donors to the Annual Campaign, endowment funds, the Gala Science Labs initiative and other strategic projects are included.

Donors that have contributed in the last five or more consecutive years are identified with a * symbol. A special thank you for your unwavering dedication and commitment to Elmwood.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our donor listing. If, however, there are any errors or omissions, please accept our sincere apologies and notify the Advancement Office so that the appropriate correction can be made.

FOUNDER’S LEVEL GIFTS $25,000 AND GREATER Craig and Antonia Betts* Dan & Denise Carruthers* The Robert Campeau Family Foundation The Gillin Family* Daniel Goldberg & Whitney Fox* Peter & Kelly Hudson* Sean Murray & Jamilah Taib-Murray ’82* Timothy and Janice Saunders David & Debra Wu* VISIONARY LEVEL GIFTS $10,000 – $24,999 Chris Brennan & Stephanie James-Brennan* Terry & Catherine McLaughlin* Simon & Clara Nehme* Ted Woodhead & Aileen Conway* PACTUM SERVA LEVEL GIFTS $5,000 – $9,999 Anaria Holdings Inc. Peter and Ann Marie Hume* David Little & Andrea Johnson Gang Deng and Lan Li* Originis Medical Aesthetic Telus Allan & Marilyn Wilson* GOVERNOR’S LEVEL GIFTS $2,500 – $4,999 Carmen Abela Denis Barbeau & Alexei O’Connor Jody Bothwell & Maryam Haghighi* Canopy Growth Corp.

CapCorp Claridge Homes (Gladstone) Inc. Patrick & Patricia Coady Mario D’Addario & Vana Andreou Deloitte LLP Detour UX The Dilawri Family Elizabeth M. Heatherington, '63 Gary & Lori Hutchinson* KPMG Benjamin Merkley & Véronique French-Merkley ‘96* Marcus Minshall & 38

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Dominique Jacobson ’02* Scott Parkinson & Jane Mathew* James Ryan & Robyn Ryan Bell Shalin Sugunasiri & Jacqueline Palumbo-Sugunasiri* Brendan and Lori Timmins WindReach Consulting Services Jinxue Zhang & Dongmei Wei HEAD’S LEVEL GIFTS $1,000 – $2,499 4 Office Automation Ltd. Rahim & Shahin Abdullah Aik Aliferis Eric & Susan Alsembach Ray & Rita Arseneau Alireza Assadzadeh & Janis Jones Solomon & Mercy Azoh-Mbi Donald & Sheila Bayne Ginger A. Bertrand, '02 Marcos Bettolli & Ana Guillermina Remonda Christine (McGregor) Blackadar ’88* Peter Boehm & Julia Wayand Cheryl & David Boughton* Robin Boushey & France Bourbonnais* Joan C. Brodie, '68 Malcolm Brown & Julie Mongeon-Brown Judith (Maclaren) Caldwell ’51 Nicholas Caragianis & Sarah Murray ’79* Julie Charbonneau Mitchell Charness & Janice Palmer Pei Chen & Sharon Deng Richard & Annick Dionne George Dolhai & Catherine Coulter* Sharon Ebata Ernst & Young LLP Lynne I. Evenson, '79 Doug & Alice Fyfe John & Louise French Xiang Gao & Xiaoping Li Yimin Guo & Lijun Xie Wei Lu William Hicks Charles Hofley & Julie Pryor Hofley Derek & Elizabeth Howe* Yongping Hu & Wei Jiang Brad & Nicole Jacobs

Matthew Jones & Virginia Roth* Swathi Kappagantula, '94 Dalibor Kubelik & Natalie del Signore Malek & Liana Ladki* Stacy & Dana Levac Gen Hua Li & Jian Yu Wu Chow Yi Li & Xiaomei Lin Marino Group (Ottawa) Ltd. Carol Martin Neuczki Mathurin, '08 David McGovern & Elise Aylen* Benjamin Merkley & Véronique French Merkley ‘96* Sarina Messina Geoffrey Miller & Sherry Noble Ed Morgan & Mollie Johnson* Brian & Erin Morley Myers Cadillac Chev Buick GMC Inc Peter & Nina Nicolini Alexandra P. Pattee, '06 Liya Peng Performance Window Cleaning Kinga Petrovai, '99 Jacob & Jeannie Polisuk Warren & Tracy Pratte Cynthia Rathwell* David & Emily Segal Teresa Stirling* Nimroz Thawer Roland Villemaire & Judith Wilcox Rowat Insurance Agency Ltd. Andrew Sharpe & Cynthia Farquharson Smith Petrie Carr & Scott Insurance Brokers Ltd Nila Varan-Matthews, '89 Geoffrey & Silvana Waddington* Glenn & Maya Walker Julie F. Waterhouse, '88 Wei Xiao & Luyu Chen Hong Xie Sheng Zhang & Langhua Feng Joanna Znotins, '12 CONTRIBUTOR’S LEVEL GIFTS $500 – $999 David & Kate Angell Allan & Sarah Bifield James Blakslee & Leslie Wyman

Julie Anne Brown Richard & Kristin Brunner Michael & Jane Buckley Norma H. Clumpus-Delean, '52 Sonny Dhanani & Lillian Lai Brian Dinsdale & Rosemary Fincham Dinsdale Dino DiPerna & Nataly Renaud Lucia Do Couto Alan Doak Jeffrey Fan & Lily Wang Lu Fang Deborah L. Gill, '64 Annette Greenley Kai He & Xiaoping Wu Haimin Guan & Hongying Cui Sébastien Huard Paul & Jennifer Jackson Lisa Lange John & Crickett Lindgren Tom Manley Jeanette Marett, '64 John & Gayle McClelland Mark & Azhra McMahon Claudine Michaud Alain Michon & Stephanie Do Couto Melo Phil Hopwood & Kate Morican Thady & Pam Murray Trevor & Julie Nightingale Shawn Rivers Annette Rossiter Nadine Sabine Virginia Schweitzer Richard Sidle Gordon Brownlee & Carolyn Sims Joan Sun Yong Tang & Qingie Lyu Lan Tang Robert & Sandra-Lynn Thomson Jennifer Toby Janet B. Uren, '67 Obbe & Donna Vermeij Dandan Wang James Whitehouse James Wight & Irena Streibl Michael Wilson & Stephanie Meyer Emily Yan Shahram & Parmoun Zolfaghari Mobile Klinik Adelle & Paul Deacon Acacia Fund - CFO James Blakslee Medicine Professional Corporation Chartwell Duke of Devonshire Retirement Residence FRIEND’S LEVEL GIFTS UP TO $499 Abdelwahab Abdelwahab & Rania Abdellatif Hazem & Ruba Abu-Dalfa Ms. Lujain Alessawi, '18 Mohamed Allam & Meriem Boufassa Monerah Alotaibi

Raddah & Hussa Alotaibi Jenika Alvarez Stephanie S. Appotive, '99 Sabina M. Bagde Vincent Stapleton & Renren Bai Tod Bain Ercel Baker & Xiaobei Chen Alyson Bartlett Ross & Grace Betts Stephen Bickerton & Jenny Mitchell Michael Bolitho & Angelica Thiele-Bolitho Jody Bothwell & Maryam Haghaghi Robin Boushey & France Bourbonnais Angela Boychuk Vikki Brodowska Kyle & Allana Burry Paul & Tracey Butcher Candice Butler Paul Byrne Angela Charlebois Stephanie Chin, '00 Janice Clarke James Combs & Erin Hilliard-Combs Laura Grace Conlon Heather Conway Sanja Cvetanovic Melanie D'Alessio Kishore & Sabita Dadlani Nicholas & Suzanne Dawes Zuohui Ruby Ding Mark Vickers & Jennifer Douglas Stephane Dube Erica Eades Marnie M. Edwards, '72 Elizabeth Ellison Meagan Enticknap-Smith Ellen Ewert Bruce Farquhar & Christelle Desgranges Frank J. Farrell Katie Fraser Hugh Gallaugher Joan E. Gazeley, '55 Lindsay Germano Kathleen M. Gillespie, '70 Giovanna Giordano Sam Grbesic Margot C. Gualtieri, '48 Shalini Gulati Hua Guo Wendy J. Hampson, '73 Stephanie Hanratty Nathan Harris Carole Hawley Sarah Hay Ryan Hodgins Allison Holmes Maryam Jamaati & Kourosh Zabihi sian Valerie Jean-Pierre

Xiaolan Jin Anthony Kellett Patrick Kelly Nadine Kilbertus Alan & Naoko Kors Arlie Koyman Chris Kwon, '18 Carine Ladki, '18 Robert & Carolyn Lauzon Jason Levesque Ming Li & Xinhong Jin Minjie Li & Qingyuan Guo Ms Hongxin Liang & Lei Zhang Fei & Yang Liu Dorothy Loker Alli MacDougall Mark MacInnis Tanja Mackin Mohammad Mahin Mahesh Mani Francie Marchand Teresa Marquis Rusty Martin Joan A. Matthews-Khan, '50 Charles McCulloch Christiane A. McGovern, '07 Shawn & Wendy McNally Kate Meadowcroft Ethel Michon Thomas Molnar Erin Mulcahy Donna Naufal Moffatt Trevor & Juliana Nightingale Jennifer C. Oxenham, '54 Stefan & Maria Patrascu Matt Perreault Nicolas & Julie Petit Joshua & Martina Philipson Evelyn Pike Margaret J. Pullan, '74 Malek Purran Andrea Richards-Savage Colin Robertson Catherine Rochon Pauline Rubarth Vicki Sainsbury, '67 Ivan Sambles Kimberly Senf Pedro Serrao Guanghui Shang & Aixia Wang Ms. Jialin Shang, '18 Vanessa Sjerven Tracey Solomon, '90 Corey Sproule Craig Stevenson Wanku Sun & Haixia Qin Rebecca Sutherland Xiaohong Tang Fabiano & Donna Taucer Jeevaa Thangavalloo Martin Thomas & Violina Lozeva-Thomas John Thomson & Susan Sollars Martha Torres Gregory & Anna Townsend

Anne E. Troise Cheryl Tweedie Carolyn Wakeham Katherine E. Walker, '44 Sheng Wang Yan Wang Jeremy & Christine Want Judith A. Webster, '63 Chandra Wiegand Barbara A. Wiesner, '64 Catherine Wiley Vicky A. Wilgress, '71 Rita Woodhead Nadiya Yakovenko Yundong Yang Zhixi Yin Douglas & Sharda Young Arif Yousuf Bin Yuan Jialei Zhu Adaptek Systems Inc. ENDOWED FUNDS Giselle Campeau Scholarship Fund Norma Davies Scholarship Fund Paul Deacon Memorial Scholarship Fund Katherine Ellis Endowment in Memory of Mabel Dunlop ’29 Elmwood School Endowment Fund Elmwood School Old Girls’ Association Scholarship Endowment Fund Elmwood School Scholarship Fund Dr. Carol Kirby Global Citizenship Program Endowment Fund Joan Matthews-Khan Scholarship Endowment Fund Milena Sigmund Scholarship Fund Cairine Wilson Memorial Scholarship Fund Judy and Margot Toller Memorial Fund Class of 2013 Legacy Endowment Fund Class of 2014 Legacy Endowment Fund Class of 2015 Legacy Endowment Fund Class of 2016 Legacy Endowment Fund Class of 2017 Legacy Endowment Fund Class of 2018 Legacy Endowment Fund We are also grateful for anonymous donations received through Benevity, the Ottawa Community Foundation and United Way. E L M WO O D.C A

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ELITE ATHLETE PROGRAM HELPS GIRLS EXCEL IN BOTH

1 Grace McNally ’19 was recruited for Division 1 rowing team at the University of Alabama. | 2 Abigail Butler ’19 was recruited for Division 1 rowing team at Fordham University in New York City. | 3 Elmwood School’s Senior School Basketball Team 2018 – 2019.

SCHOOL & SPORT

by Briana Tomkinson, Postmedia Content Works

Prospects for university athletic scholarships for girls have never been better; however, many young athletes find it challenging to maintain top marks while also training to compete at such a high level. To support students to excel in athletics as well as academics, Elmwood has created a unique program specifically for promising young athletes.

The Elite Athlete program ensures the flexibility these girls need to maintain an intensive training and competition schedule, while also holding themselves to rigorous academic standards.

The program works: the Class of 2019 saw three out of 32 graduates securing athletic scholarships to join elite university teams this September. Portia Cooper was recruited for the University of Ottawa’s volleyball team and was selected for the prestigious Quest for Gold program through the Ontario Athletic Assistance Program, while Grace McNally and Abigail Butler were both recruited for Division 1 rowing teams, Grace at the University of Alabama, and Abigail at Fordham University in New York City.

According to Katie Fraser, Director of Student Success at Elmwood, the Elite Athlete program allows the school to adapt to the specific needs of individual athletes, so they can achieve balance. The girls work one-on-one with Elmwood’s academic guidance team to schedule schoolwork and tests around the training and competition requirements for their sport.

“We believe that our girls can have it all. Everyone’s very committed to maximizing the opportunities these young ladies have. As teachers, we are excited to be able to be part of that journey,” Ms. Fraser said.

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One way teachers adapt to the students’ schedules is to compact the curriculum, offering intensive teaching over a shorter period of time. They also allow students to complete schoolwork online, which allows students to keep up with their class even if they’re away from school for weeks at a time to train or compete. When away, students can also connect with teachers and classmates through scheduled Skype conferences. When the girls return to school, teachers arrange for time to go over the curriculum, identify any gaps in learning or incomplete work, and get tutoring help if needed to catch up. School counsellors provide coaching to help students inventory their time to map out how to fit everything in.

“Our athletes are very conscientious learners. They really want to be masters of their learning. It’s about being the best version of themselves,” Ms. Fraser said. “They’re really hungry to learn and very passionate about learning as well as their sport.”

For Abigail Butler, who will be pursuing a liberal arts degree at Fordham University on a full-ride scholarship, it didn’t take long to realize that rowing could be the ticket to achieve her dream of attending a U.S. university. At almost six feet tall, Butler was built for it; her long reach with the oars gave her an edge over other rowers, and her initial success only encouraged her to work harder to build skill in her sport.

“It was the first time I had been good at a sport. I was good at it from the start, partly because of my size,” Abigail said. “I saw that I was pretty good at it, and maybe this could go somewhere. I was so happy that I was able to find a sport that I loved.”

By Grade 11, Abigail applied the same determination to hunt for athletic scholarships. She worked with her Elmwood academic counsellor to identify over two dozen U.S. schools with high-performance rowing teams, then narrowed down the list to reach out to the ones that were most appealing. By the time summer came around, she was ready to begin proactively reaching out to coaches.

“I’m good at my sport but I’m not at the top of the junior national team or anything. Unless you are, coaches won’t reach out to you. You must be proactive to build the relationship. How hard you work at it really depends on how badly you want it,” she said. “It’s just what you have to do to get the scholarship.”

According to Ms. Fraser, Abigail’s bold plan to go get her scholarship is typical of Elmwood students.

“Our girls know their voice, so they are comfortable interacting with adults, and they advocate really well for themselves. They’re very passionate, and when they want something they go out and get it,” Ms. Fraser said.

“We encourage them to take risks. It’s part of becoming a strong woman and a leader.”

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ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT

ALICIA KERRIGAN CLASS OF ’07

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By Erica Eades, Library and Literacy Specialist

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Alicia Kerrigan ‘07 doesn’t know exactly when she decided to pursue a career in medicine, but one thing she is sure of is that she never had any qualms about entering a traditionally male-dominated field. This is largely thanks to the many female role models she has had throughout her life -- including her aunt and mother, who both work in the medical profession. But equally important were her years spent at Elmwood. “This may sound cheesy,” she says, “but the main thing I took away from Elmwood is that women can do anything.”

Alicia attended Elmwood from Grades 5 - 12 and says the school’s emphasis on STEM education helped foster her love of science and math. In particular, she says it was an IB Chemistry course (taught

by Dr. Mahin, now retired) that solidified her passion for the field. “When it came time to apply to university, it was kind of a no-brainer that I would do sciences,” she says.

Alicia chose to attend McGill University for her undergraduate degree, where she completed a Bachelor of Science with a major in Anatomy and Cell Biology. During this time, she also spent a year playing varsity field hockey, a skill she initially honed while at Elmwood. After graduating, Alicia applied and was accepted to the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario. It was during her third year at Western that she became interested in orthopedic surgery, which she notes is one of the most male-dominated specialties in medicine. With the support of her good friend and mentor, Alicia was encouraged to apply to the orthopedic surgery program at Western, which involved an additional five years of specialized training after medical school.

In addition to her studies at Western, Alicia has also gained practical work experience overseas. This past February, she had the incredible opportunity to travel to Quito, Ecuador with the Canadian Association of Medical Teams Abroad. During this once-in-a-lifetime excursion, Alicia joined a team of over 50 volunteers -- including surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and translators -- for a week-long medical trip. Over the course of five days, her team performed 35 life-changing surgeries for patients who would have otherwise not been able to afford treatment. This work is extremely necessary and important, as Ecuador’s private healthcare system prevents many residents from ac-

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1 Alicia travelling in Iceland with her partner. | 2 With her fellow orthopedic surgeons in Ecuador. | 3 Alicia with her family, including sisters Laura and Stephanie, both Elmwood grads.

cessing vital care. “Some of the people we were working with live in an incredible amount of pain their whole lives,” she says. “We were able to offer them solutions that would allow them to be pain-free, or to walk, for the first time in years.”

She also had the chance to work with young children, many of whom suffered from cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and a number of other congenital deformities. “The surgeries we provided helped improve their quality of life, and will hopefully continue to improve their lives moving forward,” she says.

Alicia has always been passionate about helping others, both at home and abroad. After high school, she completed an eye-opening volunteer trip to Ghana, Africa. And even before that, she was developing her skills through co-curricular activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Programme at Elmwood. “That’s something I am so thankful I got to be involved with,” she says. “It encouraged me to do more volunteer work, which got me really involved in the community.”

Alicia also notes that the many expeditions she completed through Duke of Ed -- everything from hiking to dog-sledding to whitewater

canoeing -- helped strengthen her skills in leadership and teamwork, both of which have proven essential on her current career path. The same goes for the various sports teams she was involved with during her time at Elmwood, including volleyball, rugby and soccer. “That definitely helped me get to where I am today,” she says.

Now entering her final year of the orthopedic surgery program at Western, Alicia is looking ahead to the next exciting phase of her educational journey: a year-long fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) -- a position that will see her returning home to Ottawa in August 2020.

Alicia is a prime example of an inspiring woman who is not afraid to dream big and reach for the stars. When asked what advice she would give to students considering a similar career path, Alicia’s response was simple: “It doesn’t matter if you’re pursuing a male-dominated field, or you think that you can’t achieve something. You should always try, and do your best. Elmwood gave me the foundation I needed to move forward with confidence. And even though I graduated so long ago, those skills, those values, have stuck with me.”

“The main thing I took away from Elmwood is that women can do anything.”

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ALUMNAE SPOTLIGHT

ALEXANDRA KAHSENNI:IO NAHWEGAHBOW CLASS OF ’04

By Erica Eades, Library and Literacy Specialist

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When Alexandra Kahsenni:io Nahwegahbow graduated from Elmwood in 2004, she had no idea what her future had in store. A creative student with a passion for the arts, she always knew she might like to pursue something in that field. But it wasn’t until her dad took her on a tour of the University of Guelph that she decided to study Art History. What she didn’t know then was that this would be an important first step on her career path -- one that would ultimately lead her to pursue a Ph.D. and be named the National Gallery of Canada’s first-ever Associate Curator of Historical Indigenous Art. Before becoming an expert in her field, Alexandra was a bright young student who joined Elmwood in her Grade 11 year. “I had reached a point where I just really wanted to focus,” she says. “It was such a positive environment for me to be around these other women who were driven, and who wanted to do well.” It was also at Elmwood that Alexandra really began to embrace her love of art. “I started taking art classes with Mrs. McCabe [now retired], who was always so lovely,” she says. “She really nurtured that interest I had, and encouraged me to cultivate it a bit more.”

After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Art History with a minor in English, Alexandra still wasn’t sure what sort of career was right for her. So she opted to pursue other things for a year and see what else was out there. “But nothing really filled me up like art does,” she says.

Throughout her studies, Alexandra had grown fascinated with historical Indigenous art -- particularly work from her family’s traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee territories in the North East. And so she returned home to Ottawa, where she began working towards a master’s degree at Carleton University. There, she focused her research on cradleboards (a type of Indigenous baby carrier) and other historical

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1 Alexandra as the National Gallery of Canada’s first-ever Associate Curator of Historical Indigenous Art. | 2 Alexandra with classmmate and friend, Alexandra Key ’04, during their last school year together.

objects, which she then examined through a contemporary context.

In particular, she looked at the importance of children in Indigenous communities, and how certain material objects articulate this importance. Through her research, Alexandra also examined the current ongoing crisis of First Nations child apprehension, and the destruction it causes to Indigenous communities across Canada.

Before long, Alexandra realized she had more than enough information for her master’s. “It was just such a rich area that was full of stories, and things that hadn’t really been looked at in-depth before,” she says. That’s when she decided to extend her research into a Ph.D. Alexandra is currently in what is known as the ABD (all but dissertation) phase of her Ph.D. She is continuing to research and write while dividing her time between school and the gallery. As the organization’s first-ever curator of historical Indigenous art, she describes her work as being “kind of experimental,” which she says is scary but exciting. “The position didn’t exist until I got here,” she says, “so there are a lot of things coming up that the gallery hasn’t encountered before.”

Regardless, Alexandra loves that no two days are alike. A typical workday might involve tours of the gallery (her work focuses on the permanent collection space: the Canadian and Indigenous Galleries); responding to questions about particular Indigenous works; and conducting research to determine which pieces should be added in the next major rotation. She also spends a lot of time meeting

with colleagues and trying to find new ways to make the space feel more inclusive. “Particularly for me,” she says, “it’s ‘How can we make this place more meaningful to Indigenous people? How can I ensure that Indigenous people feel welcome here?’”

For Alexandra, one of the most exciting things about her job is seeing this hard work pay off, and having members from the Indigenous community come in and enjoy the gallery. Another highlight is working with the objects themselves. “It’s really amazing to spend time with these things that are generations old,” she says. “I get a lot out of that. Looking back at these historical pieces and seeing where I come from, it makes me really proud to come from where I do.”

Despite Alexandra’s remarkable success, there have been moments where she has questioned her decision to pursue a career in the arts. But she quickly overcame these concerns, thanks in large part to her strong support system. “There’s no way I could have gotten this job, or started my Ph.D., or all these opportunities, if I didn’t have mentors,” she says. “People that helped me, and guided me, and were generous with their time.”

As for other students who might be considering a less conventional career path, Alexandra’s advice is simple: “For me, following my passion worked out in a really wonderful way. I would always encourage people to pursue what makes their heart beat fast -- but also to think strategically, be open to opportunities, and just try lots of things.”

“It was such a positive environment for me to be around these other women who were driven, and who wanted to do well.”

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CLASS NOTES

Class of ’79 | Front row: Elizabeth Coyle-Camp, Sarah Murray | Back row: Sandra Ulch, Amanda (Greenhalgh) Jackson, Alex Wilson, Sue Power, Sue (Leftly) Kayser, Lynn Parker, Nadine (Cvetanovic) Gareau, Lynne (Houwing) Evenson.

Vicky with her grandchildren, Abby and Will.

Elanor Brodie, Adrian Harewood, Nila Matthews, Katherine Bell, Louise (Hayes) Maki, Julie (Rickerd) Brown, Shawn Belton, Sarah JaquesCaesar, Stephanie (Cutts) Smith at the Class of ’89's 30th reunion.

VICKI SANSBURY ’67 Vicki recently broke her ankle and has learned the true meaning of the word patience. Luckily her husband has found his inner chef and they are not starving. On the positive side Vicki’s grandson Will graduated from Grade 8 and her granddaughter Abby graduated from Grade 6 this year. Vicki and her family continue to live in Oakville.

CLASS OF ’79 REUNION This July, 10 alumnae from the Class of ’79 met in Prince Edward County to celebrate their 40th reunion. They came from England (Liz Camp), Toronto (Sue Power), Sault Ste. Marie (Nadine Gareau), Owen Sound (Alex Wilson), London, ON (Sandra Ulch) and Ottawa (Sarah Murray, Lynn Parker, Sue Kayser, Lynne Evenson, Amanda Jackson). Unfortunately Felicity Smith, who also lives in England, could not join us, but was with us in spirit.

ALISON LEE ’81 Alison attended Elmwood for Grades 7-13, graduating in 1981. She received her BFA Drama (Performance) in 1985, performing in

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children’s theatre and working at Theatre Calgary before moving to Toronto where she eventually opened her own business offering administrative help to small businesses. In 1991, Alison married Rob McCallum, cousin to another 1981 Elmwood graduate Elizabeth Seward. Alison and Rob have lived in the US since 1991, and have three children, Alexandra (27), Sebastian (25), and Alistair (18). Eight years ago, Alison discerned a call to the priesthood, and this past December 2018, was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in the United States, which is akin to the Anglican Church of Canada. She completed her Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) at Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, CA. September 1st, Alison will begin serving the congregation of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Nogales, AZ, USA as their new rector. St. Andrew’s is located on the border between the US and Mexico and does much ministry work with migrants and asylum-seekers.

KATHERINE (KATE) BELL ’89 Kate and her husband Jonathan and children Doug and Gabi are sad to be leaving Scotland, but excited to be heading to new adventures in Newfoundland.

Best friends Caroline Brisson ’96 and Ricarda Lowinski-Rudolph ’92 with their families.

Lorena and Matthew’s adorable girl, Erin.

Alison Lee ’81.

Emily Cork ’07 with her husband Andrew Cherubini.

Gwen Cowley ’06.

CLASS OF ’89 REUNION On Saturday, August 17th of this year, the Class of ’89 came together at Elmwood School to jump start a weekend full of fun actitives to celebrate their 30th reunion. The guests included alumnae, alumnae parents, former staff and family and friends.

EMILY CORK ’07 Emily and Andrew Cherubini were married on September 29, 2018 in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Her sisters Meagan ‘09 and Julia ‘13 were two of her bridesmaids. Julia also designed and made Emily’s dress.

Emily and Andrew live and work in Calgary.

RICARDA LOWINSKI-RUDOLPH ’92 Ricarda is an English and French teacher in Germany where she lives with her husband Dr. Felix Lowinski and three children, Lucia (12 years), Filippa (10 years) and Mathilda (7 years).

LORENA MASON ’06 Lorena got married on September 22, 2018 to her husband Matthew.

They welcomed their first daughter, Erin Paige Thompson on April 7, 2019 weighing 6lbs 12oz.

DR. CAROLINE BRISSON ’96 Caroline is a dentist and launched her dental centre in March 2010 in Orleans. She is married to Matthew Macgregor Roy and has one daughter, Émilie Anne Roy.

GWEN COWLEY ‘06 Gwen was awarded her PhD in Genomics in November 2018 from the University of Liverpool, UK. She is currently working as a healthcare scientist within the NHS in the UK. Gwen especially wanted to share this news after hearing of Dr. Mahin’s retirement: “He was such an integral part of my becoming a doctor. It was the science classes at Elmwood, and completing my IB Diploma in Biology that really started me on this path”!

EMILY (NEE MCQUILLAN) MURRAY ’01 Emily and her husband welcomed a baby girl named Elora on May 10, 2019.

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Irena Wight ’11 at convocation.

Emma Godmere ’07 with her husband Nick Taylor-Vaisey.

Erin Chapman ‘12 attending the Paralympic Winter Games in South Korea.

EMMA GODMERE ‘07 Emma married Nick Taylor-Vaisey in Toronto, on March 30, 2019.

Several fellow ‘07 Elmwood grads joined in the celebrations, coming from as far away as Victoria, BC and Washington, DC. Emma and Nick both continue to work in media in Toronto.

IRENA WIGHT ’11 Irena graduated with a dual Master’s degree in Architecture and Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania in May. She wrote her master’s thesis on how to preserve the Art Nouveau housing in Tbilisi, Georgia by way of adaptive reuse and won the award for the best thesis. Irena will join the highly regarded architecture and historic preservation firm, Atkin Olshin Schade Architects, in Philadelphia in mid-August. Prior to starting her job, Irena is traveling to Greece, Prague, and Berlin.

ERIN CHAPMAN ’12 Erin is currently employed with the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Last year she attended Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea and in a month she is off to Lima, Peru for the

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Jordan Smith ’14 at her convocation.

Lauren Lambert ‘15 at her convocation.

Parapan American Games. At the CPC she is the Senior Coordinator of Digital Media Content. She runs all of their social channels, website, and broadcast as well as becoming a reporter interviewing athletes after their competition.

Erin also recently represented Canada in the Miss Glam World Pageant in India. Erin came in 5th place overall and won three subtitles including; Miss Congeniality, Perfect skin, and Gourmet Queen.

JORDAN SMITH ‘14 Jordan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts honours Psychology with a Minor in Sexuality Studies from Carleton University.

LAUREN LAMBERT ‘15 Lauren recently graduated from Bishop’s University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources. She received the Golden Mitre Award at convocation which is the highest non-academic honour that graduating students can receive. Recipients are elected by popular vote of the prospective graduating class. Lauren will be starting her full-time job at Accenture in July as a Consulting Analyst in the Talent & Organization division.

IN MEMORIAM WENDY B. ROSS (NEE NIMMO) 1941 - 2018

It is with great sadness that we said goodbye to Wendy, beloved wife and life partner of William Ross, mother of Kimberly, and cherished friend of many touched by her kindness, humour and generosity throughout a wonderful life. Despite her recent struggles with cancer and liver problems, she fought to the end and never stopped living a full life with as much energy as possible. Travel was always a joy, seeing new places and avoiding the Ottawa winter in Florida and other warm places.

She was strong and thoughtful, and will be sorely missed.

NANCY ADINA OSLER ’38 (NÉE RILEY) 1920 - 2019

Peacefully, in her 100th year, with her children at her side. Daughter of Conrad S. Riley and Jean (Culver) Riley, and much loved and admired wife of Gordon P. Osler (2012). Born and raised in Winnipeg, Nancy was the sixth out of eight children, and being part of a large family was central to her identity throughout her life.

After graduating from Elmwood School in Ottawa, she travelled to London following the outbreak of World War II to volunteer for the war effort. She later joined the Canadian Womens’ Army Corp, ultimately attaining the rank of Staff Captain and serving in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Towards the end of the war, a rather terrified German soldier handed over his revolver to Nancy in surrender.

She kept that Mauser for most of her life.

In 1948, Nancy married Gordon Osler in Winnipeg. They were happily married for 64 years and were proud parents of three children: Sanford (Betty Ann), Sue (Biff Matthews), and Gill. A large part of their early family life centered around Lake of the Woods, where many wonderful summers were spent sailing and enjoying cottage life. The family moved to Toronto in 1964. Nancy’s life was marked by a love and appreciation of beauty in all things, particularly classical architecture, and the decorative and fine arts. She had

an overarching sense of style and was always impeccably turned out - classic and elegant with a touch of flair. A dedicated Anglophile, Nancy had a lifelong love of the Royal family, well turned-out children with good manners, poodles and chocolate.

In addition to great presence, she had a fine command of the English language, and was quick to correct her children’s and grandchildren’s grammar. Nancy and Gordon wintered in Florida for almost forty years, latterly in Palm Beach, where they had many friends and led an active social life. Nancy’s remarkable memory and insatiable curiosity served her well in her role as de facto family historian and archivist for the Osler and Riley families.

She remained mentally at the top of her game to the end, continuing to amaze those around her with her ability to recall detailed facts from decades past.

DIANA JANE FRASER PITMAN ‘52 1935 - 2019

Diana made her appearance at the Ottawa Civic Hospital on May 23, 1935. The little schoolhouse S. S. # 4 Matilda Township was her first school from Grade 1 to the end of Grade 6. Di transferred to Iroquois Public School in the following year and took Grade 7 and 8 in one year. One year at Iroquois High for her Grade 9 was the only incentive she needed to be very happy entering Grade 10 at Elmwood School in Rockliffe Park in Ottawa.

Diana and boarding school got along very well and after 4 years at Elmwood she graduated at 17 and was ready to take her place on the next academic level of endeavour. “Bobo”, as she was known to her friends and classmates, made friends easily and many of them had become lifelong chums. The weekends that she came home to the Farm were very important to her little brother. Many times she brought home one or two of her classmates and he still remembers them with fondness; Patsy Knowlton was always friendly to the little kid who wanted to tag along.

In the summer of 1951 Diana joined her cousin Sallie McCarter at The Banff School of Fine Arts. Many summers she attended Camp Oconto at Sharbot Lake, north of Kingston. Her real joy was those years when she was able to take her horse “Black

Harmony” with her.

After Diana’s boarding school years she attended Brockville Business College for one and a half years. She never graduated from BBC because she refused to take both Accounting and Penmanship. As you can imagine this bugged the life out of the principal. She had no wish to be fitted into a mold devised by someone who believed that “all good secretaries” needed those two subjects in order to become the best possible servant of any young and upwardly mobile man who wanted to make his mark. She was making great strides forward for her gender, long before the 60’s.

Diana worked in Brockville, employed

by The Board of Education from December, 1970 until her retirement in August of 1994. That was where Diana met George Pitman. He stopped by her desk one day and asked her out to dinner. Diana replied that she was busy but she would love a ‘Rain Check’. George asked her the following week and that led to a winter of Friday night dinners out. George, the love of Diana’s life, passed away on March 21, 2004.

And, 15 years later, on May 9, 2019, Diana was with George again.

MARK WHITWILL 1 9 47 - 2 0 1 9

After a long struggle with Parkinson’s, Mark passed away peacefully on June 27, 2019 at the Queensway Carleton Hospital.

Predeceased by parents Jack and Joan Whitwill and sister Elizabeth (Gary). Mark will be dearly missed by his brothers and sisters, especially his twin brother John (Corinne), Mary Lou (Cliff ), Paul, Steven (Marilyn), Pam and Sarah (Peter), as well as his doting nieces and nephews, Tony, Tanya, Ted, Tim (Wood); Cindy, Deborah (Moor); Lindsay (Robertson); Deborah, Myah, Jennifer, Donnah, Michael (MacKinnon); Jason, Adam (Whitwill) Stephanie, Doug (Whitwill) as well as his great-nieces and nephews and all other family members who loved him dearly. He was greatly admired for his strength, patience, kindness, humility, and sense of humour.

Mark was the son of Elmwood’s 6th Headmistress, Joan Whitwill and worked at Elmwood for 23 years from 1981-2004.

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This summer the Elmwood community said farewell to Cheryl Boughton, Elmwood's Head of School for 11 years. Since joining Elmwood in 2008, Cheryl made an incredible impact on the school and we celebrated her contribution with a variety of different events.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR CHERYL'S LEADERSHIP AND VISION AND WISH HER ALL THE BEST IN HER NEW ENDEAVOURS!

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DR. MOHAMMAD MAHIN Dr. Mahin retired June 2018 after a 17-year career at Elmwood. As a key member of Elmwood’s Science Department, Dr. Mahin helped foster a love of science in his students for nearly two decades—thanks to his enormous wealth of knowledge, and his genuine passion for the field.

In addition to teaching Chemistry in the Senior School, Dr. Mahin regularly shared his expertise with our Middle and Junior School students through his enthusiastic involvement in

clubs, Winterim, and the newly established Enrichment block.

Apart from his undoubted talent for chemistry and science, he is also an accomplished painter, drummer and actor who is always keen to share his love of the arts with his students and the school. His many paintings that adorn the walls of Elmwood will be a welcome reminder of this after his departure.

We will miss Dr. Mahin’s kind spirit and zest for life, and wish him all the best in his retirement.

“Dr. Mahin was such an integral part of my becoming a doctor. It was the science classes at Elmwood, and completing my IB diploma in Biology that really started me on this path!”

- GWEN COWLEY ’06

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STAFF NEWS CELEBRATING OUR STAFF We had a number of faculty and staff who celebrated milestones in the 2018 – 19 school year

10 YEARS HEAWON CHUN ALLISON HOLMES ALLISON MACDOUGALL MATT PERREAULT

15 YEARS COREY SPROULE MALEK PURRAN ERIN MULCAHY

25 YEARS ANGELA BOYCHUK

Thank you for your devotion to the School, and most of all, our students.

WELCOME TO ELMWOOD!

Marion Fischer

Jennifer Howell

MARION FISCHER DESIGN TEACHER

Marion is joining us with a diverse background of education, visual art, and nursing.

She completed her post-secondary education at Queen’s University, and from there has lived and worked up and down the Ottawa Valley with her family. They have enjoyed what the National Capital Region and Gatineau Park has to offer for the past 16 years. Since settling in Chelsea, Marion has established herself as a practicing visual artist in addition to teaching with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in a variety of capacities. She is looking forward to bringing her passion and enthusiasm for the arts and education to Elmwood this Fall as an Art, Design & Technology teacher.

JENNIFER HOWELL C H E M I S T RY T E A C H E R

Ms. Howell is excited to join the Elmwood community as a Chemistry and Science teacher. She completed her M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Toronto, and has co-authored six peer-reviewed articles on her research. Ms. Howell has spent the past five years teaching high school at University of Toronto Schools, where she facilitated a number of science enrichment opportunities including the Let’s Talk Science Challenge, and the CIC National Crystal Growing Competition.

KAREN JONES

FRENCH TEACHER Karen is from London, England but grew up in Europe and Ottawa. She is delighted to be teaching French at Elmwood School, bringing

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Karen Jones

Andrea Thomson

fifteen years of experience teaching French in primary, middle and most recently High School IB French at a private international Boarding School in Nova Scotia. Her background in art and theatre influences her creativity and lesson activities and she can often be found painting sets on school productions.

Karen is a National level coach in biathlon, having coached athletes at two Canada Winter Games, and is an avid leader in the Duke of Edinburgh programme choosing to foster leadership and determination in students of all ages. Her passion for trekking has contributed to leading students on expeditions in Kenya, Tanzania, Peru and Newfoundland. Karen is a member of L’Alliance Française where she participates as an examiner and corrector for the DELF examinations. Karen is covering Ms. Sutherland’s classes until she returns from maternity leave in October.

ANDREA THOMSON

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Thomson to the Advancement Team. A seasoned advancement professional, Ms. Thomsom joins Elmwood from the National Arts Centre Foundation where she worked for 15 years as a Development Officer responsible for the development and execution of fundraising strategies stewarding donors and the management and stewardship of the Foundation’s many donors. In her position at Elmwood, Ms. Thomson will be focused primarily on the Elmwood Fund and the annual Gala. A graduated of Havergal College in Toronto and a graduating class representative herself, Ms. Thomson is also excited about working with the Elmwood Old Girls’ and Alumni Association. Ms. Thomson’s daughter Camilla is in Grade 8.

NEWLY APPOINTED

Karenna Boychuk

Erica Eades

KARENNA BOYCHUK GRAPHIC AND M U LT I M E D I A D E S I G N E R

A familiar face on the hallways of Elmwood – as former student, freelance designer and Creative Director for Elmwood Theatre – Karenna now brings her formidable skills full-time to the Advancement Team. After graduating from York University/Sheridan College with a Bachelor of Design with Honours, Karenna gained her experience at various Ottawa advertising agencies. She has already had a huge impact on the school from redesigning our logo to bringing her impeccable design sense to all our communications.

In her new position, Karenna will be responsible for creating and maintaining the School’s brand and visual assets to enhance visibility, public perception and brand value, including all photography and video initiatives.

ERICA EADES

L I B R A RY A N D LITERACY SPECIALIST For the past year, Ms. Eades has divided her time between the Junior School Library and Elmwood’s Communications office. This fall, however, she will be spending even more time in the Junior School as she begins a new position as Elmwood’s Library and Literacy Specialist. Through this role, Ms. Eades will continue her work in the library, helping to build the collection, running weekly library classes for Pre-K to Grade 5 students, and supporting the school’s academic program by teaching information literacy and research

Meagan Enticknap skills. However, she will now also be providing one-on-one literacy support for our struggling readers. Ms. Eades brings years of experience to this role, having worked as an early literacy tutor in both elementary schools and public libraries. She has also received additional training in Orton-Gillingham, a multisensory approach to reading instruction that is designed to help those for whom reading, writing and spelling do not come easily.

MEAGAN ENTICKNAP

D E P U T Y H E A D, M I D D L E A N D SENIOR SCHOOL Meagan is passionate about education and school community—she comes by her interest in education honestly, as her parents were both High School principals, and she shares the profession of being an educator with a number of her family members.

Meagan holds an Honours Bachelor degree in Psychology from Queen’s University and a Masters of Education from the University of British Columbia (UBC). She is also an IB workshop leader and school site visitor. Meagan believes in the importance of developing strong relationships and considers it a privilege to have the opportunity to spend her days at Elmwood learning alongside students and colleagues.

Meagan has worked in schools in four different countries and for the last ten years she has been very involved in areas of curriculum development, innovative learning and teaching and professional development for teachers. Meagan is excited to be at Elmwood School where the IB programmes, committed teachers and engaged students create a vibrant school community.

Stephanie Hanratty

Guillaume Patenaude-Belley

STEPHANIE HANRATTY

DIRECTOR OF CO-CURRICULAR LEARNING Stephanie is a highly motivated and resourceful educator who demonstrates an exceptional desire to see all children become successful learners and leaders. An enthusiastic and passionate teacher, Stephanie has 15 years of teaching experience in independent schools in Bangkok, Thailand, Monterrey, Mexico and Halifax. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Acadia University, a Bachelor of Education from Queens University and a Master of Science specializing in Multidisciplinary Studies for Educators from State University of New York. She has always been actively involved in the life of the school, participating in community service initiatives, student council, Model UN and Kids Help Phone.

As Director of Co-Curricular Learning she will continue to develop our excellent co-curricular and camps programs.

GUILLAUME PATENAUDE- BELLEY TEACHER

Guillaume has been teaching online courses and English as a Second Language at Elmwood for four years, and is delighted to be joining us in an increased capacity this year adding humanities to his teaching schedule. He received a degree in International Studies and Modern Languages from the University of Ottawa in 2010, and spent several years teaching English abroad before returning to Canada to complete a Master’s degree in Education in 2015, joining the Elmwood team almost immediately after graduation. He speaks French, English, and Korean, and is passionate about all things language and history.

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INSPIRING GIRLS We are experts in how girls learn, lead and succeed.

OPEN HOUSE

PRE-K TO GRADE 12 | SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 • 9 A.M.

At Elmwood, each girl is encouraged to challenge herself to excel in the classroom, develop confidence and lead with strength. Here, girls learn to be the best students, leaders, and global citizens they can be.

Join us at our upcoming Open House and find out how we can inspire your daughter to reach her full potential.

RSVP AT ELMWOOD.CA/OPEN OR CALL (613) 744-7783

To ensure your news is included in the next issue, please submit your story and a high resolution photo to info@elmwood.ca by January 15, 2020.