Safety First!

Last week we had the privilege and honour to bring Rob Ellis, his daughter, Jessica and over 40 Workplace Safety Champions from Oakville, the Golden Horseshoe and as far away as Sarnia to provide a 1/2 day of curriculum geared toward student safety in the workplace.

We were very fortunate to host this event, which included the participation of Mayor Rob Burton, Local MPP/Minister of Labour - Kevin Flynn and Town Councillor Tom Adams. The format included a "networking breakfast," followed by a schoolwide assembly during our first period of the day with facilitated Career and Safety workshops for every second period class in our school.

Each May, we have had a focus on the Safety & Wellbeing of our students, which in the past has included Bullying Prevention and Mental Health Awareness and this year a most important and impactful focus on student safety.

This event was intentionally planned to coincide with Education Week and placed in May prior to our long weekend and prior to the hunt for summer jobs by our students.

These special events are a mandatory..."not optional"..extension of our provincial curriculum as we take our student's safety very seriously and know that all students and staff who participated were highly engaged and benefitted greatly around the messaging provided about "rights to personal safety in the workplace."

This was the largest scale event in North America, according to Rob Ellis with more representation, than ever before, by our local and provincial CEO's of some of the largest corporations in Ontario.

Students of our "Leadership Class" served as attaches and ambassadors for the "Champions" and had the opportunity to network with them throughout the morning. Students of our Careers' classes created an
Iroquois Ridge High School Safety Charter, which will be displayed in our school, as a perpetual reminder and committment to the things our students will collectively do in the workplace, to ensure their safety.

A morning of such importance could not have been possible without the leadership of VP-Patricia Clark and VP-Andrew Bigham, Susan Cutler, Dawn Goodwin-Barnes, Nancy Anstett, Kim Smith, Fozia Rehman and our Parent Engagement Team, Jim Fisher, Vanessa Blouin, Kris Reeve, Rachel Stecca. Tim Butler, Al Samsa, Tiffany Olmsted and COMMCO, Kevin McConvey and our band of excellent musicians, Monique Gazan and her wonderful Leadership students, Warren Lister (exemplary leadership prior to and on this day), Ernie Perreira and our amazing office crew (Suzanne, Krista, Diane, Allison and Georgina).

Our students demonstrated exemplary behaviour during this morning event and the questions which they asked of our "Champions", were thoughtful and excellent. Perhaps, this was the first opportunity that our students had to ask such questions. They were very fortunate to have them "vetted" by our "Champions,"
who weighed in with their very, expert advice. The follow-up workshops allowed for the opportunity to further network with our special guests, while also gaining more insight about various occupations, careers and safety in the workplace.

We hope that all students and staff who participated in this opportunity took away some very important
key learnings. As Rob Ellis mentioned..."if this morning saves one life...it is very, very well worth it."
We were very fortunate to have such a courageous, compassionate and amazing leader, such as Rob Ellis,
come to "The Ridge" as he continues to dedicate his life for the cause of workplace safety, each and every day. In a school filled with aspiring leaders, Rob is the example we look up to as an amazing, human being
and "Champion!"

"Stay Safe, Ridge!" in all that you do and partake in!

And remember...now, that you know your "rights"...it is time for you to take up the gauntlet of being  a "Ridge Safety Champion!"

Spring ....into "Action!"

It is almost here...we think...although Mother Nature continues to tease us with a very, interesting Spring! Needless to say, though, the rhythm of our life at "The Ridge" unfolds despite the weather. Mid-term reports have come and gone, our Spring Co-Curriculars and Athletics are gearing up and our "staffing season" begins. Our students have made their course selections and we have been allocated sections for the 2014/15 school year. We were fortunate at this time to be interviewing for some sections for next year. In the midst of "staffing season" we also have the "comings and goings" of our staff. We are excited that the following staff are taking the opportunity for new positions at new schools: Kristen McCoy (Science/Geography), David Bell (English), Ian German (Transportation) are off to new challenges at Dr. Frank Hayden Secondary School while Mike Tarantino (Business) is off to Garth Webb Secondary School. There will be additional hiring as the months unfold and our enrollment firms up, right until September!

We are looking forward to a significant schoolwide event this upcoming Thursday May 8th. Rob Ellis will be coming to our school to do a Workplace Safety Presentation for students, staff, members of our extended community and special guests. Rob lost his son to an industrial accident many years ago and has travelled throughout North America to get the word out to youth and their right to "safety in the workplace." His story is an impactful and emotional one. Rob brings with him over 20 or so, local "CEO's" and workplace safety champions to participate in a 1/2 day event with our students, staff and special guests. As you know, our school prides itself on a number of things but nothing is more important than the safety of our young people!
We are very excited and extremely fortunate to have Rob and his team coming to our school for such an important educational experience.

The format for the event is as follows:

8 - 9 am              Networking Breakfast (IRHS Library)
9 - 10 am            Schoolwide Assembly (IRHS Gym)
10-11:10 am       Facilitated Workshops (led by our CEO's and Workplace Safety Champions)

Our students and staff will have an excellent opportunity to network with Rob and our "Champions", who will promote the importance of safety in the workplace while also sharing some career advice in the various occupations that they have experienced throughout their lives.

Thanks in advance to the student, staff and parent team who have planned and organized this amazing event on behalf of our kids and as part of our ongoing Safety & Wellbeing work at "The Ridge."