Finishing Strong!

We take pride in "Finishing Strong" at "The Ridge!"

In fact, not only do we perform strongly throughout the year but when the stakes are high and we need to reach that personal best performance...our students truly shine.

As June continues, we begin our performance tasks and look toward our final exams. We also put a conclusion on our athletic and co-curricular participation. I have always been proud of our athletic excellence and prowess! Our successes in 2014/15 have surpassed all of our wildest expectations.

So many teacher/coaches and student/athletes engaged...all with the hopes of attaining both individual and group goals, while representing our school with energy, dignity and sporting excellence!

This past Thursday, we took time to recognize and truly appreciate the efforts of our coaches and athletes. As we heard and saw through the speeches and multi-media reflections...we have never been better, with more to come, as our young athletes look toward the future as "Trailblazers." One of the deep, honours I have at this event is to present our graduates with their medallions. This is a very, special year with this group, as I will be ending my tenure at Iroquois Ridge, with enduring pride and gratitude for all of our student/athletes and our teacher/coaches and all that they have contributed to our school via sport. I have always believed in the value of athletics and the discipline, committment, hard work and physical and emotional  challenges that our athletes and coaches endure. Some of the best and sometimes the hardest "life lessons" happen through sport. Things that you cannot get in the classroom!

Athletics make us stronger and builds unrelenting will. Competing with and against the best only builds more strength, resilience and offers the chance for lifelong relationships and memories that go beyond whatever we had hoped for. This year was no exception as many individuals and teams attained the goals and dreams they had hoped for...and much more! Our coaches and athletes

celebrated this success with each other during our recent Athletic Recognition Evening and they can all be proud of all that they have accomplished!

I thank all of our students and coaches for representing IRHS at the highest level with such splendour and sportsmanship. I have always been proud of our kids..as they never give up and are gracious with every win and even more gracious upon not winning! That is hard to come by...a unique trait of our

Trailblazers.

My sincere gratitude and thanks to Marie Guest - Program Leader for Healthy Active Living and Athletics, who puts her heart and soul into everything she does on behalf of our kids, staff and school. Additional heartfelt appreciation goes out to a very strong and passionate, Healthy Active Living Team - Mike Luyks, Scott Phillips, Tim Coe, Christy Busby and Alicia Dercho. Your love and committment to our students and support of our staff is phenomenal and so deeply appreciated!

Greater things are to come yet, I believe, as you continue to go beyond building a "winning tradition"

at "The Ridge."

So...in my last tribute to Ridge Athletics...I wish you all well for your continued success and pride in all that you do! Your purpose and mission is clear...you are building for the future as you shape stronger bodies, minds and the character of our young adults, who will someday become the strongest leaders...who know what teamwork and striving for excellence and a common goal is all about. This is crucial for their "life success!!"

I humbly salute you, and from the top and bottom of my heart, thank-you, for providing so many highlights and fond memories of Ridge Athletics. Boy...we have done well...haven't we?

Forever...a "Trailblazer!"

April Update

Hello folks!

It is indeed, "Spring" and we are about ready to reach our mid-term. Student/athletes have begun action in our Spring/Summer Sports" Season; our Music students have just returned from a trip to New York City and members of our DECA Business Team are headed to Orlando for intense competition in the south!

Over the past several weeks, I have been recovering from  Total Knee Replacement surgery and now am back at it and glad to return to my duties at "The Ridge." We have been fortunate to have my good friend and colleague Mrs. Hattie Farrell look after our school during my absence. We all appreciated Hattie taking the helm and ensuring that our students, staff and extended community remained peaceful, happy and as always...ever moving forward to great things.

Mid-term reports will be received during Period 1 on Thursday April 23rd. Please review the results, both achievement and learning skills. If there are any concerns please don't hesitate to follow-up with the respective subject  teacher(s) and if you wish, our PCC Team (Mrs. Nancy Anstett, Ms. Rachel Stecca, Mrs. Melanie  Spelman), our Head of Special Education - Mr. Kris Reeve, and/or our Vice Principals - Mr. Andrew Bigham (Grade 9 & 10) - Mrs. Patricia Clark (Grade 11 & 12).

We look forward to regional, subject/curriculum based Professional Learning by our staff this upcoming Friday April 24th and our next School council Meeting this upcoming Monday April 27th.

As we approach May, our timetable for next year will be built and our staffing will continue to be firmed up. There have already been some changes as staff look for new challenges both personally and professionally. One of the changes involves a change for me as I go on to a new challenge at Acton District High School. The good news for Iroquois Ridge is that our new Principal will be Mrs. Darlene White, who taught at Iroquois Ridge many years ago. Darlene is very student-centered, enthusiastic, caring and very much a "people-person!" She is thrilled to be posted here for the Fall of 2015 and beyond. She will be a great "fit" for The Ridge, for sure!

So ...in the next few months, I will savour everything that I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy at this amazing school! I always remind our staff, in particular, never to take forgranted where they work, teach, coach, mentor and play! I will continue to appreciate our wonderful students, staff, parents/ caregivers and extended community for all that is done on behalf of Trailblazer Pride, each and every day!

Best of luck to everyone for a very successful second half of our semester! I know that by the year's end we will be very proud of our students' achievements as we celebrate another great year at "The Ridge!"

"Half-Time Show!"

We are all delighted to celebrate "half - time" at "The Ridge." Despite a disappointing loss for the Seattle Seahawks in the Superbowl (we all cheer for them as our Ridge Teams "sport" the same colours!) we witnessed an amazing "half-time" show at the Superbowl this past Sunday!

We witnessed an awesome "half-time" this past Friday and today as we celebrated staff leaving and coming to us...while absolutely celebrating with our Grade 9's this morning as they were recognized by our LINK Crew Team.

Mere hours ago, our Grade 9's had time together with our LINK Crew as they reflected on this past semester, which was followed by an excellent "pizza party", for well over 300 students in our cafeteria. Members of our incredible parent engagement team put together a huge spread of baked goods for our students and assisted in the celebration, serving our Grade 9's and our LINK Crew Leaders with enthusiasm and pride!

We are so thankful to have the unrelenting, support of our parent/caregiver community, who truly add so much to the vibrance of school life here at "The Ridge." It never ceases to amaze me, how much you give of yourselves to support our students, staff and school. You are simply "the very, very, best!"

I know that our Grade 9's thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of this morning's celebration as they expressed their appreciation with many, many thank-you's and smiles!

Special thanks to our LINK Crew Staff and Student Leaders for a wonderful morning! What a way to begin Semester 2!

This past Friday, we acknowledged the contributions of some excellent staff, who are moving on to new assignments and pathways in Semester 2. Leaving us are: Sandra Arezina (Family Studies), Andrea DeMendonca (Science), Jesse Hall (Math), and Meghan T. Lindley (English). We are very proud of Joanna Sandford, who has taken a new posting as Instructional Program Leader - Special Education and wish her the very best in an exciting, new role! Equally exciting is the temporary leave for Caitlin Grieve (Moderns) as she pusues her dreams as a member of the Indie-Rock band, Cai.ro who are about to launch their first album on February 20th, with a follow-up tour in the works in the upcoming months! So cool!!! And...David Pearce is excited to be taking a semester off to travel in the Far East ...in Hong Kong...as we speak! Lucky guy!

Despite departures, we are pleased to bring aboard some amazing, staff members for Semester 2:
Jessica Beltran (Moderns), Chris Brooks-Prenger (Computers), James Caldwell (Canada & The World/Student Success/Special Education), Mike Donovan (Canada & The World). Robin Durham (Science), Tammy Hardwick (Canada & The World), Eric Keunne (Moderns), Nicholas Kurtz (French Immersion Music), Michelle Millington (Family Studies), Adam Roach (English), Melissa Snedden (Geography), Alexiis Stephen (Canada & The World/E-Learning) and Kaitlyn Teszeri (Moderns). All of these new hires are very thrilled to be a part of our Ridge Family and we look to great things from them over the next semester! We are fortunate to have them!!

Today, we welcome all of our students back as they hit the ground "running" for the Spring Semester.
We know that they will continue to do great things academically and co-curricularly at IRHS. Can't wait to see what unfolds in Semester 2 at one of the best (if not..."the best!) schools in Ontario!

Good luck everyone...have a wonderful Spring Semester!!!