Ashbury News Spring 2014

Ashbury News Spring 2014

Charting the Future i | Ashbury News

Ashbury constructs a new strategic plan with a new Head of School at its helm

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Table of Contents

Ashbury News Spring 2014 Director, Communications and Marketing Tara Jackson

News & Notes 2

Design and Content Coordinator Matthew Williamson

We wish to thank the many staff, students, alumni and volunteers who have contributed to this edition of Ashbury News.

We are extremely grateful for your support.

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School News

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Teachers You May Know

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Student Voices 16

On the front cover: Identifying priorities for a new strategic plan

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Identifying Direction

Back cover: All staff strategic planning session

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Volunteer Spotlight 22

Ashbury News is printed on 35% recycled paper. Online magazine updates are available at ashbury.ca

Ashbury Alumni 28 Reunion 2013

Please submit news, story ideas and any address changes to:

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Ashbury College Advancement Office 362 Mariposa Avenue Ottawa, ON K1M 0T3 advancement@ashbury.ca Phone: 613.749.5954 Printed in Canada by Trico Group

Feature Articles 20

Roadmap for Future Success

Front cover: United Way Run

Ashbury News is published twice a year by the Advancement Office, and sent to over 4500 alumni, parents and friends.

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Alumni Profiles

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Ashbury Chatter

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MOVING? Update your address. alumni@ashbury.ca

Ashbury Travels

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In Memoriam

Connect with us on Twitter!

@ashburycollege

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1 | Ashbury News

Ashbury Editorial Board • Jill Bobula • Gary Godkin • Sahir Khan ’88 • Bruce Mutch • Ray Satterthwaite • Barb Saville • Norman Southward • Brian Storosko

Message from Norman Southward - Head of School

NEWS & NOTES

Norman Southward with two of the students behind Experience Ashbury Day

Charting the Future

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ince my arrival on campus, each and every day opens a new door to the depth and breadth of learning that is taking place in our school. My expectations have been confirmed in many ways: Ashbury is a place that strives for excellence in teaching, learning and programs, and where enthusiasm permeates life both inside and outside the classroom. My colleagues are committed to the student experience and each of them brings a unique perspective to engage students. It has been a pleasure getting to know this terrific team of educators, as well as our passionate parent and alumni groups. The welcome expressed by the Ashbury community has been remarkable, and I am delighted and honoured to be here.

My transition over the past three months has involved spending time with the various constituent groups of Ashbury. Some of the most precious time was spent seeing the students in action—in class, on the stage, debating or playing sports. Smiles are the general order of the day, but we are also sensitive to the issues that students face whether at the Junior or Senior School level. Grade 4s step into new modes of inquiry with the awe of youth before them. Grade 12s spend their final months with us before facing a new world of opportunity at university. Our job at Ashbury is not just to get students to new destinations, but also to give them the skills and knowledge to succeed and adapt to the challenges they will face.

My sense for Ashbury at this very early stage is that we are driven by a clear mission and set of values. Achievement levels are high and we are seeking focus in bringing together some of our programs under a common vision—one that is lived and not just said. These are our touchstones as a community, and we see expressions of them throughout our programs and operations. With this in mind, the community is developing a renewal of our strategic plan. The opportunities for Ashbury are vast and ultimately the strategic process is about leveraging what we offer students. Ashbury’s high academic standards, expectations and co-curricular programs are increasingly rooted in a context of making the

By Norman Southward

world bigger for our students. As we approach our 125th year, being innovative, while not abandoning the tried and tested, will be critical if teaching and learning are to prepare students for challenges they will face. Ashbury’s ongoing leadership in academics (languages, arts, humanities and the STEM subjects) balanced with athletics, meaningful co-curriculars, the arts, service learning and internationalism must continue to resonate. Balancing emerging tensions such as “staying connected to nature” with “staying connected”, “providing choice” or “making mandates”, or persevering with “knowing when to let go” are just some areas to address in developing adaptable learners.

My priority moving forward remains getting to better know the community and hearing from you about what makes Ashbury special, what we should continue or stop doing, and what we should consider doing differently. There is a great sense of optimism at the school and excitement for the soon to be completed Creative Learning Centre, a place sure to further enrich the lives of Ashbury students.

This is a close school community that bridges young children with pre-university students and it is important we keep to our core values, understand the notion of expectation over entitlement, and push students out of their comfort zones to ensure meaningful learning and global understanding, all while ensuring the simple yet important formalities of manners and respect are not overlooked.

Ashbury College is an exciting place to be—I look forward to working with the community in charting and navigating our future in the years to come.

Norman Southward Head of School

NEWS & NOTES

News

School

academic excellence

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shbury sent two debaters to represent Ontario at the National Seminar in Saskatchewan in November.

Anthony Zhong, Grade 9, placed second in Canada and first in Ontario. Yousef Choudhri, Grade 10, came seventh in Canada in French (as a second language French speaker competing against Fran-

cophones!). Their debate resolutions reflected the host province’s interests and included farming is harmful to the environment and farmers know better than the government how to run their business.

Meanwhile, at the fall Fulford Cup at Ridley College in the senior debating category Jon Kamel ’14 came first and William Richardson ’14 second. Together the boys brought home the Fulford Senior Trophy as first place team. In the junior category two novice debaters, Alessandra Youth ’16 and Emma Richeson ’16, finished in the top half in their first-ever debate competition and are eagerly looking forward to their next competition. Bravo to all these wellspoken students!

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n French, Grade 10, 11 and 12 students improved their creativity and

their sense of belonging to Ashbury’s French program by participating in University of Ottawa’s provincial competition: Êtes-vous la meilleure classe de français en Ontario? Teamwork and language, technical and arts abilities were enlisted to make this project a success, especially because numerous classes in the province participate. Students created videos for the competition, which were shared at assemblies throughout the fall term.

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rade 10 civics students spent the afternoon on Parliament Hill in early December. As the culmination of their unit on political parties, platforms, campaigns and elections, the students had the opportunity to observe Question Period. As always, it proved to be a lively session in the House as MPs debated issues such as the Senate scandal, cuts

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rade 4 student Kiran Acharya had some big shoes to fill in December when he spent the day as Head of Junior School. Kiran won the honour courtesy of an auction prize at the Ashbury Ball, which his parents bid on in his name.

Part of Kiran’s duties for the day included shadowing Mr. Storosko (the other Head of Junior School), stamping CDs, officiating at assembly, choosing the teacher lunch mates of his choice, and touring some of Ashbury’s littleknown areas. The highlight of the school tour for this junior leader in training?

Exploring the boiler room!

Here’s Kiran hard at work at Mr. Storosko’s desk, complete with a Mr. Big bar befitting his elevated status.

NEWS & NOTES

to veteran services, the environment, honourable mention of the commemoration of the Montreal Massacre and other current issues.

Prior to Question Period the students had a brief meeting and discussion with Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, followed by a session with The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Honourable Andrew Scheer.

It was a memorable afternoon as it enabled our students to experience the inner workings or our parliamentary democracy.

Grade 4 Kathleen Bai shows off the pumpkin she decorated in class in October.

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ll of the Grade 11 and 12 physics students visited Carleton University to take part in a university-style lab in late November. The Grade 11s calculated the acceleration due to gravity using the Atlas Machine and the Grade 12s measured the electron mass ratio of an electron using electric and magnetic fields. Both grades also took a tour of the physics labs, which included current

research being done in the medical physics lab and the latest project in particle physics connected to the Large Hadron Collider. The visit was a great opportunity for our students to experience university learning first hand.

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allum Sorger-Brock ’15, Sophie Lemieux ’15 and Yousef Choudhri ’16 travelled to the Youth Philanthropy

Initiative (YPI) conference in Toronto last fall. The trio previously received a grant from the project that gives students the opportunity to research, visit and interview a non-profit organization that addresses social issues in our community, and present this information to their peers. The students had to compete to win the $5,000 grant prize. Well done!

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NACE Foundation of Canada Award for Chris Miedema In March, Ashbury chemistry teacher Chris Miedema won NACE Canada’s 2014 Educator Award. NACE is a national foundation advancing science and corrosion education, and for the past six years, Ashbury has hosted international science educators on behalf of the organization.

Miedema was recognized for promoting the teaching concepts of corrosion in his classes, including highlighting the importance of corrosion control and prevention in protecting the world’s aging infrastructure. Miedema currently sits on the NACE foundation’s board of directors as an advisor, and has actively participated in several related education conferences and professional development days.

The award comes with a $1,000 payment to purchase teaching aids and furnishings at Ashbury. Congratulations!

NEWS & NOTES

Junior School students harvested vegetables and herbs from our Green Roof early in September. The garden is a great way for students to learn lessons about ecology and sustainability and ingest some green goodies in the process! Pictured from left to right are carrot fans Kiersten Hall Grade 5, Armita Dabrizadeh Grade 5, Armin Lassl, Grade 4, and Theo Rulko Grade 8.

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Experience Ashbury Day

Students in our Grade 12 business leadership classes had the chance to put their skills to the test in a real-world project this term. Tasked with creating programming and advertising for a school admissions event, students worked in teams to brainstorm ideas and pitch concepts to members of Ashbury’s recruitment and marketing departments. The Dragon’s Den-style tactic was a way for students to tap into their own experiences and contemplate which facets of school life might appeal to peers. Using some loose pre-determined guidelines and budgets, the students drafted promotional and event plans, while staff provided feedback focused on improving presentation, teamwork and communication skills.

Winning ideas were incorporated into Experience Ashbury Day, held March 1 on campus. The event featured a doors-open approach that highlighted Ashbury’s academic, athletic and artistic offerings by delivering a snapshot of a typical day’s curriculum.

“We were very impressed with the variety and scope of ideas put forward,” says Bruce Mutch, Ashbury’s Director of Admissions. “We came to the students knowing they were representative of our prospective families, and they really showed a great deal of maturity and creativity—both in articulating their plans, and selling them to us.”

Visitors to Experience Ashbury Day competed in a geography challenge, or took part in the “Are you Smarter Than a Prefect?” competition.

Games and sports demonstrations took place in the school gym, improvised drama skits were showcased in the theatre and students painted a mural in Ashbury’s Artnasium. Several of the school’s boarding students were on hand in their traditional dress, and other current students and teachers led tours and answered questions about school life and the admissions process.

Over 30 new and prospective families attended the event, proving just how successful the power of programming for students, by students, can be.

NEWS & NOTES

For many of Ashbury’s boarding students, attending school in Canada means experiencing winter—and snow—for the first time. We try to showcase as many aspects of the Canadian cold-weather experience as possible for these international teens. In February, our entire boarding community spent a Saturday dog sledding in Quebec. Seen here are Stephane Mbesherubusa-Muhizi ’15 (left) and Jonathan Bedoumra ’14 (right) making some four-legged friends.

#NoMoreBullies

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rade 12 sociology students engaged in some experiential learning in January, thanks to a game designed to shed light on the realities of poverty in Canada. Students received credits representing values of money, health and peace of mind. Students were assigned either a stigma or a status, which in turn dictated how others in the group treated them.

In a series of timed rounds, the students had to interact with their classmates at different stations designated as hospital, bar, prison, trendy restaurant, bank or corner store, spending their credits as needed. Cardboard boxes in the middle of the room represented a homeless state where students had to go when they ran out of credit.

The goal of the game was for students to survive, with their health, some money and well-being in tact—

Ashbury again embraced No More Bullies week with the help of local radio personality and Ottawa Senators announcer, Stuntman Stu. He and his No More Bullies crew visited the school in November to speak to all our students in what was an emotional and empowering assembly.

Stuntman Stu spoke first about his own experiences with bullying as a student, and how that history ignited his commitment to ending the behaviour in schools today. He articulated the concept of the triangular relationship between the bully, the bullied, and the bystander, doing a great job of highlighting the fact that the bystander plays a pivotal role in resolving bullying issues. He was then joined by Ottawa university student, Scott Heggart, who described how critically important his friends and family were when he went public with the announcement that he was gay. Scott was a very accomplished athlete and student in high school and often wonders how things might have been different had he not been known first as a jock.

Peter Joynt, an accomplished rapper with a pronounced stutter, shared his truly inspirational story as well—both in speech and song.

At the end of the assembly, students left with a NoMoreBullies wristband to remind them of their pledge to be kind.

NEWS & NOTES

something few managed to do. “It wasn’t just about being able to survive,” says organizing teacher, Todd Lamont, “but the fact that perception and a person’s stigma are so important as well. It really highlighted what life could be like without some of the comforts we take for granted.”

community & campus

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onstruction on campus is a fact of life at Ashbury this year. With building of the new Creative Learning Centre well underway, high-activity areas were secured to ensure the safety of students and staff. A plywood hoarding wall, encircling much of the build area, went up in late spring and will remain until the centre opens in time for school in September.

The expanse of gray boards isn’t the most welcoming sight at the school’s entrance, so our senior art students took it upon themselves to brighten them up.

The results provide a colourful complement to our front-of-school façade.

Corps 137 was re-instated. Serving the communities of Rockland, Vanier, Lowertown, and Beacon Hill, the cadets meet every Monday at Ashbury. The Cadets are open to youth aged 12-18 and arefunded through a partnership between DND, The Army Cadet League of Canada and community donors. Pictured here are the cadets at the annual Christmas Mess Dinner.

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n October, Paulina Ramphos ’14, helped raise over $10,000 for Ottawa’s Harmony House, a second-stage women’s shelter. Working through an organization called Maids of Athena, Paulia lent her creative talents to a fashion show that raised money and awareness of women and children at risk in our community.

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or the last two years, under the umbrella of the Army Cadets in Orleans, the community-based Ashbury Army Cadets have been rebuilding and on December 21, 2013, Army Cadet

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he Ashbury Music Department staged its fall concert in November, showcasing all the great things happening in the senior music room. It was a packed program as students from eight different ensembles presented the culmination of a term’s worth of learning

Parent participation is crucial. Last year half of Ashbury parents made a gift to the Parent Fund. Every donation counts—make yours today! pa r e n t f u n d

So far your gifts to the parent fund have supported robotics, scholarships, athletics and academics. Because of your generosity we’ve been able to raise $143,600 in gifts to the Annual Parent Fund!

This year’s remaining Parent Fund priorities include: • Robotics lab

• JSTOR digital library

• Audio books for ESL

• Biotech Lab equipment

• Athletic training equipment

• Junior School iPad set

• GPS units for orienteering

• Theatre supplies

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Thank you to all of our parent supporters this year, but we still need your help…

NEWS & NOTES

and practising. Highlights from the program included numbers from both combos and a truly funky number from the jazz band. The senior band’s rendition of John Williams’ Midway March highlighted this lesser-known work by the composer of many of the greatest film scores. The string ensemble gamely tackled the exquisite and deceptively difficult Adagietto from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. The choir performance of the Adele song Skyfall was inspirational, and the guitar class shared some of the fruits of their exciting program.

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giving back

tudents collected donations at the door for The Leading Note Foundation. This charity gives children from under-served communities the opportunity to learn and make music together as well as benefit from the individual skills and community values that are inherent in music-making. As we watch, with anticipation, our new Creative Learning Centre begin to take shape, it is important for our students to reflect on the fantastic resources to which they have access, and to share what they can with other students in the community.

For more information on Leading Note, check out their website at www.leadingnotefoundation.org

Fans of Frankenstein

Musicals@Ashbury’s fall production of Young Frankenstein was a monster success! Visitors to the show were treated to some fine singing, acting, dancing and playing by our talented student actors and musicians.

The Ottawa Citizen gave a rousing review to the production. This year’s musical is a contender for the Cappies, a Washington, D.C.-based program that uses high school critics to review high school theatre. The program is a unique partnership between the Citizen and 37 schools from the OttawaCarleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Three schools from other boards in the region and four independent schools are also taking part.

The four winners of the lead acting categories will receive a bursary provided by the national law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. Matthew Comeau ’16, Katherine Roberts ’16, Funmi Adetola ’15 and Brianna Proceviat ’16 are Ashbury’s student critics on the panel for the Cappies of Ottawa. They are responsible for critiquing the productions of other participating schools across the city.

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ur students rallied together to support those affected by the devastating typhoon in the Philippines. Fundraising efforts on an out-of-uniform day raised $1,500, used to purchase 60

Golf Classic 2014 8 | Ashbury News

The 10th Annual Golf Classic is being held on Monday, May 26 at the Gatineau Golf & Country Club.

We encourage golfers of all levels to sign up! This year we are also offering a spa option for those who prefer time off the green. This option also includes dinner at the club and a golf cart chauffeur to take you to and from the spa. Non-golfers are invited to register to enjoy the cocktail hour, dinner and a live auction.

Contact erin.johnson@ashbury.ca for more information

ashbury.ca/golf2014

NEWS & NOTES

household emergency kits delivered through the OXFAM organization. Each kit provides supplies for three families.

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shbury staff banded together in support of the United Way last fall, donating in excess of $14,500 to the annual campaign!

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nce again this year, Ashbury students kicked off a holiday season of giving with the holiday poinsettia campaign supporting the Red Cross.

Plant sales took place in late November, with the flowers delivered in midDecember. The students’ colourful effort raised more than $1,835 for the Ottawa branch of the Red Cross.

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shbury’s annual Monte Carlo night took place November 30 and was a huge success! Completely student run, the night was filled with student performances, games of chance and lots of food. The evening raised funds for Christie Lake Kids, an organization that creates opportunities for disadvantaged children and youth in Ottawa by chang-

ing the trajectory of their lives through sport, arts, outdoor activities, mentoring and leadership opportunities.

On behalf of many student volunteers, event organizers Morgan Guimaraes and Madeline Boyd presented a cheque for over $23,000 to Christie Lake Kids Camp Director, Darcy Delaney. What a great job!

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shbury students travelled to Canada’s National Arts Centre in December to watch a production of the travelling Sound of Music show. The production featured Ashbury drama teacher, Eliza-Jane Scott, who is on a year’s leave from the school to play the role of Maria in the musical.

athletic accomplishments

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Our Junior School students deserve a ‘warm’ round of applause for their efforts raising over $900 for this year’s Snowsuit Fund. The annual house competition collects winter clothing for those in need in our community. What a spirited way to care!

n November, Grade 10 student Harry Steenbakkers claimed second place at the 2013 Indy Car Academy, earning $15,000 in scholarship funds from Skip Barber in the process.

This three-day event gave Harry the opportunity to demonstrate his driving skills to elite instructors in an openwheel formula car at the Sebring International Raceway. Harry is the youngest driver ever to be invited to the prestigious training camp in Brazelton, Georgia.

Harry was an ace on the track, despite being too young to hold an Ontario driver’s licence. This speed demon has driven a motorcycle since the age of four and a snowmobile since the age of seven.

We can’t wait to see what he’ll do on the road, down the road.

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lso in November, Andrew AbouAssaly ’14 was named Ottawa 67’s Academic Player of the Month. Despite the time commitments of playing on a

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Katie Orr ’17 had impressive results on the slopes this winter.

Celebrating Diversity Ashbury celebrated Black History Month with an all-school assembly organized by students and featuring two distinguished guests: Senator Don Meredith and UNICEF Canada ambassador Solange Tuyishime. The theme of the event revolved around cherishing diversity, making voices heard and sharing Canadian stories.

Senator Meredith talked about his experiences as a Jamaican Canadian and defeating stereotypes often attributed to young men of his culture. Ms. Tuyishime told students about leaving East Africa to come to New Brunswick, and her role as Miss Canada International. Ashbury is proud to boast an international student body and welcomes opportunities to share stories of varied cultures whenever possible.

busy OHL hockey team, Andrew is a student first, maintaining an 85% average while on balancing time on the ice.

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atie Orr ’17 continued her impressive skiing streak in February by finishing second in a qualifying race against top Ontario and Quebec U16 skiers.

Katie’s success coincided with the Winter Olympics—no doubt we’ll see Katie take to the podium there in the near future.

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shbury’s Senior Boys travelled to the east coast in October for the national CAIS soccer tournament. The salty Halifax air proved beneficial for the team, who secured a division II championship.

Great work, boys! shbury’s competitive swim team enjoyed a terrific season in the pool and success at the NCSSAA Championships in February. All told, the team of 27 swimmers walked away with 17 gold,

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Mike “Pinball” Clemons, former Toronto Argonaut player and coach turned administrator, dropped by Ashbury to give a surprise pep talk to our Colts football team last fall. Team members were all ears for his words of advice.

nine silver and five bronze medals for a total of 31 top three finishes!

Pictured here is Ross Graham ’15, who captured gold in both the 50m freestyle and the 100m breaststroke and two team relay events.

Ten members of the team travelled to Brantford, Ontario in early March for the OFSAA tournament, coming home with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Fantastic effort by all!

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ongratulations to our tennis team for a fantastic season! The competitive tennis team’s A Division competed in city championships at the Ottawa Athletic Club on October 29.

Gabrielle Lessard ’17 won bronze in the girls singles category, and Mark Tyhurst ’15 and Paul Haghighat Talab ’17 won bronze in the boys doubles category. Bradley AssalyNesrallah ’17 won silver in the boys singles category, and qualified for OFSAA in Toronto in June 2014. Jasmine Mussani ’16 and Nicolas Tuli ’16 won gold in the mixed doubles category and qualified for OFSAA. Finally Raphael Lessard ’17 and Sasha Stojanovic ’17 won gold in the boys doubles category and qualified for OFSAA as well. Ashbury placed first in the league in both divisions.

and online. Check it out at http://ashburyarrowstudentnews.wordpress.com

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shbury won the Tier 1 Senior Girls Volleyball city championship title in February. The girls stepped up their level of play with each and every round of the playoffs, held in late February. Coaches Richard and Sproule are incredibly proud of the girls and their accomplishment. Congratulations to team members Bianca Acland ’15, Justine Jammes ’15, Emily Groper ’14, Sydney Maxwell ’14, Leah Mousseau ’14, Sarah Peters ’15, Michelle Rhodes ’15, Julie Robinson ’14, and Cindy Wu ’14. outstanding accomplishments

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new publication debuted in the Junior School this fall. Dubbed the Ashbury Arrow, the inaugural edition hit classrooms just before Christmas and featured an in-depth interview with Ashbury alum and local CBC broadcaster Adrian Harewood ’89, sports news, fashion tips and trends, little-known-facts about Junior School teachers, and games and puzzles. The publication is the brainchild of Grade 8 student Margaret Pedersen, who says she was inspired to start the paper after seeing a movie about journalism this summer. As founding editor, she planned and wrote most of the content, enlisting help from classmates where needed. Students pro-

vided all the layout and photography themselves, spending several Saturdays on campus ensuring production went smoothly.

The arrival of the first issue at the end of 2013 created much buzz in the halls of the Junior School, and generated interested in working on the paper as well. Now, representatives from each grade are collaborating on the second issue of the paper, due out this spring.

The Ashbury Arrow is available in print

Economic Club of Canada Honours Roya

The Economic Club of Canada recognized Grade 11 student, Roya Shams, at an event in November at the Chateau Laurier. The second annual Voice of Hope Humanitarian Award Celebration honoured Pakistan’s Ayesha Gulalai Wazir, the youngest parliamentarian elected for that country’s National Assembly and an advocate for women’s rights and equality.

The Economic Club invited Roya as a guest of honour because of her desire to better the future for women in her home country of Afghanistan. The exposure will certainly aid Roya’s goals of a future in politics. Well done, Roya! (Roya is seen here with Ms. Padme Raina, Ashbury’s Assistant Director of Admissions, Boarding. Photo: Jake Wright) Several Ashbury staff and students were on hand to support Roya at the event, which included dignitaries and business leaders from across Canada.

Other invited guests included Mrs. Laureen Harper, Kellie Leitch, Canada’s Minister of Labour and Minster of Status of Women, and David Langtry, Acting Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Roya is thriving at Ashbury thanks to the scholarship that pays for her tuition. But donations are needed to pay for her boarding costs and other expenses.

To make a gift to support the cost of Roya’s boarding at Ashbury, please contact our Advancement office at advancement@ashbury.ca

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rade 11 student and junior philanthropist Mitchell Kurylowicz is the driving force behind Project Jenga, an organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness to support the needs of education in rural Kenya. Mitch is a member of the Board of Directors for Free the Children and has travelled to Kenya, India and China as an ambassador for that organization. It’s through these trips that Mitch is able to see what a precious commodity education can be in some parts of the world.

Mitch balances his charity work with his active schoolwork at Ashbury. This spring, he was busy organizing a local fundraising gala that featured guest speakers Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordon, Martin Luther King II and Free the Children co-founders Marc and Craig Kielburger.

NEWS & NOTES

Teachers You May

Know

Joy Hitsman of St. Matthew’s Anglican, Kader Diabate of the Youth Services Bureau, and Reverend Robert Sears loaded over 75 backpacks for delivery through the Angels with Backpacks program in December. (Photo courtesy Pat McGrath Ottawa Citizen)

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urning Caring into Action

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hile the mathematical formulas, scientific equations, critical thinking skills and research abilities acquired at Ashbury will undoubtedly serve its students well, it’s many of the life lessons taught on campus that will most impact lives.

Reverend Robert Sears is Ashbury’s newest chaplain and the man in charge of delivering many of these lessons. Since his arrival on campus in September from the parish of Chelsea, Lascelles, Wakefield, he has made a positive impression on the students and staff in his care. Tasked with cultivating the ethical, spiritual and character development of students, his job isn’t easy—but it’s one of the most important.

“It’s an onerous undertaking and not one to be taken lightly,” he says.

Part of Sears’ instruction happens through the school’s chapel program, which is catered according to grade level and a vital part of Ashbury’s curriculum. Topics discussed have included the meanings of the school motto (Probitas, Virtus, Comitas) and the chapel windows, objective morality and the Golden Rule, and Saint Nicholas vs. Santa Claus.

Sears says the main purpose of chapel is to provide students with an opportunity to pursue an interest in spirituality and to find meaning and purpose in their lives. “We all need a place to consider some of life’s big questions,” he says.

Sears also teaches Theory of Knowledge, a philosophycourse about critical thinking and inquiring into the process of knowing that is part of the IB program. Sears’ background is a good fit with the course, as prior to seeking ordination (in the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa), he earned his doctorate

in philosophy.

Another of Sears’ responsibilities is managing the Community Service Program. Community service is a requirement for the Ashbury diploma and the OSSD. The program encourages and monitors student volunteering. Last fall, Sears oversaw the introduction and trial of an online community service form, and he began a school Community Service Club. He is in the process of revising the program’s documentation and communications, which includes a new resource to help students learn about requirements and find volunteer opportunities. “I see Ashbury as committed to fostering a spirit of generosity and an understanding of our obligations to others—locally, nationally, and internationally,” says Sears.

One example of this generosity was shown in December with the Angels with Backpacks program, an effort started

by Ottawa’s St. Matthew’s Church and the Youth Services Bureau to assist local homeless and vulnerable youth over the winter. Sears worked with both the church and the student population to raise awareness of the realities faced by some young people in our region. The result? Ashbury students filled more than 75 backpacks with books, games, food, toiletries and other objects of comfort for the program.

Representatives from the church and the Youth Services Bureau came to the school to retrieve the packs and speak to the students before distributing the donated items just before the holidays.

“The Ashbury response to this initiative was really excellent,” says Sears, “and hearing from a youth at risk let both students and staff know just how meaningful and important caring turned into action can be.”

NEWS & NOTES

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onstructing the Future

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onduct a random survey of what the future might hold, and it’s a good bet robots will pop up in an answer or two. Given that Ashbury prides itself on being a leader in innovation, it’s no surprise that its students are staying ahead of the curve. By honing their technical smarts in the school’s robotics club, students are learning a variety of skills destined to reap future benefits.

Physics teacher Katherine Woodward started the Robotics Club in 2012, making use of funding from the school’s annual giving program. Her engineering background was a good fit for the subject matter, and her passion for inspiring students in science, technology and math quickly led to the club’s success—both inside the school and beyond.

In its inaugural year, the club competed in its FIRST Robotics Competition, after building a Frisbee-throwing robot in just six weeks. It was a daunting task, but a handful of dedicated students tackled the challenge with finesse, capturing one of the top rookie positions in the process.

“It’s amazing to see what can be accomplished in such a short period of time,” says Woodward. “I love to see how the students and the robot evolve through the six-week build season.”

Originally open to just girls, the club welcomed boys this year. All students in the club are able to exercise their design abilities, gain experience in electronics, mechanics and programing, as well as develop confidence in using various tools, Woodward says. Key transferrable skills also come into play.

“So much of what we do involves basic communication and the fundamentals of teamwork,” she says. “Students are able to use things they learn in class, and develop problem solving abilities that will serve them well throughout their education.”

Sometimes even focused teams need guidance. “Trying to keep everyone on task is tricky,” Woodward admits. “It can be very challenging to lead 16 students with limited robotics experience through the entire process of strategy, design, implementation, trial and error, testing and competition.”

This year Woodward has some help in the form of volunteer machinist, Jeff Toycen, and a handful of other volunteer advisors who have given students a real-world point of view.

“We’re very fortunate to be able to integrate many industry professionals into the team through mentor roles,” she says.

“Being able to work side by side with these individuals really helps advance the students’ skills.”

The team recently wrapped up its second build season, this time creating a machine—affectionately dubbed Sherlock Ohms—capable of maneuvering around the room and equipped with ball launching powers. This served as their entry into the 2014 First Competition. With two seasons now under her belt, Woodward is nowmore convinced than ever that her efforts are proving worthwhile.

“The program provides real-world engineering experience most high school students just don’t get,” she says. “It can lead to university acceptances, scholarships, internship opportunities, and links to an invaluable number of people who might help careers down the line.”

13 | Ashbury News

After a successful inaugural season, Katherine Woodward (back row, right) led a group of students through a second build in the annual robotics competition, testing their technical and communication skills in the process.

Football game with the Ashbury team competing against St. Andrew’s College

N E W S &N E NW O TS E &S N O T E S

Homecoming 2013

L

14 | Ashbury News

ike the school itself, Ashbury’s Homecoming keeps getting bigger and better—and this year was no exception. More than 250 alumni—some travelling from as far away as Europe—gathered on our campus on September 28 to join with their classmates, friends and families to participate in the day’s activities, bringing the total guest count to well over 800. Sporting opportunities abounded with soccer, tennis, fun runs, Ultimate Frisbee and the afternoon’s big football game. The A Club was out in full force with their hospitality tent selling goodies to raise money for the teams. For the second time, a hospitality tent was available to alumni and parents and the Guild put on the welcome barbecue for new families. There was fun available for young and old with the kid fun zone, fun run, campus tours and activities on the Green Roof.

Clockwise from upper left: Vicky Wilgress enjoys the company of Ben Valiquette’s young son. Ben is from the class of 1993. Patricia Le, Grade 6, welcomes visitors to learn about our Green Roof. Face painting and a bouncy castle were hits with students and children of alumni.

Girls’ soccer

NEWS & NOTES

The Alumni and staff team who played soccer against the students.

Junior school boys U13 face the U14 soccer team.

Luke Wells ’51 and his wife Florence

Holly Ralph-Ormsby ’03 and Sophie Duchesne ’03, seen here with Vicky Wilgress.

We had a wonderful turnout fo our annual alumni fun run.

Homecoming 2014 Join us on campus September 27 • • • • • •

Colts Football Alumni Soccer School Tours Kids Zone Tailgate BBQ Hospitality Tent

Friends and Family Welcome

15 | Ashbury News

and help celebrate Ashbury spirit!

NEWS & NOTES

Student

Voices

S

tudents are having their voices heard in Ashbury’s strategic planning process. Students in every grade have had the opportunity to submit feedback on the school’s current policies and programming through surveys, where they also could comment on the school’s future focus.

S

16 | Ashbury News

peaking for Students Melis Kirikoglu ‘14

Being an active part of Ashbury’s student council helped prepare Grade 12 student, Melis Kirikoglu, for the task of student advisor in the school’s strategic planning process.

The composed, articulate boarding student who is from Turkey, provided a much-needed perspective to the planning group tasked with charting direction for the school. For Kirikoglu, the experience has been educational—in more ways that one.

“I was really surprised by how democratic the process is,” she says. “I expected the teachers and others to dictate the plan for Ashbury’s future. Instead, we all listen to each other’s opinions, share our thoughts and input ideas together.”

While the collaborative atmosphere has its benefits, Kirikoglu says that the open forum nature of the meetings also has its challenges. “In the presence of varying opinions and numerous debates, reaching a decision takes a lot of time,” she says.

Kirikoglu admits that her experience on the task force has provided her with proficiencies that will be useful to her outside of the classroom and in her future endeavours. From learning how to conduct herself in a professional environment made up entirely of adults, to gleaning insight into the importance of mission and vision statement as guiding principles for an institution, she is acquiring many transferrable skills along the way.

“I’ve also learned that although people feel as though surveys are never read, surveys are thoroughly examined and used,” she adds.

While her role is to express opinions from a collective student body perspective, rather than convey her own per-

sonal views, as a residential student, Kirikoglu says that although Ashbury’s record for university admissions is strong, a focus on ongoing guidance with international and American post-secondary options can be addressed. “There are lots of opportunities beyond Canada’s borders as well,” she says.

With her final assignments looming and her graduation date in sight, Kirikoglu’s efforts on the task force aren’t letting up. She is committed to helping to complete the planning process that has consumed much of her time since early 2013.

“A competitive school like Ashbury College needs a strategic plan so it can be adaptive to change and betterment, and ultimately reach a higher standard.”

NEWS & NOTES

William Richardson explains the roles and responsibilites of prefectship to new students during Experience Ashbury Day.

T

rained to Help Improve Systems and Programs

William Richardson is used to conveying his opinions, thanks to his years of experience on Ashbury’s debating team. But being a part of the school’s strategic planning process has afforded this Grade 12 student the opportunity to provide feedback on school policies and teaching techniques.

While he likens his pre-existing knowledge of a strategic plan to an institution’s ‘game plan’, Richardson says he was surprised by how ambitious the school was in its efforts to chart a new course. “I was surprised by the large scope and the way the plan permeates more or less every aspect of the school,” he says.

In addition to his debating expertise, Richardson’s IB training and leadership roles provided him with the critical thinking and discussion skills necessary for minute dissection of broad topics and themes—two key ingredients in a well thought out strategic plan.

“As a prefect I’ve worked with others to implement and improve programs and initiatives,” he explains. “I think that Ashbury has trained me excellently to be able to constructively criticize and help to improve systems and programs.”

Exposure to new and different ideas is par for the course for any Ashbury student, but learning to listen to new concepts, evaluating them and synthesizing them into a policy that will appeal to the largest number of people possible is something that few experience. Richardson calls his involvement in that process rewarding.

“I’ve learned about the practices that I like as a student, while also coming to terms with the basic requirements that the school must fulfill,” he says. “I’ve also come to appreciate that the school really is eager to try to engage its students

so that they can learn and develop in a warm, yet stimulating, environment.”

And what does this soon-to-be graduate, who no doubt is grappling with his own future plans, envision for his school? His predictions are as promising as his own postAshbury potential.

“I think that Ashbury should continue to develop 21st century teaching techniques, with continued and further technological integration in the classroom and an ever increased emphasis on collaborative, enquiry-based learning,” he says. “Small classes with teachers guiding students to interact with, and solve, real world problems are, for me, the ideal school. In my view, Ashbury is well on its way.”

17 | Ashbury News

William Richardson ‘14

Ashbury students representing their international spirit N E W S &N E NW O TS E &S N O T E S

O

ver 250 guests had their passports in hand for this year’s Ashbury Ball.

The annual gala, chaired this year

by Wanda Peters and co-ordinated by the Ashbury College Guild volunteers, was a celebration of the school’s international diversity. he Passport to Ashbury theme was an appropriate way to recognize that the Ashbury community represents over 40 different countries. The event included international themed food stations, auction items from around the world and our students participating in their traditional dress. Through ticket sales, sponsorships, silent and live auctions and an annual giving appeal the evening raised an impressive $145,000.

The event would not have been possible without the involvement of our five restaurants: Izakaya, Fraser Café, Farb’s, El Camino and the Algonquin

College culinary program. All were supported by our in-house caterers, Brown’s Fine Foods.

While food, music and entertainment were the evening’s mainstays, guests were also treated to a presentation by Ashbury’s robotics team and their Frisbee-throwing robot. Their creative ingenuity netted a further $15,000 in on-the-spot donations to support their program.

In the end, the Ashbury Ball benefits all our students in various ways, with proceeds directed through the Guild to the new Creative Learning Centre, items of immediate teaching and curricular activities and to scholarships. The Guild and the school wish to thank all those involved, including our generous partners and sponsors, recognized in these pages, who contributed to the success by financially supporting different aspects of the evening. We hope to see you next year!

SPONSORS ALLEGRA PRINT AND IMAGING BOULET CONSTRUCTION FRECON GENERAL CONTRACTORS

PA R T N E R S 18 | Ashbury News

DOHERTY & ASSOCIATES ERNST & YOUNG MARK MOTORS OF OTTAWA SEZLIK.COM

The Ashbury Guild left to right: Karen Haebe, Chrisoula Nikidis, Elizabeth Murphy, Nancy Chow, Laurie Oppenheimer, Kerry Pfahl, Albert Lightstone, Wanda Peters, David Paradiso, Christine Jones, Cindy Tomlinson-Keon, Taryn Manias, Karen Eva Lind Abrahamsen, Ion Aimers, Mashooda Syed

NEWS & NOTES

SAVE THE DATE:

ASHBURY BALL 2014

19 | Ashbury News

Clockwise from the top: Ryan Keon, Cindy Tomlinson-Keon, Meredithe Rechan, Katie Macmillan. Mark Motors table-Ashbury partners hosted by Lisa and Michael Mrak. Gary Godkin presents a gift of appreciation to Wanda Peters, Chair of the 2013 Ball. David Paradiso, Chrisoula Nikidis, Athanasios Hadjis, Rhoda Carruthers, Elizabeth Murphy, One of our celebrity chefs hard at work.

The Board Chairs table. Christopher Barker and Angela Singhal

NOVEMBER 22

F E AT U R E S

Devising a Roadmap for Future Success

“To be in hell is to drift; to be in heaven is to steer.”

George Bernard Shaw

C

harting the future of anything without a plan is difficult, if not impossible. Charting the future of a school like Ashbury, which is rooted in over a century of history, doesn’t come without complications and serious considerations.

So how best to determine the optimal course of action? A tailor-made, carefully constructed strategic plan.

Many institutions and organizations are guided by a strategic plan, which helps define direction and guides the decision-making process. When Ashbury’s current plan was approaching the end of its lifespan in 2013, work commenced to devise a replacement.

With a new Head of School and construction underway on campus, the time for revision was ideal.

20 | Ashbury News

Timelines and players Prior to the end of the school year in June 2013, Ashbury’s Board of Governors put their minds to selecting volunteers to serve on a strategic planning task force. Members were chosen based on skills and expertise and attention was paid to representing various school communities. (See page 26 for more on the committee volunteers.)

“I have been struck by the depth of knowledge, skill and empathy in my fellow committee members,”

says teacher, John Richardson. “There is an enormous sense of responsibility to doing this right—putting in place a cutting-edge document to guide Ashbury into the future.”

With the right mix of staff, students, parents and alumni in place, sights turned to the information gathering, research and market analysis phase of the process.

Forces at play First up was a look at the changing demographics at play, not just in Ottawa, but across Canada. Fewer school-age children in the general population mean a smaller pool of students from which to draw.

Ottawa income levels and financial considerations were also examined, and the question of value for money in an independent school education scrutinized. Also under the microscope? Competing interests from other local independent schools and those public schools offering specialized learning.

Finally, the question of enrollment and sustainability came into play with a look at the general health of the independent school community in Canada.

“Ashbury is in good shape when it comes to admissions and enrollment, but some schools are suffering in Canada,” says Head of School, Norman

F E AT U R E S

The goal is to devise a roadmap for Ashbury’s future success that is grounded in our core values and anticipates the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Our intention is to consider the latest research into 21st century teaching and learning and, as a community, arrive at a shared vision for teaching excellence at Ashbury. This vision would recognize the reality of the knowledge economy, the need to prepare students for university and the desire to develop students who are globally engaged and balanced life-long learners.

The strategic planning process itself is as important as the outcome since it provides us with an opportunity to better understand our strengths and weaknesses and to discuss as a community how to make our school reach its greatest potential. As such, the planning process relies heavily on interactions with key stakeholders: students, staff, parents, alumni and governors.

–September 2013 e-mail to Ashbury community

Southward, referring to downward enrollment trends in the private school sector. “We can’t take the status quo for granted.”

Next came the engagement part of the process. Staff, students, parents and alumni were invited to complete a survey about where Ashbury is and where it should be going.

Close to 1,200 responses came in, and committee members sifted through the data looking for trends.

“The feedback is invaluable for gaining insight into what our community thinks about the current learning environment, and the data will inform many day-to-day decisions as well as strategic planning,” says teacher Jenny Wright. “The opportunity to consult, and to truly hear from all members of our community, is the opportunity to ensure that we are moving forward together.”

What they said Those surveys shed light on just what’s important to Ashbury’s stakeholders. Parents cited a desire to focus on academics, with university and career preparation, life skills, technology and character

and relationship issues also coming into play.

Students voiced concerns about workload, but also articulated pride about Ashbury’s academic record and expressed a need for more one-on-one attention from teachers.

Staff conveyed support for an increased focus on teaching and learning, bolstered by technology use that complements an academic vision, and an organizational structure with clear decision-making, accountability and communication.

While many of the comments were anticipated, the nature of some replies weren’t as expected. “The conservative nature of responses from some students and teachers was rather surprising,” says Brian Storosko, Head of Junior School.

In-person sessions also took place in January to give students, parents and staff a chance to interact

21 | Ashbury News

Soliciting feedback

F E AT U R E S

with each other, and participate in focus groups to discuss the value-added component of the Ashbury experience.

An end in sight Given the volume of data and number of interested parties, the process has not been quick. But given that this strategic plan will be in place for the next five years, the upfront legwork is time well spent.

“Strategic planning is certainly about setting a vision and a direction, but it must remain fluid and evolutionary in nature so as to adapt to the changes along the way,” says Storosko.

Now the work of drafting a plan and preparing it for approval by the school’s Board is underway.

While a general focus on teaching and learning has emerged already, specific elements of the plan won’t be revealed until fall 2014.

For those intimately involved in the process to date, there’s a positive feeling about what will eventually become the final product.

“Every effort has been made to listen to others and have their views reflected in the planning

process,” says Richardson. “We are in very, very good hands.”

And while the plan will cover only a handful of years, its legacy will have a lasting impact.

“We have the opportunity to think about the school that our grandchildren could attend and it helps to see the significance of the exercise in this way,” says Wright. “We don’t want to see each five year plan as discrete, but rather as a continuum so that we can place thme present in the context of the future and the past.”

a

Strategic planning timeline February 2013 March-October 2013 October-December 2013 January 2014

22 | Ashbury News

March 2014 April 2014 June 2014

Launch of strategic planning exercise Data gathering Surveys and follow-up interviews Consultations with student leaders, parents, alumni and staff Think tank session Draft plan and Board retreat Submit proposed plan for Board consideration. (aim for September 2014 implementation)

Identifying Direction A

F E AT U R E S

s the newest Head of School, Norman Southward is tasked with charting the future of one of Canada’s leading independent learning institutions. Ashbury News sat down with the man, who is just the tenth to helm Ashbury in its almost 125-year history, to find out what he has in store.

Q A

: Why is it important for Ashbury to distinguish itself from other independent schools? history, we need to articulate the ‘value added’ of Ashbury.

History alone cannot distinguish one school from another. To those who know the school intimately, conveying both the tangible and intangible elements of the Ashbury experience may well be straightforward. To others, the default may well be our record.

Tony German’s book, A Character of Its Own: A History of Ashbury 1891-1991, is a wonderful and transparent history of the school that is not a blind celebration of the past, but an account of the hard and evolving work that so many put into renewing our vision. Proud tradition has to be energized, and setting us apart has as much to do with where we have been as where we want to go.

Part of our strategic plan requires articulating our vision, one that distinguishes us from other schools. We are still in the process of establishing how our plan will look, but the focus will undoubtedly be on leveraging our excellence in teaching and learning not only on our campus, but within Ottawa and the international communities.

Q A

: What challenges and opportunities do you foresee for Ashbury over the next five years?

: I often speak of our demographic reality, not only as a school, but as Canadians. In some sense demographics will be Ashbury’s challenge and opportunity. In Canada we are seeing declining birth rates and a reduction in school-aged children. We are also seeing school fees outpace many income indices. This is the reality of both

23 | Ashbury News

: Increasingly, independent schools are being asked a very legitimate question: What is the value proposition of your school? This query goes beyond the reality of our fees; it often moves into deeper discussions around character, experience and curriculum. In the more distant past, perhaps this question was based on what was articulated as a school’s standards, and where one’s son or daughter would end up. Today the question has shifted. High standards are an expectation, preparation for varied and competitive destinations the norm, and families want to know, rightfully, what will this school offer my child that can’t be gained elsewhere.

We owe those parents and students clarity of purpose and, without ascribing pre-destiny, some sense for outcome in terms of experience. In addition to our long and proud

24 | Ashbury News

F E AT U R E S

the public (less the fee issue) and private school sectors, so the value proposition question becomes increasingly relevant from a sustainability perspective.

Ashbury’s enrollment has been very strong, and we want to ensure that we remain an accessible first choice for families in the National Capital region, and for boarding students from around the world. I specifically mention the word accessible in that we need to build a more meaningful scholarship and bursary program that holds us to our values, and that celebrates the ongoing diversity of our student population. Reaching students of diverse means, who are ready to take on the challenges of our programs, will only further enrich our mission as a school.

Finally, innovative schools are not self-isolating, not only in terms of demographics, but in terms of community. Ashbury’s tradition of developing new initiatives that lead and impact our students and others, provides a unique departure point for ongoing innovation. Consider just a few initiatives over the past 30 years: Ashbury as a Canadian leader in offering the IB Diploma; launching the Forum for Young Canadians, which now brings together hundreds of students from across Canada annually, and; a renewal to boarding—a bold move when boarding has been sliding across North America. The result of this last initiative is that we now have a first-class program that cannot keep up with demand.

As the leading school in the National Capital region, we have enormous opportunity to tap into formal partnerships with universities, businesses, government, the diplomatic community and the vast educational resources found on both sides of the Ottawa River. I look forward to exploring ongoing opportunities that connect us with the diversity of the Canadian demographic, as well as potential partners that enrich teaching and learning at Ashbury.

Q A

: What is your approach to guiding the implementation of a strategic plan?

: Developing a strategic plan may seem exhaustive, but the real work comes in its implementation. Typically these plans no longer remain on a shelf gathering dust. Metrics are built around their content for boards, school heads and faculty. Timelines are set, and accountabilities identified.

Communications around the progress of the plan are timely, and shared with the community. My approach is very much in keeping with a transparent approach to implementation, where I will work with the school community to ensure goals are realized. And this does not mean implementation for the sake of implementation. Often the implementation is about managing change, which in a school community can impact various groups in various ways. Building confidence around strategic change is critical, and edu-guru Michael Fullan captures the nature of strategic implementation well in his 2012 book Stratosphere: “We are learning more about {educational change}, making it less complicated by focusing on a small number of ambitious goals with a coherent strategy that attends in concert to half a dozen or so key factors: intrinsic motivation, capacity building, transparency of results and practice, leadership at all levels, and a positive but assertive stance on progress…I call this simplexity–a small number of key factors that must be made to gel with large groups of people.”

Ashbury’s spirit of engagement and genuine desire go beyond the status quo makes for an exciting environment to be building strategy around teaching and learning.

F E AT U R E S

Q A

: Why should current students, families and alumni care about a carefully crafted strategic plan?

: Every school, and indeed organization, should be identifying the direction it seeks to advance. An inclusive approach, where the school community is consulted, allows leadership to shape its course within a clear framework. Not doing so risks a piecemeal approach to a school’s development, where initiatives happen in isolation of strategy.

For me our touchstones have to be our vision, mission and values and new plans and focus areas have to emanate from our strategy. This does not limit opportunities to be bold, or steer things in a different direction, but change should not take place in a vacuum. The strategic plan provides for this clarity for all stakeholders—students, staff, parents and alumni—as we look to continually improve the educational experience and legacy for Ashbury students.

I am particularly encouraged by the vision of the Board to engage in a process that intersects with my leadership transition. There is a tradition of considerable thought and research that is completed before devising a list of priority areas. This includes a detailed look at data around demographic and market analysis, educational research and current practice in our school. The Strategic Plan Task Force’s work has been complementary to my transition plan and has been extremely helpful to me as I assess our priorities moving forward.

25 | Ashbury News

N

orman Southward became Ashbury’s tenth Head of School at the beginning of January, 2014. He brings with him 20 years of education experience, including seven as Principal of Neuchâtel Junior College in Switzerland and 11 at Stanstead College in Québec, where he served five years as Assistant Headmaster. Most recently, he was Headmaster at St. John’s-Kilmarnock School, an IB World School of 400 students (JK-12) serving the Waterloo and Guelph regions of Ontario.

Norman’s career in social studies, second language and international education includes the completion of the CAIS Diploma in Independent School Leadership and his participation in visiting committees with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS). He has served as vice-chair of the Swiss Group of International Schools (SGIS) for five years including organizer of the SGIS annual educator’s conference for over 40 international schools.

He currently sits on the board of the Conference of Independent Schools (CIS) in Ontario, and chairs the CIS Governance Committee. He has presented at the International Baccalaureate Annual Conferences, international schools in China and is enthusiastic in developing a range of experiential and learning opportunities for students.

Norman holds a BA in history and French from the University of Western Ontario, a B.Ed from Mount Allison, and an M.Ed (Curriculum and Instruction) from McGill University.

NEWS & NOTES

Volunteer spotlight

T

he success of Ashbury’s strategic planning process owes much to Katie Macmillan.

The Ashbury parent of Jack ’16 and James ’03 brings a measured, thoughtful approach to the numerous meetings, surveys and consultative gatherings that have occurred over the past year. An economist by training, Katie has been the face of much of the behind-the-scenes work, supported and buoyed by a task force of committed voices—all of whom are dedicated to building a brighter future for the school.

Katie’s dedication to the school is long standing.

She is a member of the Ashbury Board of Governors and past chair of the Parents’ Committee. Other resumé accomplishments include a stint as Vice Chair of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and frequent commentator on trade and industrial policy issues for groups such as the C.D. Howe Institute, the Conference Board of Canada and the Public Policy Forum. She also served on the Board of Trustees at Queen’s University and was chair of the University’s Governance Review Committee for which she was granted a Distinguished Service Award in 2011.

community. “Students, teachers and staff are proud of Ashbury’s long tradition of academic excellence, its strong co-curricular offerings and its emphasis on character development, service and internationalism,” she says.

So what does the plan need to tackle, according to Katie? “There are definitely issues that need to be addressed if we are to ensure that Ashbury remains financially viable and continues to provide an excellent, well-rounded education,” she says. “The school faces a more challenging demographic and economic situation going forward, and we need to integrate new technologies and new teaching practices.”

With so much time already invested in the plan, and final drafting stages yet to come, Katie admits that taking shortcuts was never an option. “This has been an enormously productive exercise, but it’s also one that takes time to do properly,” she says. “It is really important to have a shared vision of our school’s future so that we can competently tackle the challenges that await us.” a

While Katie describes her work on the strategic plan rewarding, it also offered a few surprises along the way. She says the 1,200 survey responses were a significant form of encouragement for the volunteer team, and she was similarly impressed with the level of teacher, staff and alumni commitment to the process. “The high degree of constructive engagement makes our job much easier,” she says.

Also easing the work is the generally positive feedback solicited from all areas of the Ashbury

26 | Ashbury News

Ashbury’s Strategic Planning Task Force team represents the school’s various communities, drawing on expertise in the fields of education, technology, governance and business.

Thank you to all members. With your help, the future is in good hands.

Board and Parents Michael Fung Kee Fung Cathy McLean Meredithe Rechan Meena Roberts

Teachers, Students, Alumni Rob Hall Melis Kirikoglu John Richardson Jenny Wright

Leadership Team Norman Southward Gary Godkin Brian Storosko

NEWS & NOTES

Annual Gifts A Way To Say Thanks!

H

ugh Scott’88 has been supporting Ashbury College since 2001 through the annual giving program. With solid ties to the school as both an alumnus and parent, Scott’s gifts benefit current students, helping them forge a bright future for themselves, and in turn, for Ashbury.

Why do you donate to Ashbury through annual giving?

I believe that every contribution—large, medium or small— does make a difference to the day-to-day functioning of the school. As a current parent, I am committed to investing in Ashbury’s human capital. As a former student, my financial contribution is a small way to say thank you and recognize the school’s influence on my personal development.

What do you hope your gifts do for the school?

I know that my giving enables students to more actively engage in learning experiences in the classroom, on the playing field, on the stage and in the community.

Why should others support Ashbury in the same way?

If you are a current parent, former student or even a friend of the Ashbury community, you know how annual giving makes a difference. If you are new to Ashbury, I would encourage you to spend a morning, afternoon or evening at the school and see for yourself what a great environment it provides for young people to find their talents and develop into well-rounded young adults.

How will your annual gift make a difference?

G

ifts to Ashbury’s annual giving fund allow the school to respond quickly to help augment the Ashbury experience beyond what tuition alone can cover.

½

33%

Initiate Scholarships of every dollar spent by Ashbury comes from donations

Enhance Co-curricular Activities

of all improvements and renovations to campus buildings come from annual gifts

Support Athletics Beautify our Campus

of Ashbury’s technological needs are funded by annual gifts.

Learn how you can make an annual giving difference today by e-mailing advancement@ashbury.ca

27 | Ashbury News

12¢

Improve Teaching Resources

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Reunion 2013

Honoured years: 1953, 1958, 1963 (50-year), 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988 (25-year), 1993, 1998, 2003 (10-year); and 2008

A

shbury class sprit was alive over the Homecoming weekend (September 27-28, 2013) with anniversary classes coming back to celebrate, reconnect, share stories and commemorate the anniversary of their graduation. This was our best turnout yet with the 10th, 20th, 25th and 50th classes getting good turnouts to their class event and to the overall homecoming.

The events were made possible by the tireless efforts of the class leaders who encouraged their classmates to join the fun. Their efforts not only boosted our numbers on the day, but also resulted in the collection of updated contact information for the school and connected classmates with each other. Ashbury and the Alumni Association wish to thank them for all their hard work.

Thank You! 28 | Ashbury News

Ashbury would like to thank the following volunteers for working tirelessly to make this year’s Reunion our best to date.

JR Booth ’63 Michael Barnes ’73 Nigel Macleod ’73 James Baxter ’83 Rob Hall ’83

Don Cook ’88 Sean McAdam ’88 Hugh Scott ’88 Matt Burns ’93 Alexandra Howard ’93

Dan Iny ’93 Dan Stanley ’93 Tom St. John ’93 Shamir Daya ’03 Stuart Gray ’03

Top: Gary Godkin, John Booth ’63, Rev. John Brown ’63, John Bethune ’63 and Sahir Khan ’88. John Booth’s son Matthew Booth is a graduate from the class of 2002 and John Bethune’s son, John Junior, graduated in 1998. Middle: Gary Godkin, Head of Senior School, David Fair ’48, John Woods ’48 and Sahir Khan ’88 Bottom: Front row, Christine Brown Shirota ’93, Margaret Floyd Barry ’93, Alexandra Howard ’93 Back Row, Sahir Khan ’88, Martin Ritchie ’88, Pat Dufour ’88, Ross Tavel ’93, Daniel Iny ’93, Daniel Stanley ’93, Anthony Capello ’93, Tommy St. John ’93, Gary Godkin and Chris Holmes ’93

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Top: Front row, Trevor Rochester ’88 and Brian Murray ’88 Middle row, Vince Kazmierski ’88, Saree Parry ’88, Nicole Turcotte ’88, Rachel Young ’88, Stephanie Haffner ’88, Hugh Scott ’88, Rowan Sanders ’88, Zaa Nkweta ’88 ,Don Cook ’88 Back row, Peter Breeden ’88, Matthew Bassett ’88, Sean McAdam ’88, Gary Godkin, Rod Allsop ’88 and Sahir Khan ’88 Bottom: Front row, Peter Valentine ’03, Vincent Lo ’03, Sahir Khan ’88, Hilary Kilgour ’88, Denise Murphy ’03, Adam Cohen ’03, Devon Purcell ’03 Middle Row, Chris Colton ’03, Bob Heater ’03, Liz Hope ’03, Holly Ralph Ormsby ’03, Shawn Major ’03, Emily Shore ’03, Shamir Daya ’03, Stuart Gray ’03, Danny Wojcik ’03, Andrew Robertson ’03, Mike McIssac ’03, Karim Merani ’03 Back Row, Hugh Denton ’03, Dan Mirsky ’03, Paul Bastianelli ’03, Amanda Shore ’03, Carina Siegmund ’03, Sophie Duschesne ’03, Gary Godkin, Alex Baranick ’03, Billy Joe Siekierski ’03, Mark Singer ’03, Rahim Dhalla’03, Jonathan Holsworth ’03

REUNION 2014 September 26–27

1964 (50-Year), 1989 (25-Year), 2004 (10-Year), ’54, ’59, ’69, ’74, ’79, ’84, ’94, ’99, ’09 Class of ’84 Wendy Habets whabets@ymail.com

Class of ’89 Trushar Patel Trushar.patel@ugh.com

Class of ’94 Class of ’04 Mandy Miller Elizabeth Miller Mandy.miller@kohler.com emiller@qmed.ca

All other years, please contact erin.johnson@ashbury.ca

29 | Ashbury News

Honoured Years:

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Profiles

Alumni

C

30 | Ashbury News

atherine Bobiash ’12 From Ashbury to the Rest of the World

After graduating from Ashbury College in 2012, I chose a different path than most of the others in my graduating class.

Not many North Americans take a year off school in between high school and university. In Europe, mainly in the U.K. and Scandinavia, it is more common to have a year off than to go directly into university. During my gap year I spent time working, volunteering and studying in France, Ecuador and Indonesia. It was a year of freedom and discovery and I want to share these tremendous experiences with you.

What resonated with me most after my year of travels is how much I enjoyed, learned and grew from my experiences volunteering and working in different fields than I have in the past. Growing up in a diplomatic family, I have lived on several continents, so I thought I was as prepared as any 18-year-old girl could be. Little did I know of the things I would learn first hand—starting with the fact that one should not travel across Europe with so many suitcases!

Prior to my gap year, my international experiences living overseas were always with the comforts of home, schooling in my native tongue, friends from similar backgrounds, and the opportunity to cook the vegetarian food I’ve always loved. For example, when I lived in Ghana, I lived with Canadian comforts, not as a girl living with African traditions. During this gap year, however, I integrated myself with the local people, celebrating local festivities, customs and traditions.

I’ve always been fascinated by seeing how people can live with such similar lifestyles, yet have very different social views and beliefs. My gap year provided me with another, more hands-on approach of learning about difference between people. Because of this, I am now more confident about my views and way of life because I have experienced the diverse realities experienced by others.

Over the course of my travels, I enjoyed mini croissants smothered with cheese from our neighbouring goat farmers as a snack while on breaks in vineyards in France. I indulged in freshly-made chocolate directly from the factory in the Ecuadorian Andes. I had first-hand experience savoring

coffee grown on the plantation where I worked in the Galapagos Islands.

I made many mistakes along the way, but now I know how to prevent many travel mishaps. For example, I missed my stop on a train once in France, almost leading me on a six-hour trip to Paris, which was far from my actual destination! At least now I know to listen to the hushed, yet important, mumbles escaping overhead speakers. I also learned that much too often, your co-workers rarely tell you all that you need to know. It’s vital to understand how and why you are supposed to do something and this requires asking questions for clarification. If I hadn’t asked how to use the machete during my conservation work in Galapagos, I mightn’t have made it home in one piece.

This year gave me time to reflect on my future career, allowed me to meet different people, and gave me many work and volunteer experiences. Above all, it allowed me to jump out of my comfort zone. Thanks to my dedication and my parents’ trust that I would still pursue university and make good decisions while overseas, I have memories that could only have happened during this special year.

I will not deny that returning to the stressful and intense life that I predict university to be will be difficult after 14 months out of school. However, I am excited to start the next chapter of my life.

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

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olin Mcadam ’89

Reflections on Writing

Colin McAdam ’89 is a Canadian novelist and writer. He is the author of Some Great Thing, published in 2004, which won the Books in Canada First Novel Award. His second novel, Fall, published in 2009, won the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction.

His latest novel, A Beautiful Truth, won the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize for 2013. In recognition of this latest accolade, Ashbury News asked Colin to reflect on his work and his time at Ashbury.

Q: What was your reaction winning the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize last fall?

A: I was surprised. My books have luckily been nominated for lots of things in the past, but they’ve won few of them. I think people can have strong reactions to the books, so they’re not really built for three-person juries, which is how these awards are normally decided. Anyway, I was thrilled.

A: I had spent a long time pretending to myself that I didn’t need recognition. I think that was the biggest shock of hearing my name called. Turns out I really wanted it. I needed the encouragement. This can be a lonely and ill-paid job. So I’m moving on a bit less lonely and a bit better paid.

And I’ll probably go back to pretending that I don’t need recognition—even though it’s dishonest of me, it’s somehow more healthy for the writing.

Q: Do you have any memories of writing during your time at Ashbury?

A: You know, I remember hating creative writing at Ashbury.

I really didn’t trust it. I was a weird, reactionary little fuddy-

dud back then. The teachers I liked most were the ones who fostered curiosity and got me reading all kinds of things (I was definitely more of a reader than a writer). And that set me up well for becoming a writer later.

Q: What’s next? What are you working on now?

A: I’ve started writing a novel about an old lady with dementia. Does that sound sexy? My last one was about chimpanzees, and I spent a long time thinking about what human beings are as creatures—what we do to survive, and why. I think I’m still following those thoughts, and I’m aware that as a society we are increasingly curious about old age—what it means and how long we should live for. I like the idea of finding the fun amidst the fairly miserable business of aging.

I know a fantastically positive woman who has more or less lost her mind, and I’m trying to show her spirit.

Do you have a story or update to share? Connect with fellow alumni about your post-Ashbury experiences, or tell us how Ashbury shaped who you are today.

E-mail us at alumni@ashbury.ca We would love to hear from you!

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Q: What will the recognition mean to you and your work?

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Ashbury

Chatter

Spotlight on Alumni and Friends

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n September, the Canadian Museum of History (formerly the Canadian Museum of Civilization) acquired a selection of racing trophies, memorabilia and archival material from E.P. Taylor’s Windfields Farms, the Oshawa-area landmark where Canadian thoroughbred Northern Dancer was born and raised. Taylor was born in Ottawa in 1901 and attended Ashbury from 1911 to 1914. He went on to a successful career in business, creating Canadian Breweries Ltd., and serving as a cabinet minister for C.D. Howe during the Second World War. With a collection on par with artefacts from other Canadian icons of sport, the museum says it will showcase the selection of 97 Northern Dancer items in its planned Canadian history hall, starting in 2017.

Class of 1964 50th Reunion September 26–27, 2014 Honoured Year. To volunteer or for information, contact Erin Johnson, erin.johnson@ashbury.ca

Ashbury Remembers Our annual Remembrance Day services are an important way for students to connect to the past and appreciate sacrifices made generations before. Having alumni participate in these services, and hearing their stories first-hand, helps brings history to life for our current students and staff.

This year, we were lucky enough to be joined by John Woods ’48, Brad Hampson ’82 and Bill Eastwood ’56, all of whom shared their experience—and music— with students, making the occasion memorable indeed. this special certificate in the House of Commons. On his right is Steven Blaney, Canada’s former Minister of Veterans Affairs (now Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), and on his left is the Hon. Peter Mackay, former Minister of National Defence (now Minister of Justice).

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aj. Gerald Wharton ’52, (MVO, CD, Ret.) is a driving force behind Wreaths Across Canada, an initiative that aims to lay a wreath on the grave of every veteran buried in the National Military Cemetary in Ottawa. Started

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ohn Woods ’48 was recognized for his Korean War service as he received a special citation from the government, thanking him for defending democracy in South Korea. He was presented with

in 2011, the wreaths symbolize thanks to those who served their country.

Commemoration takes place on the first Sunday of December.

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everal old boys got together for their annual reunion to share stories about their “good old days” at Ashbury College. Pictured in the front row are Chris Nowakowski ’55 and Alan Gill ’62. Back row: Bruce Hilary ’57, David Graham ’55 and Ned Rhodes ’55.

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avid Hornell ’57 came for a visit to the school in November. He

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

FLASHBACK

particularly enjoyed visiting the chapel, which brought back many memories of his days as a boarder.

on asylum, refugee and migration policies and with the Commission on Global Governance, both in Geneva.

Class of 1969 Class of 1974 Class of 1979 September 26–27, 2014 To volunteer or for information, contact Erin Johnson, erin.johnson@ashbury.ca

We asked and you answered! We now have names to put to all the faces in this 1975 photo. Thanks to everyone who helped solve this photographic mystery.

The photo was taken high above Heney Lake in the Gatineau Hills. Teacher John Beedell (standing right) led a group of Grade 8 outdoor education students on a trail through to Mont Ste. Marie.

The Class of 1980 students are, from left: Brian Whitney, Jonathan Turner, Kelly Mahoney, James Fraser, Danny Segall, Douglas Squires, Ian Nicol, and David Farquhar.

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eter Due ’87 serves as the representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Office in Belgrade (UNOB). From September 2009 to July 2013, he was the special assistant to the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and head of the front office of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) at the UN Secretariat in New York. He previously served DPKO in New York in various other capacities, including as team leader for West Africa and as team leader for Europe and Latin America.

Earlier in his international career, Peter worked in the field as a political affairs officer in Kosovo with UNMIK and in Sierra Leone with UNAMSIL, and as a humanitarian affairs officer in Liberia with UNOMIL. He also worked with the inter-governmental consultations

In his national diplomatic service, Peter Due served with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen and at the Danish Embassy in Eritrea.

Peter holds degrees in philosophy, politics and economics as well as international relations from the universities of Oxford, Geneva and Copenhagen. He speaks Danish, English, French and German. He is married with one son.

YOUR GIFT HAS AN IMPACT a l u m n i

f u n d

Today, a shifting economy poses a significant challenge to Ashbury-bound students, but alumni and friends have the ability to turn the dream of a quality education into solid reality.

• By investing in students, we transform the trajectory of the individual.

• By providing the means for outstanding scholars to reach their potential, we skip a stone into the waters of promise, creating unlimited ripples of hope.

Now is the time to make a steadfast promise of financial support to deserving students who have earned the right to call themselves Ashburians. By investing in their potential, we move confidently toward the future and maintain the value of an Ashbury College education.

Thank you for supporting an Ashbury education.

Ever y gi ft count s : a s hbur y.ca /g i ve

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• By supporting education at Ashbury, you enable us to provide financial aid to more than 50 deserving students each year, allowing them to make an impact that benefits communities across the globe.

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

covery Channel, History, National Geographic, HGTV and Slice TV. He is currently directing Coldwater Cowboys, a Discovery Channel series set off the coast of Newfoundland. He lives near other Sheehans in downtown Toronto.

eventually led me to this fulfilling, exciting career.” Michael meets often with John Drake ’82, and the pair are full of good words about their old school.

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otomasa Mori ’87 came by the school for a visit with Vicky Wilgress in October. He was very impressed with the new facilities! Motomasa is a Creative/Production Manager at Greener Print Solutions in Vancouver.

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olin McAdam ’89 was the winner of the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize for 2013. Colin took home the prominent $25,000 award for his novel A Beautiful Truth, which tells the story of an infertile couple who adopt a chimpanzee. Read more about Colin’s reaction to the win on Page 31.

This past year, Michael was seen on posters around Toronto, promoting Film Studies at Ryerson University. Michael says Ashbury gave him a strong foundation for his career in film studies. “From Hugh Robertson’s essay-writing classes, to the late Drummond Lister’s brilliant English classes, and of course Greg Simpson’s drama/theatre—all of which

Sliding Success

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Class of 1984 30th Reunion September 26–27, 2013 To volunteer or for information, please contact Wendy Habets, whabets@ymail.com

The recent Olympic Games held in Sochi, Russia had an impressive Ashbury connection. Max Storey ’90 helped design the Sanki Sliding Centre’s 1,500 metre-long sliding track used for the bobsled, luge and skeleton events.

Love of sport runs in the Storey family, with Max’s father Bob’s long involvement as an athlete, coach and administrator in bobsleigh competitions.

Max is now the current president of the Ontario Bobsleigh Skeleton Association. A former teacher at Ridley College and Costa Rica Country Day School, Max lives in Ottawa where he is vice president of the ISC/IBG Group, the company contracted for the design project, which began eight years ago.

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ichael Sheehan ’89 bumped into Charles Haines ’88 this summer while buying an axe in Ladysmith, Ontario. Charles was shopping while sporting a tennis injury!

Michael has written and directed over 100 hours of docudrama, documentary and reality TV programming for Dis-

Photo by M. Smelter

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Class of 1994 20th Reunion September 26–27, 2013 To volunteer or for information, contact Mandy Miller, mandy. miller@kohler.com

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iti Saleh ’92 and Theo Breedon are thrilled to announce the arrival of Henry William Suleiman Breedon, who was born on August 21, 2013. He is a brother to Elliott and a nephew of David Saleh ’88.

aniel Baxter ’97 and Melissa Rousseau are delighted to announce the birth of Benjamin Michael Baxter (right) on October 10, 2013. The family now resides in Ottawa, just a few blocks away from Ashbury College. Mary Baxter, Ashbury teacher, is thrilled at the addition of a second grandchild into the Baxter family.

Class of 1998 15th Reunion September 26–27, 2013 To volunteer or for information, please contact Erin Johnson, erin.johnson@ashbury.ca

ASHBURY’S ARCHIVES NEED YOUR HELP Do you have items of Ashbury memorabilia suitable for our archives? Check your closets, the basement and even under the bed to locate a long lost treasure you can share.

We’re always looking for pieces of school history to add to our collection.

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hitney Kucey ’01 married Matt Higgins on January 20, 2014 in Runaway Bay Jamaica. Pictured in the photo from left to right are Meredith Kucey Jones ’97, Andrea Kucey, Whitney Kucey, Matt Higgins, Amantha Kucey Lalonde ’95 and Jamie Higgins.

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onathan Estabrooks ’02 has released a debut album, titled These Miles, available in April. The classical-crossover project features a full orchestra, worldrenowned guest artists and Grammy award-winning producers. Jonathan launched a kickstarter campaign to help fund the album and is excited to share the results with the world!

Archives most wanted list: • Ashbury clothing • Team photos • Yearbooks If you have an item to donate, • Trophies please contact archives@ashbury.ca • Medals

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tuart Robinson ’02 married Jodi Gayton, on December 6, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. The groomsmen

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Class of 1989 25th Reunion September 26–27, 2013 Honoured Year. To volunteer or for information, contact Trushar Patel trushar.patel@ugh.com

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

included Craig and Drew Robinson ’00, Tim Booth ’02 and James Kenny ’02. Stuart’s dad, Mike Robinson is a Life Governor of Ashbury College.

age, and further solidified through her work at the Just for Laughs Festival. She is very much looking forward to her new role as a comedy publicist and encourages all who visit NYC to attend a comedy show. She hopes she will reconnect with many alumni visiting the Big Apple.

Class of 2004 10th Reunion September 26–27, 2013 Honoured Year. To volunteer or for information, Elizabeth Miller emiller@qmed.ca

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ichel Pratte ’03 and Tanya Taylor were married April 20, 2013 in Barbados. Michel is now vice president, Media Ventures, at Temple Street Productions, working out of Toronto and New York. Tanya is a women’s wear designer with her own fashion line, Tanya Taylor, in Manhattan. They met at McGill in 2003, and the rest is history!

Rob Jarvis ’03 flew in from Shanghai to attend and do a reading at the ceremony, and James Macmillan ’03 was one of Michel’s groomsmen. A grand time was had by all.

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anpo Yu ’04 came by the school for a visit in October, to give his fiancée, Zhao Liu, a tour. He was so pleased to see many familiar faces among the teaching and non-teaching staff, including Tui Noonan in the Wellness Centre. The two discussed Hanpo’s current job working in the pharmaceutical and medical devices business in China. Hanpo is currently based in Beijing.

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mily Shore ’03 decided it’s time for a change after living in Montreal for many years. She will be leaving her position as Communications Coordinator/Publicist at McGill University’s Office for Science & Society and heading to New York City, pursuing her passion of working in the world of entertainment and comedy. Emily’s love for show business developed at a young

eoffrey Seaborn ’05 completed his PhD in computer science at Queen’s University on December 20, 2013. For his thesis, Geoffrey developed medical software that allows patients at high risk for complications to be identified following surgery so that they can be targeted for preventative measures.

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ilary Reiche ’07 married Kyle Schmidingeron October 26, 2013 in Pembroke, Ontario (photo right). Kyle is in the Canadian Forces and Hilary is a Learning Disability Specialist and Registered Social Worker.

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hilippe Sly ’07 performed in Handel’s Messiah at the National Arts Centre on December 17 and 18, 2013. Philippe is an incredible bassbaritone and his performance in the Messiah was outstanding. He is already gaining international notoriety for his “beautiful, blooming tone and magnetic stage presence”.

After graduating from Ashbury College, Philippe graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. He is also an alumnus of San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program where he performed the role of Dr. Barolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia. A recording artist with Analekta Records, his first solo album entitled

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

In Dreams was released in October 2012 to great critical acclaim, followed by an all-Rameau album entitled Les amants trahis with Hélène Guilmette and Luc Beauséjour. Interested alumni are invited to check Philippe’s website at www.philippesly.com for details about upcoming performances and releases.

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aho Kajiwara ’08 married Kay Sakiyama on May 19, 2013 at a historical sake brewery in Fukuoka,

Impressions of a Science Teacher I recently ran into Ms. Susan Wall who was my IB biology teacher for two years. She was an excellent teacher and probably one of the best teachers I ever had at Ashbury. She was kind, enthusiastic, and always willing to encourage the class and inspire them to share a love of learning and science. She taught us that science can be cool, through games and interactive learning approaches that extended outside the classroom. She always had a smile at the end of the day.

I am now in my second year of a pediatric residency program at CHEO. Since Ashbury, I completed an honours bachelor of science degree at the University of Toronto, and pursued a master’s of public health in global disease epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Baltimore Maryland). I then completed a four-year medical doctorate at the University of Toronto, and started my training at CHEO in July of 2012. I will be pursuing a career in integrative pediatrics, incorporating evidence-based complementary medicine practices and therapies in a western/allopathic pediatrics medicine framework.

Ms. Wall was a huge inspiration to me in high school, and one of many factors that led to a career in medicine. – Amitha Kalaichandran ’02

OTTAWA LUXURY PROPERTIES

For further information or to join the Partner program, please contact Ray Satterthwaite at 613.749.9630 ext. 321 or rsatterthwaite@ashbury.ca

Ashbury College is grateful the companies that have stepped up to partner with the school on our fundraising activities. These companies have supported the school’s events over the last four years helping to raise over $400,000 that goes right back into school programs. The Ashbury Ball and the Golf Classic are just two of our school events that have received partnership funding—and support for these events has made its way back to help fund the Creative Learning Centre, generate 10 student scholarships, and make numerous purchases for Ashbury’s academic and co-curricular programs.

Please say thank you to our partners when you get the chance—they are truly making a difference in our school.

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Thank You to Our Partners

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Japan. Friends and family from around the world attended the reception at the cultural site. Saho met Kay in Ottawa during her three-year study at Ashbury.

The couple are now enjoying their life in Japan, but also hope to come back to Ottawa in the future.

otherwise created impact in their communities. Reach out to Mimi at omayaki@marsdd.com Class of 2009 5th Reunion September 26–27, 2013 To volunteer or for information, please contact Erin Johnson, erin.johnson@ashbury.ca

university, acted as reporter, asking several of her classmates to come up with Ottawa’s name—with most failing as a result. See the video on YouTube by searching for Roving Reporter: Canada.

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ueen’s University had some help from Ashbury muscle on their rugby 1st team last fall. Pictured left to right are Teddy Taggart ’11, Ryan Aimers ’11, Mark Charette ’11 and Brendan McGovern ’09.

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imi Mayaki ’09 is working at Studio Y, a new leadership and innovation fellowship at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto. This program is designed to bring young leaders to a forum that encourages innovation, entrepreneurship and growth all within the context of supporting projects that will have a social impact. Mimi is looking to connect with Ashbury alumni who are innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, rebels, techies, or who have

oe Wright ’12 started fencing at Ottawa’s RA Centre when he was just eight years old. As he got older, he started to compete at local tournaments and enjoyed the competitive atmosphere in the Ottawa Fencing Club. Joe, who is currently studying neuroscience at Carleton University, managed to balance his fencing and academics, recently winning silver at the Canada Games.

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lastair Keyes ’13 started fencing at age nine as a member of the Ottawa Fencing Club. He has been a member of the Cadet National Team and competed at the Cadet World Championships in Jordan and Moscow. He is also a member of the Junior National Team.

Alastair recently took home a gold medal in fencing at the Canada Games.

Ashbury Mentorship Program Are you interested in mentoring young alumni?

Contact alumni@ashbury.ca for more information

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essie Zhang ’13 was part of a team of Harvard videographers who made international headlines in November, thanks to their video asking American students to name the capital of Canada. Zhang, who is studying at the

Springfest 2014

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Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

All Ashbury parents, families and alumni are invited to this year’s Springfest on Saturday, May 3, hosted by the Ashbury A Club and the Ashbury Guild.

Join us at the school and kick off the day with the first rugby match at 10 a.m. A Club Canteen, BBQ and live entertainment will all be on site!

All alumni are also invited to a 4 p.m. pub hour in the school after closing activities!

Please register at: ashbury.ca/springfest

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Travels

Ashbury

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shbury is proud to have alumni living all over the world—and we try to visit as many of them as we can.

Ashbury’s Director of Admissions, Bruce Mutch, met with several alumni, parents and interested students during his tour of Germany in October. There was so much school spirit, we dubbed the week Ashbury-fest, as our visit coincided with the German Oktoberfest (we think our event was more fun!).

We also caught up with alumni in Ottawa and Halifax to raise a toast to Ashbury!

Ashbury is coming to the following cities to meet with alumni

Vancouver April 15

Toronto April 23

NYC May 13

London, UK May 28

E-mail us at alumni@ashbury.ca if you’re interested in hosting an event in your city.

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Top left: Ashbury in Germany Top right: Alunmi reception in Halifax Left and bottom: Ottawa alumni reception at the Clocktower Brew Pub.

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

In

Memoriam

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ngus Wilson ’40, who with his brothers Robert ’40 and Ralph ’34 attended Ashbury, passed away on August 27, 2013. Angus served in the Second World War in the Italian Campaign. He later graduated with a BSA from the Ontario Agricultural College, and was also a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for Community Service. We were proud to see Angus present at our Remembrance Day services at Ashbury College.

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ev. David Bewley passed away on October 30, 2013 in Ottawa. David was the assistant curate at Christ Church Cathedral, Chaplain at Ashbury College and Rector of St. Luke’s Anglican Church.

He eventually retired due to health issues, continuing his service to the Ottawa Diocese through his work setting up and running the Diocesan website as well as many other church websites.

David served as the Reverend at Ashbury College from 1987 to 1990.

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rthur Pigott, past parent, passed away on November 2, 2013 in Ottawa. He was the husband of the late Jean Pigott and father of John, David ’79, Chair of Ashbury’s Foundation Board and Mary-Jane, grandfather of Mary ’06, William ’10 (Pigott), James ’12 and Kevin ’13 (Vuckovic) and uncle of Don Cook ’88 and Kelly Cook Kubrick ’89.

Arthur was an extremely kind, gentle, and creative man. He had an open mind, heart and kind word for all whom he met. Jean was the love of his life and the two were inseparable through 56 years of marriage. They were partners in life and business, both committed to support and share in each other’s endeavours.

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eslie Barnes, past parent and former Governor with Ashbury College’s Board of Governors, passed away on November 4, 2013. Leslie’s two sons attended Ashbury College: Charlie ’70 and Michael ’73. After graduating from Cambridge, Leslie returned to Canada where he helped build the Proof and Ballistics Directorate in the Department of National Defence. His dedication to labour economics led him to being appointed Executive Director of the Professional Institute of the Public Service. During his term he advocated many major improvements that enhanced both the collective agreements and working conditions for countless federal employees.

He then took up his original desire— teaching—and authored research for both Queen’s University and the Canadian War Museum before joining the executive of the 160,000 member National Association of Federal Retirees (FSNA) as his final job, working well into his 80s. Highly principled with a strong sense of social justice, Leslie was active in the Anglican diocese and was awarded the Centennial Medal.

caring husband, as well as best friend, to Judy, dear brother to Faith, devoted dad to Iain, Andrew, Leslie, and David, and the best Boppa ever to Marley, Luke, Ben, and Rylie.

He blessed many lives as a teacher, father-in-law, friend, colleague, uncle, coach, brother-in-law, housemaster, or the Rev. A memorial service wil be held in the chapel on Friday, July 18 at 1 p.m.

Refreshements to follow. Donations in Eric’s memory can be made to the Ashbury College Chapel Fund.

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erald Green ’42 passed away on December 3, 2013 in Ottawa. After graduating from Ashbury College, he went on to earn a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering, and later, a master’s in economics. He also served in the Second World War with the 69th Infantry Division of the United States Army. A long-time resident of Rockcliffe Park, Gerald spent most of his career in the Federal Department of Trade.

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ric Detchon ’60 passed away peacefully Christmas morning in hospital in Duncan, B.C. Eric was a loving and

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r. Peter Russel Thurston ’66 passed away on February 26, 2014 surrounded by his family. Beloved husband of Danielle (St. Denis) of 37 years. Loving father to Alex (Lauren), Susan (Matt) and Madelaine (Stefano). Adored grandfather to James Russel Thurston. Cherished son of Olive, former staff at Ashbury College and the late Frank Thurston.

Be an

Ashbury

Ambassador!

Do you know a student who might be a good fit for Ashbury?

If you are interested in hosting an event for Ashbury, we want to hear from you. Thanks to the generosity of our friends across Canada and around the world, more families are hearing about what Ashbury has to offer.

E-mail admissions@ashbury.ca to discuss planning an event today.

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Over 80% of our referrals come from our students, parents and alumni.

Help spread the word about our great school by letting interested families know about the world-class education available on our campus.

Ashbury College 362 Mariposa Avenue Ottawa, ON K1M 0T3 ashbury.ca

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