Emblem Experts predict massive educational change in the next decade. What does this mean for Elmwood?
Ahead of the Curve
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So, What is Duke of Ed? An Inspiring Girl: Paige Tremblay ’15
Drop-down Menus and Think-aloud Strategies: Elmwood’s New Student Success Centre
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: ELMWOOD’S 2013 – 2014 PHILANTHROPY REPORT
INTRODUCING THE NEW AND IMPROVED
ELMWOOD EMBLEM! We are thrilled to be re-launching our Elmwood Emblem in a new format— a full-size magazine— in preparation for our Centennial in 2015 – 2016. Many members of the Elmwood community told us that they were interested in learning more about our school. With this in mind, we set about changing the format of our newsletter so it contained more information about our academic program, the diverse members of our learning community as well as key performance metrics such as graduation statistics and how successful we were in our fundraising efforts. We are also very excited to feature a number of our alumnae. You will find stories about women who are changing the world through their leadership, charitable work, expertise and sheer determination. It is wonderful for us to see Elmwood alumnae who are living examples of the school’s mission. We invite all our alumnae to keep in touch with the school, either by contacting Elise Aylen at eaylen@elmwood.ca or through the Alumnae Directory on our school website: www.elmwood.ca. We sincerely hope you enjoy this first edition. It has been a labour of love over the past few months. The Elmwood Emblem will be a twice a year publication, so you can look forward to the next copy arriving in your mailbox in the spring. Sincerely, Cheryl Boughton Headmistress
FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the new, super-sized Elmwood Emblem! As we were putting the stories on the following pages together, I couldn’t help but marvel at the unique, talented, caring and successful girls that have walked the halls of Elmwood.
I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as I’ve enjoyed compiling them. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any feedback: tstirling@elmwood.ca. Warm regards,
Thank you to the many staff, students and alumnae who have contributed to this first issue of the Elmwood Emblem. Your assistance and support is greatly appreciated.
Teresa Stirling Director of Communications
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AHEAD OF THE CURVE
DROP-DOWN MENUS AND THINK-ALOUD STRATEGIES: ELMWOOD’S NEW STUDENT SUCCESS CENTRE
It’s -40° Celsius, the coldest week of January. Do you know where your daughters are?
Nearly 100 years after its foundation, Elmwood has a proud tradition of innovation. Find out where we’re headed next. By Cheryl Boughton
SO, WHAT IS DUKE OF ED?
The Centre is helping girls develop cognitive problem-solving skills. Find out why this is key to 21st-century success. By Teresa Stirling and Katie Fraser
News and Notes.....................................2
Graduate Success...............................12
Closing 2014............................................6
Ahead of the Curve............................16
Message from the Headmistress....8
Drop-down Menus and Think-aloud Strategies ...................20
Valedictory Address......................... 10 Message from the Chair....................11
By Catherine Coulter
16 Elmwood’s Own Are Making a Difference...........................................26 Alumni News........................................ 28 Philanthropy Report.........................30
So, What is Duke of Ed? ................ 22
Class Notes............................................ 38
An Inspiring Girl: Paige Tremblay ’15.............................24 editor:
Teresa Stirling Director of Communications contributors:
Elise Aylen Dana Borschewski Cheryl Boughton Catherine Coulter Ellen Ewert Katie Fraser Mike Greenley Blanche Talbot Aashna Uppal ’14
photographers:
Alex Kall Dwayne Brown Caroline Kim design:
Ryan Mesheau
The Elmwood Emblem is published twice a year for the entire Elmwood community by Elmwood’s Communications Department
above
elmwood school
on the cover Alexus Oakes ’24 uses an iPad Mini to practice her math skills.
261 Buena Vista Rd. Ottawa ON K1M 0V9 Phone: (613) 749-6761 Email: info@elmwood.ca www.elmwood.ca
Claire Murray ’21 and Tara Hanson-Wright ’21 participate in an experiment during a visit from “Scientists in School.” photo by alex kall
photo by dwayne brown
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1 Maizie Solomon ’21 shares the findings of her research into Solar Energy at the PYP Exhibition 2 Louisa James-Beswick ’15 accepts her award for Lead Actress in a Play 3 Elmwood’s Classics Team heads off to compete at Brock University 4 Headmistress Cheryl Boughton presents gifts to Elmwood Parents’ Association volunteers 5 Olivia Cassarramona ’14 is thrilled to receive an award for Best Supporting Actress in a Play 6 Fundraiserextraordinaire Maya Mainland-Gratton ’17 receives an award from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for her efforts 7 Victoria Devine-Ducharme ’21 researched “Grassoline” for her PYP Exhibition project.
NEWS AND NOTES An Energetic Exhibition The Exhibition is the culminating activity for students in their last year of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). Our Grade Five students participated in a six-week research process, during which they engaged in a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry that involved them in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues. The central idea of the research was entirely student-driven. This year, using the concept of “Sharing the Planet” as their main focus, the students in Elmwood’s Grade Five class explored the central idea that “energy use is everyone’s responsibility” for their research. Students had the opportunity to present their research to their peers, teachers, parents and the community at large. Their presentations took the form of written work, oral presentations, and the performing arts. Students also incorporated a wide range of technology. This year, some of the topics that were presented at the PYP Exhibition included: • Solar energy • Non-renewable resources • Electricity over the years • The carbon footprint • Tidal power Congratulations to our Grade Five students for their hard work, excellent presentations, and for completing the IB PYP Programme.
Fundraising for the Cure Elmwood Grade Nine student, Maya Mainland-Gratton ’17, was recognized by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Ontario Region for her outstanding contribution towards creating a future without breast cancer. Maya received the Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award at a celebration at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York, hosted by Beverly Thompson. Maya raised over $10,000 as part of the Elmwood Eagles Run for the Cure team last October. Science Success Out of 2300 candidates across Canada participating in the Michael Smith Science Challenge, Fumi Shibutani ’16 placed in the top 1%, Cecille Wu ’16 placed in the top 10%, and Samantha Thompson-Spence ’16 and Yilin Wang ’16 placed in the top 25%. This is a national competition written by students in Grade 10 science or lower. It emphasizes logical thinking, and covers material in the science curriculum common to all provinces. It is named in honour of UBC’s Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Michael Smith, and is sponsored by the UBC Faculty of Science and NSERC PromoScience. Math Masters Waterloo University’s Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing develops and administers the Pascal, Cayley and Fermat Math Contests to help to inspire the next generation
of students to develop an interest in and love for mathematics. A number of Elmwood students received Certificates of Distinction for scoring in the top 25% of all competitors: Pascal Contest (24,196 competitors) Emma Hunter ’17, Dora Deng ’17 and Mia Fitzpatrick ’17 Cayley Contest (19,014 competitors) Yilin Wang ’16, Brianna Conga-Cave’16, Jing Qiu ’16 and Monica Alicea ’17 Fermat Contest (15,475 competitors) Christine Ding ’15 Accolades for our Actresses! Elmwood School’s senior theatre program proudly presented Paul Ledoux’s The Secret Garden, adapted from the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett this spring. The production was well received by audiences and was nominated in the Capital Cappies Best Play category. Congratulations to Director, Angela Boychuk, for mounting such an excellent production! Elmwood Theatre also received seven additional nominations, and two of our actresses took home the trophy in their respective categories: Louisa James-Beswick ’15 won for Lead Actress in a Play and Olivia Cassarramona ’14 was named Best Supporting Actress in a Play. Congratulations to all the nominees, as well as Elmwood Theatre’s entire cast and crew!
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NEWS AND NOTES Classics Team Brings Home the Hardware Elmwood’s Classics Team travelled to St. Catharine’s this spring to compete in the Ontario Student Classics Conference at Brock University. At this Conference, 400 – 500 students from over 20 schools from across the province compete in events within the Academic, Athletic and Creative categories. The primary focus of Elmwood’s team was the Creative events, where they truly excelled, winning five first-place team trophies, including the Thompson Trophy for top per capita score. Zoe Auclair ’17 and Samantha Thompson-Spence ’16 also tied for the Top Creative Student award. Celebrating our Future Alumnae On March 5th the Class of 2014 gathered for what has become an exciting Elmwood tradition—the 100 Nights Dinner. Held 100 nights before their commencement, it was an opportunity to celebrate with their classmates and teachers, reflect on their time together, and look forward to the next chapter in their lives as Elmwood Alumnae. After a fantastic dinner catered by the Elmwood Bistro, the Grade 12s heard from Mr. Small, who reflected on his memories of the class, Sarah Yan ’05, who shared her experiences as an Alumna, and Head Girl Aashna Uppal ’14, who encouraged her classmates to enjoy the time they had left at the School. The guests also played some fun trivia games, took a turn in the Instagram photobooth, and mingled with Alumnae (Marielle McGovern ’05, Jane Reisman ’07, Sheila McKeen ’08 and Neha Goel ’04 were also in attendance). It was a night the girls will surely remember for years to come! Our Dedicated Staff At our final staff celebration of the 2013 – 2014 school year, we took time to shine the spotlight on a number of staff members celebrating milestones. Congratulations to: Malek Puran – 10 years Corey Sproule – 10 years Angela Boychuk – 20 years Helen Dellaire – 20 years Annette Rossiter – 25 years Thank you for you dedication to the School, and most of all, our students. 4
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Elmwood Scholars Congratulations to Elmwood’s internal scholarship recipients for 2014 – 15! MYP Scholarship – awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, contribute to school life and have shown exceptional understanding and practice of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile. • Grace Brunner ’21 • Grace Charness ’21 • Claire Goldberg ’21 • Lauren Ho ’21 • Mila Mierins ’21 • Caitlin Walsh ’21 Senior School Scholarship – awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, contribute to school life and have demonstrated postitive leadership ability through involvement in school life and/or the greater community. • Bronte Assadzadeh ’18 • Hannah Charness ’18 • Eva Sabine ’18 • Ava Vandenbelt ’18 • Emma Young ’18 • Madeleine Klebanoff O’Brien ’17 Summa Summarum Scholarship – awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence, contribute to school life and appreciate the benefits of and understand the expected rigour and commitment level of the IB Diploma Programme. • Sreenija Koya ’16 • Brooke Mierins ’16 • Laura Morrison ’16 • Fumi Shibutani ’16 Keep the Faith In recognition of our belief that it is of paramount importance to publicly celebrate our community of donors, the Pactum Serva Society was established to honour those who have made significant financial contributions to Elmwood School. The name Pactum Serva comes from the plea of our first Headmistress, Theodora Philpot, for others to “Keep the Faith” and support the work she had started. Today, the names of the members of the Pactum Serva Society are recorded on the Pactum Serva donor wall.
On April 8th we gathered for our annual and much-anticipated Pactum Serva Dinner—an occasion for us to show our appreciation to our most generous donors. The Elmwood Bistro catered a delicious meal, and a fantastic time was had by all. Volunteers Rule! On June 9th we invited a group of dedicated parents and friends of Elmwood to gather in the marquee tent as we raised a glass in their honour at our “Cheers for Volunteers” event. From the members of our Parents’ Association executive, to event chairs, volunteers and classroom helpers, we are so lucky to have so many people that give their time to make such a difference to our school community. Special thanks to Raquelle Dupuis, Chair of the Elmwood Parents’ Association, for her dedication, leadership and hard work. Elmwood’s Good Sports After a very successful year of sport at Elmwood, athletes, their families and their coaches were excited to get together to celebrate at our Annual Sports Banquet. Organized by Sports Captain, Brynley Hanson-Wright ’14 and Head of Athletics, Mrs. Derbyshire, the evening went off without a hitch. In addition to team most valuable, sportsmanlike and improved players, a number of athletes were recognized with special awards. This year’s winners were: • Brynley Hanson-Wright ’14 – Sports Captain Award, Great Yoi Honour Athletic Award, Colin Hood Award • Joa Hoshizaki ’14 – Wilson Sports Cup, Great Yoi Honour Athletic Award • Erica Coady ’14 – Wilson Sports Cup, Great Yoi Honour Athletic Award • Paige Tremblay ’15 – Physical Education Award • Lauren Rapp ’14 – Maynard Sportsmanship Cup • Emily Bangsboll ’17 – Dunlop Intermediate Sports Cup • Laura Morrison ’16 – Neale Intermediate Sportsmanship Cup • Ashley Moore ’14 – Elite Athlete Award
Top: Summa Summarum Scholarship recipients Sreenija Koya ’16, Brooke Mierins ’16, Laura Morrison ’16 and Fumi Shibutani ’16 Left: Denise Carruthers and Terry and Catherine McLaughlin at our Pactum Serva Society celebration Right: Jacqueline PalumboSugunasiri and Shalin Sugunasiri show their support for Elmwood at the Pactum Serva celebration.
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CLOSING CEREMONIES
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Each June, the Elmwood Community gathers to celebrate the successes of all of our students, especially the members of our graduating class. As is a long-held tradition at Elmwood, Grade 12 students wear white dresses to Closing. In the earliest days of the school, the students’ summer uniform was white and for many years all the students wore white to our Closing Ceremonies. Our graduates carry on this tradition, symbolizing youth and the promise of the future.
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TODAY IS YOUR DAY OF NEW BEGINNINGS Headmistress Cheryl Boughton
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Excerpt from the Closing Address June 13, 2014
e recently lost one of my favourite authors and one of the most influential thinkers of our time, Maya Angelou. She leaves behind a legacy built on many insightful and inspirational words. One of her most famous poems was written for President Obama’s inauguration. Towards the end she urges: Lift up your hearts Each new hour holds new chances For new beginnings.... The horizon leans forward, Offering you space to place new steps of change.
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Class of 2014, today is your day of new beginnings—the day that your horizon leans forward offering you the opportunity to shape your life. You have long anticipated this day, some with eagerness, some with perhaps a little anxiety, and maybe even some with a complicated mix of emotions— but whatever you are feeling here today, you deserve to also feel a keen sense of pride. You’ve made it! Certainly all those gathered here today to celebrate are tremendously proud of you. It is my honour to hand each one of our graduates her Elmwood Diploma as confirmation of her successful completion of her high school education. But what does this diploma represent? What is an Elmwood Diploma?
The answer to this question is different for each young woman sitting here on the stage. We refer to all Elmwood graduates as having received a “Elmwood Education,” as though somehow that’s one single thing. Over the past 98 years, no two students have studied identical courses and had identical experiences. Some of you are more inclined towards the fine arts, some to science, some to the humanities and some to business—all valuable pursuits. Each of your educational experiences has been as unique as your fingerprint. No two “Elmwood educations” are alike. Yet, even through the experiences are all unique, you have all met the same criteria. The Ontario Ministry of Education has graduation requirements in the form of credits, community service hours and the literacy test. For us, this is a minimum standard and Elmwood students never settle for just the minimum. In fact, the Class of 2014 have far exceeded these requirements. Our graduates have completed Duke of Edinburgh awards, had leadership roles, taken the IB diploma or selected courses, held key positions on teams, performed on stage, created great art, given back to their community and so much more. Some people might look to external sources for suitable benchmarks in considering the questions ‘what is an Elmwood diploma.’ One criteria would be our excellent International Baccalaureate results which position us as one of the best schools in the country. IB examiners and moderators tell us, through our students’ results, that Elmwood students excel academically and are prepared to take on the challenges of post-secondary studies. Acceptance to university and program of choice is another one of those key benchmarks. With all of our girls going on to study at prestigious universities across Canada, in the United States and the United Kingdom, our diploma passes
this test with flying colours too! And remarkably, this year 97% of the Class of 2014 received entrance scholarship offers to university. This is the highest number since I’ve been at Elmwood. What an accomplishment! Notably, Alexandra Pipe was selected for the prestigious Queen’s University Chancellor’s Scholarship and Vivian Wang was awarded the Frank Carrel Merit Scholarship, also at Queen’s. Collectively, this Class of 2014 has been offered $860,000 in entrance scholarships. The best universities want our students. So an Elmwood Diploma means exceeding the criteria established by the Ministry of Education, strong performance in the IB Diploma Programme, having a wealth of post secondary options and being sought after by universities of distinction. I would argue that this gives us at least a partial answer to the question of what your diploma represents today. It also represents an education that has provided you with specific skills of analysis and expression and has helped you become inquiring, lifelong learners. It has also challenged you to think in ways that cut across disciplines, that recognize and appreciate complexity and ambiguity, and that enable you to learn from and contribute to the lives of others. It also represents a whole lot of really hard work, laughter and tears, crazy moments in the common room and friendships to last a lifetime. But most of all, your Elmwood diploma has prepared you to live a life of meaning and value. So the question is now, “What will you do with it?” We heard Olympic athlete, Ian Mortimer, speak at our Athletics banquet. In his speech he encouraged Elmwood students to “Stand out and stand up.” He went on to explain how so many young athletes are afraid to stand out from the crowd, but clearly that’s essential if you want to win. He also encouraged our athletes to stand
up for themselves and for their teammates when the going gets tough. It was great advice also. I’d like to build on his speech by asking our Class of 2014 to not only stand out and stand up but stand FOR something. You are a remarkable group of young women. You are highly intelligent and you work incredibly hard—the ideal combination. You are talented, and certainly not afraid to speak your minds. You also are funny and never take yourselves too seriously. I have been impressed by the kind and caring leadership you’ve shown in the school, and I see that the younger students really look up to you. Thank you for your unique contribution to Elmwood. We will certainly miss you next year. You are going out into the world ready to take on new challenges. You have been given phenomenal opportunities by your parents and your school. And I know from seeing you develop over your high school years that you are compassionate and engaged global citizens. Use what you have been given and what you have learned to change the world. So graduates, take advantage of this moment in your life, your horizon leaning forward. As Maya Angelou said, ‘you [have] space to place new steps of change’.
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IT IS A FAMILY WE’VE BECOME Head Girl Aashna Uppal ’14 Excerpt from the Valedictory Address, June 13, 2014 All the way from Barrhaven, We’d come here. An hour and half ’s drive, Would’ve felt like a year… …If it weren’t for debating with Erica, Or laughing over Alex’s texts. Or sharing jokes with Amanda, Who could forget the rest? We arrived at a school with wonderful staff, And students who welcomed us all. In a school environment like this, No one could ever feel small. Now, us 37 girls…women stand before you Radiant and strong, Each with countless strengths, And friendships that are lifelong. We’re here, finally. Heading into the big, bad world. Towards endless opportunities, We are being hurled. But it’s our responsibility from now on, To open our own doors, To tie our own shoelaces, And do all the chores. Good evening Mrs. Boughton, Mr. Whitehouse, faculty and friends, I’d like to thank you for this time. I’ll be delivering this speech on behalf of my fellow graduates, So I decided I’d make it rhyme. I’ll begin as all good stories begin, On a dark and stormy night Wait, I don’t think that’s it… Once upon a time, that’s right. There were 37 young girls, Each blazing her own trail, From day one, they rigged their boats, And on a journey, they set sail. Birthdays passed and laughs were shared, Being a toddler was pretty cool. But it was all fun and games, Until the very first day of school. Thoughts ran through their four-year-old minds, Some of which were these: Can I trade my Dunkaroos today? Friends with her? Oh please!
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There was one thing these girls all had in common, Something to which they couldn’t turn a shoulder. Ever since school began, they thought to themselves, “What’ll it be like when I grow older?” That’s when time started flying by, Junior to middle, everything was fine. But before these girls knew it, They were getting ready for Grade Nine! 14 years old, and all grown up. In a place like Elmwood School, Full of enthusiastic people, That made learning kind of cool. Now, I can recount my own experience, When I first came to this school. Alex, Amanda, Erica and I Were, in fact, part of a carpool.
I can’t imagine a closer family, It is a family we’ve become. A tight knit community, With a place for everyone. I know we’re all ready, I can say this with confidence. But what I can’t do is rhyme something with confidence… I don’t think this stanza will make sense. Anywho, I wanted to acknowledge the achievements Of each and everyone. We’ve finished for now, folks. We’re here, high school’s done. Here’s to all the IB candidates, Whether you did the full thing or just a part, You’ve completed Mission Impossible, And survived the Hunger Games – boy, you’re smart. And here’s to the prefects, Who redefined what it means to lead. And to Mrs. Boughton, Mr. Whitehouse, and Ms. Walsh, Who truly helped us succeed.
I know I’m not emotional, But I’ve got to say that I’ll miss all of you I don’t think I’ll ever forget, All the small things you do. Because it’s the small things that matter, I once heard someone say It’s all the little details – That make the bigger picture anyway. I’ve learned a lot from each of you, I see life with a new lens, And all of you have something to be proud of, Something that makes you a great friend. So here’s a list of a few moments, That make you who you are, Some moments that we’ll never forget Moments that make you a star. Like Cynthia’s bright laugh and Alycia’s smile, Or Alexa dancing in the common room. Or even Kelley’s poems, and Val’s pep talks, And Amanda’s jokes wiping away any gloom.
These girls have been an incredible bunch, And we’ve all been through thick and thin. The important thing is we went through it together, Any situation we were in. Whether we’re going into business, Or biology or general arts, We’re ready for a new year, And to make a brand new start. We’re making the world our classroom, And taking risks like never before. But we really have no idea, No clue what’s in store What I do know, however, Is that we’re all sure to find success. Not in wealth, not in power, But in happiness.
“It’s about taking your time, To admire the beauty of everything you see” “It’s about counting the laughs, The smiles, the tears, the moments that fill you with glee” So I guess I’ll end this story, But not with the usual “happily ever after”. Maybe with a pun… expensive Velcro is a rip-off And…cue the laughter. Or maybe I’ll end with a congratulations, Hey Grade 12! Yes, you – the coolest people I’ve seen: We made it. We’re done. Here’s to the Class of 2014.
Truth is, we’re always on a journey, From that day we rigged our boats. “It’s not about growing up or growing older” Somebody once wrote.
The Road Ahead By Mike Greenley, Chairman of the Board of Governors
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t’s a busy time for the Elmwood Board of Governors. Not only is the Board engaged in the normal duties of good governance, but it is also in the midst of several special projects including strategic planning, the 100th anniversary of Elmwood, and a future development project to further advance facilities. Board governance involves a series of regular Board meetings throughout the school year, as well as the conduct of work plans by several committees such as the Finance Committee, Development Committee (fundraising), Strategic Planning Committee, and the Parents’ Association Committee (events through the year). The Board and its committees are focused on ensuring that the School is positioned well strategically for the future, and that the Headmistress and her team have the resources they need to accomplish their operational plans towards that strategy. This past school year was a very busy year for strategic planning. The School completed the execution of the last plan one year early, so the focus over the past year has been on the creation of a new plan. An outside consultant was hired by the School to support the Strategic Planning Committee, and consultative sessions were held with students, alumni, parents, teachers and staff to get their input and validate strategic plan concepts. Throughout the year, Cheryl Boughton and her team conducted a series of staff exercises to advance these concepts. Over the summer of 2014 all of the input
from our various stakeholders was pulled together to create the new strategic plan that will guide the School from 2015 to 2020. This new plan will be released to the community later this fall. You’ll see that this new plan continues the School’s focus on “Inspiring Each Girl to Reach Her Full Potential,” with enhanced attention to academic excellence, teacher development, advancing the curriculum, and extending the facilities for 21st-century learning. During this next plan period the school will celebrate it’s 100th anniversary (during the 2015 – 16 school year). The Centennial will be an excellent opportunity to reconnect with alumni and former teachers, to reach out to our community, and together celebrate 100 years of creating leaders for the world. I expect that all participants will see how Elmwood has really emerged as a leading school in Ottawa over the past five years, and is now well on its way to being recognized internationally as a premier institution for the education of girls. The increased focus on academics and curriculum design has seen Elmwood’s faculty take their thinking about advances in educational techniques to the next level. Mrs. Boughton’s feature article in this magazine will examine the future of education in more depth, and the Board is also heavily engaged in exploring how changes in education will be reflected in the future direction of the School. The Board is keen to advance the physical state of the facilities, specifically in the Middle and Senior School, in order to ensure that our spaces are commensurate with the innovation in our curriculum, and maintaining Elmwood’s world-leading pace. Stay tuned throughout the fall of 2014 for the release of the new Strategic Plan to see how all these initiatives will come together.
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GRADUATE SUCCESS Size of Graduating Class
Total Scholarship Value Offered
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$860,000
Post Secondary Entry for September 2014
Average scholarship award per graduate
University Entrance Scholarships
International Baccalaureate Diploma and Certificate Candidates
100%
$23,245 17
97% Ontario Scholars
81%
Grade Distribution for Grade 12 Averages
Percentage Mark Range
Number of Graduates=37
95 – 100% 5 87 – 94% 17 80 – 86% 8 77 – 79% 4 73 – 76% 2 Below 73% 1 Based on top six Grade 12 courses (Ontario Scholar Criteria)
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Post-Secondary Destinations for 2014
70%
19%
11%
Ontario
Other Canadian Provinces
International
University Degrees and Programs for 2014 SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND MATH RELATED PROGRAMS – 49% • Architectural Studies • Biological, Biomedical, and Life Science • Biology • Biomedical Sciences • Biopharmaceutical Science • Chemical Engineering • Chemical Engineering and Computing Technology • Forensic Science • Health Science • Human Biosciences • Integrated Science • Marine Biology • Mathematics • Psychology • Science
ARTS – 30% • • • •
Arts Child Studies Cinema Studies Communications, Culture, and Information Technology • Criminology and Criminal Justice • Economics • Psychology Number of Graduates: 11
BUSINESS – 16% • • • • •
Accounting Business Administration Business and Entrepreneurship Commerce Marketing
Number of Graduates: 6
Number of Graduates: 18
FINE AND PERFORMANCE ARTS – 5% • Music • Theatre Number of Graduates: 2
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GRADUATE SUCCESS
2014 Post Secondary Destinations Ontario 26 Graduates (70%) Carleton University 7 Graduates Accounting Biology Child Studies Commerce Criminology and Criminal Justice Economics Psychology University of Ottawa 7 Graduates Biomedical Sciences Biopharmaceutical Science Chemical Engineering and Computing Technology Economics Health Science Marketing Music Queen’s University 3 Graduates Arts Chemical Engineering Science University of Toronto 3 Graduates Cinema Studies Communications, Culture, and Information Technology Commerce
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University of Waterloo 2 Graduates Architectural Studies Mathematics Laurentian University 1 Graduate Forensic Science McMaster University 1 Graduate Integrated Science Wilfrid Laurier University 1 Graduate Business Administration York University 1 Graduate Theatre
Other Canadian Universities 7 Graduates (19%) McGill University 3 Graduates Biological, Biomedical, and Life Science – 2 Arts and Science Bishops University 1 Graduate Psychology
St. Francis Xavier 1 Graduate Arts University of British Columbia 1 Graduate Biology University of Victoria 1 Graduate Marine Biology
International 4 Graduates (11%) Babson College, Massachusetts 1 Graduate Business and Entrepreneurship Northeastern University, Massachusetts 1 Graduate Psychology Smith College, Massachusetts 1 Graduate Arts University of Exeter, Exeter, England 1 Graduate Human Biosciences
University Destinations 2007 – 2014 Ontario Universities
Other Canadian Universities
International Universities
Carleton University Laurentian University McMaster University Ontario College of Art and Design Queen’s University Royal Military College Ryerson University Trent University University of Guelph University of Ontario Institute of Technology University of Ottawa University of Toronto University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario Wilfrid Laurier University York University
Acadia University Bishops University Concordia University Dalhousie University McGill University Mount Allison University Quest University Saint Francis Xavier University University of British Columbia University of Calgary University of King’s College University of Saskatchewan University of Victoria
Babson College Duke University Exeter University Falmouth College of Art and Design Fashion Institute of Technology Hobart and William Smith Colleges Imperial College of London James Madison University Les Roches International School of Hotel Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology New York University Northeastern University Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland Smith College St. Andrew’s University St. Lawrence University University College of Dublin University of Exeter University of New Delhi University of Oslo University of Rochester University of Sharjah University of Southern Florida Wooster College Yale University
IB Diploma Achievement The 2014 IB DP results continue to measure well against the world with some excellent results again this year. The data shows yet again that that over the past four years Elmwood has consistently outperformed schools around the world. High-achieving subjects included English, Physics, French and Spanish. The 2014 results also included an outstanding achievement from an individual student at Elmwood—Elaine Zhang—with a score of 40 out of a possible 45. This is an impressive outcome that puts her amongst the top students in the world. Elaine Zhang ‘14
Elmwood average Diploma points
2011 2012 2013 2014 33 33 33 32
Elmwood average grade all subjects
29.59 29.83 29.81 29.9 4.78 5.25 5.12 5.02
World average grade all subjects
4.66 4.64 4.62 4.6
World average Diploma points
Percentage of grades 5 to 7:
2014 60% 2013 75% 2012 71% 2011 60%
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AHEAD OF THE CURVE By Cheryl Boughton, Headmistress
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ince its foundation in 1915, Elmwood School has been at the forefront of teaching and learning. Starting with our founding Headmistress Theodora Philpot, our motto “Summa Summarum,” highest of the high, has always articulated the School’s goal for each student: to be the best she can be. As the School has grown, generations of Elmwood teachers have worked with these remarkable young women to reach their individual goals— to inspire them to reach their full potential. Today, nearly one hundred years after the foundation of the School, Elmwood continues to be at the forefront of girls’ education, continuing our proud tradition of innovation. This is a very exciting and inspiring time in the field of education. Experts are predicting that we will see more educational change in the next decade than has happened in the last millennium.
What’s driving this change and what does it mean for the future of Elmwood?
The Personal Approach When speaking to Alumnae, whether they are recent graduates or ‘old girls,’ they all speak about the individual attention they received at Elmwood and the difference that made to their lives. It is clear that Elmwood has always placed a high value on the personal approach and the belief in every girl’s potential. Today, our teachers continue to differentiate between each pupil, guiding each girl’s individual learning journey. Whether it’s an experiment that taps into a girl’s passion, or a novel approach to a work of art, each student’s learning needs are taken into account and tasks are adapted to suit her learning profile. This is not news, certainly. However, one of the major changes over the past century is that technology allows us to tailor a girl’s education in a way that would have been virtually unthinkable in the days of Mrs. Philpot. A little over a decade ago, Elmwood made a strategic decision to embrace innovation by introducing a leading-edge technology program in the Senior School. This program has evolved with the times
and technological advances and has spread throughout the School. Our graduates are technologically sophisticated and this gives them an advantage when entering the workforce. So, after more than a decade of being a leading-edge technology school, where are we today and where do we go from here? Firstly, our students are able to use their MacBooks or iPads to create unique projects that showcase their learning. Whether it’s a video, an eBook, a 3D sketch or an essay, students can choose diverse ways to represent their learning and methods that suit their unique learning style. This is equally helpful for students needing enrichment, or for students with learning challenges. Through technology, all students can demonstrate their learning. Secondly, we also use technology to capture the learning that takes place each year. Through Schoology, each student creates a digital portfolio, chronicling her learning journey in a way that helps her reflect on and share what she has learnt. This aids in a vital mental process called metacognition. Metacognition is the awareness and understanding of one’s
own thought processes and the ability to control these processes by organizing, monitoring and modifying them as a function of learning. Developing metacognitive skills is vital to each student’s long-term academic and professional success and technology aids in this process. Thirdly, and perhaps most powerfully, we also use technology to personalize learning. Programs such as IXL Math adapt the learning to each girl’s needs. If she understands a concept, she moves quickly ahead to the next one. If she’s struggling, she receives further instruction so she can better understand the idea before moving on. All the while, her teacher is monitoring her progress, stepping in to guide as and when necessary. There are similar apps for learning other subjects. Duolingo is one example for learning languages which uses the same principles. Personalized learning allows the learner to create and engage in her own learning objectives and curriculum, and most often they are able to accomplish this due to technology that makes information instantaneously available to them. E L M WO O D.C A
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Leading-edge Curriculum Another feature of an Elmwood education is a strong and relevant curriculum. Our foundation is the Ontario Curriculum, considered by educational experts to be one of the best in the world. “It consistently achieves top-quartile mathematics scores and top-decile reading scores” in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), a worldwide study of 15-year-old school pupils’ scholastic performance on mathematics, science, and reading. This curriculum provides the ideal foundation for academic success, which is why it forms the basis of what we teach at Elmwood. In 1978, Elmwood made a bold decision to further augment its curriculum by offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in the final two years of Senior School. Students are taught an even richer curriculum with a wider range of topics and have the opportunity to study topics in depth. Research shows that students who participate in the Diploma Programme are more likely to succeed at university and graduate than students who followed the standard curriculum. Universities recognize this too, seeking out IB students as preferred candidates. Marilyn McGrath Lewis, Director of Admissions at Harvard University says, “IB is well known to us for excellent preparation. Success in an IB programme correlates well with success at Harvard. We are always pleased to see the credentials of the IB Diploma Programme on the transcript.” 18
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More recently Elmwood added the Primary Years Programme (PYP), JK – Grade Five, and the Middle Years Programme (MYP), Grades 6 – 10, creating a continuum of learning for students. From age four, our students learn to write and speak effectively, think critically, solve real-world problems, learn independently and work well with others. Research shows that students in these programs outperform their peers in assessments. One research study completed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), on behalf of the International Baccalaureate, examined student performance among IB and non-IB students on the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) and determined that IB PYP and MYP students, in most instances performed as well or better than their non-IB peers across all four ISA assessment domains, including math literacy, reading, narrative writing and expository writing. Particularly strong differences were observed in Grade 10, the final year of the IB MYP. The final part of what makes Elmwood’s curriculum so powerful is that we deliver it all from a girl-centric perspective. As renowned educator and psychologist JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., says, “girls and boys are as different from the neck up as they are from the neck down.” Our teachers understand how girls learn and optimize our academic program to ensure we meet the needs of girls. We’re not simply talking about our choice of novels to study or using drama to study history. Two examples of our girl-centric
academic program are related to risk taking and what Dr. Deak calls againstthe-grain learning. One of the key differences between boys and girls is their perception of risk and judgement of their own abilities. Boys overestimate their skills and underestimate risk. I saw this firsthand when I was Deputy Head of a boys’ school and witnessed the many minor injuries received during recess. The boys thought they were more able than they were and they failed to judge risk accurately. Girls, on the other hand, underestimate their abilities and overestimate risk. If left unchecked, girls become very risk averse and this has long-term impact on their academic, career and leadership potential. At Elmwood, we ensure our curriculum is full of opportunities for girls to accurately judge their skills as well as learning to accurately measure risk. The end result of this curriculum is genuine confidence because the girls know and understand their own talents. Against-the-grain learning is another key aspect to the Elmwood curriculum and is of key importance for young children. Because we all naturally gravitate towards tasks where we have a neurological aptitude, teachers need to work hard to ensure that children have a balanced academic program. Otherwise we end up with highly developed skills in some areas and deficiencies in others. This is called ‘neurological balancing.’ At Elmwood our teachers are careful observers of each girl and offer experiences and opportunities to allow students to build up those underused skills. Deak calls this “logging in”— time children spend in areas which are counter to their neurological grain. When offered in natural and fun ways, these “early against-the-grain gender experiences help create a well-balanced brain that is better equipped to handle tasks and challenges a brain will contend with all through life.” New Learning Environments Recent brain research has not just been limited to research about gender and the brain. It has included the impact of learning environments on the brain as well. Numerous scientific studies have shown important interconnections between the body and mind. Physical movement increases oxygen supply and is essential for stimulating cognition. Therefore, we never tell girls to sit still and listen. In fact, we encourage active movement. The research suggests that students should not spend their entire
school day sitting, but rather as follows: • 50% sitting (dynamic sitting on flexible chairs) • 30% standing (e.g. standing at a desk) • 20% walking around (e.g. teaching methods like active learning and breaks which involve movement) Over the past year at Elmwood we’ve been working on a project to redesign our classrooms and refine our teaching based on the latest in brain research. Thanks to the generosity of many donors, we’ve almost finished transforming our Junior School classrooms. We’ve made headway on our Middle and Senior School too and look forward to finishing that phase of our project. Our classroom furniture is now dynamic, featuring flexible seating which allows our students to move gently in their seats even when sitting. Many of our student desks are on wheels, allowing teachers and students to transform their classroom to accommodate a huge range of learning tasks. Rolling whiteboards and idea paint walls also encourage teachers and students to be more active in the classroom, aiding learning while also encouraging lifelong wellbeing. Success Beyond Elmwood Educators must prepare students to compete in a complex and evolving global economy. To succeed, students need 21st-century skills often referred to as the four Cs: communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. Instructional strategies are changing to meet the challenge. At Elmwood, we’ve piloted some new teaching strategies to ensure that our students acquire these skills. Here is a sample of our key initiatives: Real World Connections One aspect of the Elmwood curriculum is that it is constructivist in its approach. This means students construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. This means that learning must have utility— students must understand its relevance. Often this is achieved by linking learning to the world outside the walls of the classroom. One way that we have sought to achieve this objective is through a new workshadowing program we introduced last year for our Grade 10 students. Through their careers class, girls articulated their aspirations and then a dedicated team of staff and parent volunteers matched the girls with Elmwood community members.
The girls then had an opportunity to spend the day in the workplace and to learn more about their chosen career. Judging from student feedback, their experience was very positive and it helped them make connections back to the classroom. Whether through inviting speakers in, or by providing opportunities to interact with the wider world, we will continue to ensure that our students have chances to make real world connections. Project-Based Learning Project Y, developed by Deputy Head, Middle and Senior School, James Whitehouse, is an example of ProjectBased Learning or PBL. This is an innovative approach to learning that teaches a multitude of strategies that are critical for success in the 21st century. Students drive their own learning through inquiry, developing their “Why” question and then working collaboratively to research and create projects that reflect their knowledge. From gleaning new technology skills, to becoming proficient communicators and advanced problem solvers, students benefit from this approach to instruction. The questions varied from “Why Do Humans Form Attachments?” to “Why Does History Repeat Itself?” Judging from the strong presentations from all the finalists, the girls learned a lot more than just the answer to their question. Experiential Education Winterim has been a feature of the Elmwood calendar for the past three years. It has deep pedagogical roots. Experiential education is incredibly valuable to students. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” That is exactly what we observe each year during Winterim—genuine involvement and learning. One Junior School student who was involved in Baking 101 said, as she looked at her oatmeal muffins, “I loved the process. I’m happy with my final product, but it was the process that mattered.” I thought this was especially profound because baking is often all about the final product! Based on our experience we know that our students transfer what they learn about the learning process itself back to their traditional subjects when classes resume. The Maker Movement Alongside these other innovations, Elmwood’s next educational initiative is to embrace the Maker Movement. The Maker Movement is a technological
and creative learning revolution which is underway around the globe. It has exciting and vast implications for the girls of Elmwood. New tools and technology, such as 3D printing, laser cutting, robotics, microprocessors, wearable computing, e-textiles, “smart” materials and programming languages are being invented at an unprecedented pace. The Maker Movement shares tools and ideas online to create a vibrant, collaborative community of global problem-solvers. Like Winterim, the focus of making is on the process as much as the product. The Maker Movement overlaps with the natural inclinations of children, the power of learning by doing and the inquiry approach of our International Baccalaureate curriculum. By embracing the lessons of the Maker Movement, educators revamp the best studentcentered teaching practices to engage learners of all ages. What does this mean? In his book, Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World, Tony Wagner, Expert In Residence at Harvard University’s new Innovation Lab says, “The world no longer cares how much you know; the world cares about what you can do with what you know.” That statement rings true to me. Elmwood graduates must do much more than simply show off their knowledge, they have to be able to demonstrate it. Whether we’re talking about technology and personalization, leading-edge curriculum, agile learning environments or innovative instructional strategies, they all have the same aim: to prepare Elmwood girls for outstanding academic achievement and success beyond Elmwood. “Summa Summarum” indeed. If you are interested in learning more about the latest in educational research, you might consider the following resources: Girls Will Be Girls: Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters, JoAnn Deak Mindset, Carol Dweck The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined, Salman Khan The Smartest Kids in the World, Amanda Ripley Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World, Tony Wagner E L M WO O D.C A
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DROP-DOWN MENUS AND THINK-ALOUD STRATEGIES: Elmwood’s New Student Success Centre By Teresa Stirling, Director of Communications and Katie Fraser, Director, Student Success Centre
At the root of the Centre, and Ms. Fraser’s work with our students, is cognitive problem solving, more commonly known as strategic thinking.
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here’s a room on the second floor of the Middle/Senior school that has become integral to Elmwood’s mission to “Inspire each girl to reach her full potential.” Elmwood’s new Student Success Centre is that place—where all Elmwood students from JK to Grade 12 can go for enrichment and support. Under the capable guidance of our Learning Strategist, Ms. Katie Fraser, the Centre serves to help girls learn more about the specific strategies and techniques they can use to reach their academic and personal goals. Support is customized and comprehensive, and aimed at developing independence, confidence and increasing competence. I recently spoke with Ms. Fraser about the Centre, the strategies and techniques she shares with our girls, and what parents can do to support their daughters at home. At the root of the Centre, and Ms. Fraser’s work with our students, is cognitive problem solving, more commonly known as strategic thinking. She sees cognitive problem solving as the holy grail of learning: “When you are able to customize your strategic thinking menu, the possibilities for learning become almost limitless. That’s not to say that learning does not take work. You simply become so efficient and accurate that learning becomes fun, exciting and something you look forward to engaging in. Hardships become challenges instead of anxiety-ridden mountains that seem impossible to climb. Accomplishments are internalized into attributions of hard work and perseverance rather than just luck or an easy test.” One of the ways Ms. Fraser helps students improve their problem-solving skills is the development of what she refers to as “drop-down menus.” Much like
what you’d find when you use spell check, each student creates a customized list of strategies and solutions that work for her. “As adults, when we have a problem, most of us can easily identify the problem, define the problem, examine options (in our own drop-down menus) and choose the right solution. Children and teenagers struggle with this—many students I see often come to full stops when they encounter a roadblock or a problem that requires dissection.” One example of this was a Grade Four student Ms. Fraser worked with last year. The student’s homeroom teacher felt the girl had untapped potential and could really benefit from Ms. Fraser’s help. Though observably very bright, when the student didn’t know the answer to a math question Ms. Fraser asked her, she had no way to think through how she might find the answer. “In this case we worked on developing a customized drop-down menu of ‘self talk’ to use when she came across a problem she didn’t know. It went something like this: ‘What do I already know about this topic?’ (activating background knowledge), ‘What do I need to find out?’ and ‘What strategies have I used before that may help me with this?’ We also created a drop-down menu of options she could use if she got stuck. These included: looking at examples of problems in her notes, using a website like khanacademy.org to relearn any material that she didn’t understand, trying an easier problem, then after she tried these and they didn’t work she could ask her teacher or her parents and let them know the strategies she had tried before coming to them.” Psychology terms this type of work “cognitive apprenticeship,” whereby a more skilled adult helps a child learn complex cognitive (thinking) and metacognitive
(personalized and introspective thinking) problem-solving skills through guided experiences. Self-reflection and self-regulation are two very important skills that develop when you work with children under this model. When a child has a customized drop-down menu and they know when to use it, they begin to develop increased competence that leads to increased confidence and independence. Ms. Fraser mentioned that it is important to note that children are not naturally programmed to problem solve in this way. “Neuroscience has taught us that the part of the brain that is primarily responsible for problem solving (the frontal lobe) is not fully developed until early adulthood. You can therefore understand, to some degree, why teenagers and young children are not natural problem solvers. This being said, strategic problem solving can be explicitly taught and by doing so we are giving our girls a head start on independent learning before they leave high school. Developing a customized menu of strategies going into university will help you tremendously in
the next step of your learning.” Erica Coady ’14, a recent Elmwood graduate, worked closely with Ms. Fraser throughout her last year of high school. “Elmwood’s Student Success Centre played a key role in my success in Grade 12. The Centre itself is a great place to work, allowing students to use different resources such as the white boards and Dragon Speech Recognition Software; however, its greatest asset is Ms. Fraser. With her encouragement I was able to try and further develop different study and note-taking skills, allowing me to work in a manner that played to my strengths instead of working against them.” She went on to say, “not only was I able to develop my study skills through the Centre but I was also able to learn about effective time management. The development of these two skills, time management and problem solving, has provided me with an effective base to tackle independent university learning.” Many parents ask Ms. Fraser for advice, and she believes that one important strategy for parents is to direct
their assistance towards developing a child’s independence rather than their dependence. “When your daughter asks for help with a challenge, you can ask for specifics on what she doesn’t understand. Ask questions like ‘what do you already know about this topic or subject’ or ‘where can you find an example of how to do this task?’ You can model how to solve a similar problem using a ‘thinkaloud strategy’ and then make explicit the steps you went through to figure out the answer. Then ask your daughter to try solving their problem using a similar process. What’s really important is when your daughter tries something that works, celebrate it, write it down and ask her when and where she may use this technique again.” Ms. Fraser is quick to point out that student success at Elmwood is a team approach that often involves the dedicated support of teachers, parents, students, guidance and counselling. “When everyone is working together to support the girls, we see the best outcomes.”
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SO, WHAT IS DUKE OF ED? By Catherine Coulter
It’s -40° Celsius, the coldest week of January. Do you know where your daughters are?
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f they are Elmwood Grade 10 students, it’s good bet that you’ll find them outdoors, leading a dogsled team through the wilds of Northern Ontario as part of their Duke of Edinburgh expedition for the Silver Award. If they are Grade Nine students, you’ll find them on an autumn hiking and camping expedition at Bon Echo Provincial Park for their Bronze Award. And if they’re Grade 11 or Grade 12 students, you may find them white-water canoeing, undertaking a horseback riding expedition, or even climbing Mt. Washington and the rest of New Hampshire’s Presidential Range. That’s because Elmwood’s Senior School students are deeply involved with the Duke of Edinburgh program. In fact, every Grade Nine student participates in the program. Just as impressively, Elmwood consistently boasts a higher number of Gold Award recipients per capita than any other school in all of Ontario. So what is Duke of Ed, as it’s more familiarly known? Duke of Ed is a program for young adults between the ages of 14 and 24 which has them set and meet goals in the areas of community involvement,
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physical fitness, learning a skill, and undertaking an expedition. The program builds on itself so that students moving from the Bronze to the Silver level or from the Silver to the Gold level spend ever-increasing amounts of time on their various activities. For example, a Bronze Award recipient will spend two days and one night on their expedition whereas a Gold Award recipient’s expedition will last for four days and three nights. As well, a Bronze recipient will be required to undertake regular physical activity and volunteer work over a period of at least three months but a Gold recipient will have to undertake that same regular physical activity and volunteer work over a period of at least 12 months. In addition, Gold recipients are required to undertake a separate five-day and four-night residential project on their own, through something like summer camp or a community service trip. Because of the requirements of the program, most Elmwood students start with Bronze in Grade Nine and don’t complete their Gold requirements until the summer after Grade 11.
As the parent of a former Elmwood student who received her Gold Award and a current Elmwood student who just received her Silver Award, I believe that Elmwood’s support of the Duke of Ed program is one of the things which sets Elmwood apart from other schools.
As the parent of a former Elmwood student who received her Gold Award and a current Elmwood student who just received her Silver Award, I believe that Elmwood’s support of the Duke of Ed program is one of the things which sets Elmwood apart from other schools. Sure, other students participate in the program on an ad hoc basis in other schools, but rarely is it so integrated with the school program and rarely is there a support team working so hard behind the scenes to organize expeditions and help each girl to achieve an award. And parents can benefit too, although it may not always seem like it at the time. Our eldest missed the Silver dog-sledding trip and so we undertook a mother-daughter camping trip together in its place. As she needed to have a certain number of activity hours during the expedition, we found ourselves hiking, canoeing and kayaking from sunrise to sunset. Exhausting yes, but also a great bonding experience. And our youngest decided to learn pie-making as her skill for the Bronze award. That experience led to a happy extended family which was the beneficiary of all of the baking, and a happy mom who didn’t need to worry about desserts for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
More recently, our youngest decided that she wanted to start volunteering at The Ottawa Mission. With no driver’s license yet, she needed someone to drive her and I figured that if I was going to be dropping her off and picking her up, we might as well volunteer together. As a result, we have spent the past year folding laundry and making and serving meals together, and having a blast while doing it. My daughters fall more on the arts than the sports side of the spectrum, so Duke of Ed also pushed them to find nonteam-based physical activities to become involved with. One has become a fan of running, both have become fans of biking and hiking, and both now regularly work out at gyms. This is a side benefit that we never saw coming—a love and appreciation of physical activity which will hopefully last a lifetime. The same goes for volunteer work. Whether it’s volunteering within or outside of the school, the community service hours teach you to look outside of yourself and add to the lives of others. Elmwood fosters community involvement as part of its strategic plan objectives and desire to develop the “whole girl,” and this is just part and parcel of learning to live a life of giving back to one’s community.
Did I mention that there’s a side perk to all of this? Each year, the Governor General or a member of the British Royal family presents the Gold award to all attending Canadian recipients at a ceremony in Toronto. We missed Prince Edward but as a family we have our fingers crossed that Prince Harry might drop by the next time we’re ready for a Gold ceremony! Duke of Ed is a lot of work, particularly as the girls work their way up towards the Gold award, but the fact that both of my daughters have been involved with it speaks volumes as to what they get out of it. As a parent, my thanks go out to coordinator Erin Derbyshire, for helping to make it all happen, as well as to Elmwood for continuing to support such an incredible program. Duke of Ed—check it out. It’s an incredible opportunity.
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AN INSPIRING GIRL: Paige Tremblay ’15
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By Dana Borschewski, Director of Admissions
aige Tremblay has been a familiar face at Elmwood School for a number of years—11 to be precise, as she started at Elmwood in Grade Two. Throughout her time at the School she has become a real role model for her classmates and the younger girls—she is truly a girl who has been inspired to reach her full potential! Though she has been involved in many clubs and activities, like Big Sisters and House Council, over the years, it’s in athletics that Paige really shines. Paige started snowboarding when she was only eight years old and joined Elmwood’s snowboarding team in Grade Eight. Once she reached Grade Nine, she was eligible to compete in the National Capital Secondary Schools Athletic Association (NCSSAA). Competing came naturally, and she progressed quickly, earning top awards, including a first place finish in Ottawa at the 2013 – 14 NCSSAA Championships for
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both individual performance and with her teammates in the team competition. From there, the snowboarding team moved on to OFSAA where Paige achieved third place individually and led the Elmwood Team to a first place overall in their category. As a result of her competition results, as well as her positive attitude and leadership role within the team, Paige was named the MVP of Elmwood’s Snowboarding Team at last spring’s athletics banquet. In the 2013 – 2014 season, Paige also decided to try Snowboard Cross with the Ontario Snowboard Club. She loved the challenges that this new style of sport presented, and rose to the challenge, completing the season with an 11th place finish at the Canadian Junior National Championships. In addition to snowboarding, Paige has also been a member of Elmwood School’s Senior School rowing, rugby, field hockey and volleyball teams. This commitment
to sports at Elmwood led to her election as the 2014 - 2015 Sports Captain. As a member of the Prefect team, she is excited to take on a leadership role and have a greater impact on the School’s athletics programme. Her mission this year is to get girls at every grade level even more involved in athletics. She remembers being in Grade Five—the final year in the Junior School—and thinking about what her final year in Senior School at Elmwood would be like, and the hopes that she would be elected as a Prefect. We know she will bring so much to her role as Sports Captain. Paige is no stranger to leadership. Last year, she was elected to be one of Elmwood’s “Did You Hear?” girls, along with her partner, Louisa James-Beswick ’15. Paige and Louisa were responsible for celebrating the successes of fellow Elmwood students at monthly assemblies, and they did so with creativity and humour.
Paige is a fantastic example of a well-rounded student. In addition to her athletic talents and leadership skills, she is an enthusiastic student, who enjoys studying her favourite subjects: History and Healthy Active Living. She was the recipient of the subject award for Healthy Active Living this past school year and is very proud of achieving the Physical Education Gold Medal Award and her House Letter this year. Her History teacher, Mr. Whitehouse, Deputy Head, inspires her because “he is very enthusiastic about what he teaches and is supportive to each and every student. His passion for History makes me excited to learn and through his support he has given me the confidence to achieve anything I set my mind to.” Rounding out Paige’s resume at Elmwood is the Duke of Edinburgh Programme—she has already completed both the Bronze and Silver levels, participating in the hiking trip and dog-sledding
trip and is currently working towards achieving her Gold level. The Duke of Ed Programme has been a real highlight for Paige. Other highlights of her time at Elmwood include the enthusiasm and school spirit that her classmates show on Spirit Days, the bonds she has created with the members of the Class of 2015, and the care she feels for her ‘little sisters’ in the Junior School. As Paige prepares for her final year of high school and her 11th year at Elmwood, she is looking to September 2015, when she plans to head west to study Kinesiology or Physical Education at the University of British Columbia or the University of Victoria. An ardent fan of the west coast, Paige is excited to move to BC after her graduation. With her talent, commitment and tenacious spirit, there is no doubt Paige Tremblay has a bright future ahead of her. E L M WO O D.C A
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ELMWOOD’S OWN ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE By Elise Aylen, External Relations Coordinator
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ne of Elmwood’s values is responsibility. We teach our students that they have a responsibility to our community, our society and the world. Community service and global awareness have always been a part of the Elmwood experience. So it comes as no surprise that many of our graduates take that feeling of responsibility on with them after they leave our halls. Here are some of our Alumnae who are making their mark on their communities and the world around them.
Maja Campara ’05 and Abanti Zakaria ’05
Abanti Zakaria ’05 and Maja Campara ’05
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To Maja Campara ’05 and Abanti Zakaria ’05 though it seems like just yesterday they graduated from Elmwood, it will be their tenth anniversary in 2015. They met on their first day in Grade Nine and participated in a real spectrum of activities. They remember in particular the volunteer trip they took to Honduras with 12 other girls from Elmwood. The group provided a small community with school supplies and worked as a team to clean up parks and repaint the local school. Although it has been a while since they travelled to Honduras, Maja and Abanti had always hoped to be involved in another meaningful project together. They are now working with the Global Volunteer Network to raise funds to support children who are cared for by Brighter Future Children’s Home. The organization helps underprivileged children by providing nutritional, educational and medical needs. In addition, they will be trekking to Base Camp of the biggest mountain in the world this September! As participants in this trek they will be going from Kathmandu to Nepal’s high Himalayas and will see firsthand what life is like in rural Nepal. Most importantly, they will get to meet the children who are benefiting from their support. As Maya wrote in a recent article published in the Ottawa Citizen, she has been interested in contributing positively to the world since she lived in Kenya as a young girl. “I guess you could call it an innate reaction—seeing the stark contrast between the life I had lived here and the lives of those less fortunate there simply did not sit well with me. Ever since, my experience has guided the decisions I make: what education to pursue, what experiences to undertake and what causes to contribute to.” Maya and Abanti are raising awareness and money for an important cause and have received donations totalling over $5,000 each. They are both tremendously excited for an adventure of a lifetime and as Maya says “We are definitely looking forward to making a difference, and though it will be a challenge, overcoming obstacles and achieving personal goals will be wonderful as well. We are truly grateful to every one of you for taking the time to be a part of our journey.” Their journey started at Elmwood ten years ago and has inspired them to continue contributing to the global community.
Right: Veronique Merkley French ’96 with her daughter and sister Isabelle French ’98 Below: Anja (Miller) Kloch ’88 with her family
Anja (Miller) Kloch ’88 Anja (Miller) Kloch ’88 knew the first day she started in Grade Seven at Elmwood that she was a fortunate girl. She still remembers her first teacher, Mme Seguin and her homeroom class. She attended the school from 1980 to 1988 and was grateful for the opportunity to attend an all-girls school with small class sizes and a great academic reputation. She always thought she was going to be a lawyer and graduated from Elmwood ready to attend Carleton University and study Political Science. A series of events led to a career in fundraising and a commitment to volunteering. In May 1996 she married Henry Kloch and moved to California where they are raising their two children. Even with a busy family life Anja has continued her work for numerous charities including the Boy Scouts of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Park Century School and the Venice Family Health Clinic. With over 20 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, Anja joined the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley as the Chief Development Officer in 2013. Anja started her career in the arts world with The Ottawa Ballet and Opera Lyra but is most passionate about working with organizations that help children around
the world. She funds a scholarship for a Little Sister and is an active member of Friends of Karura Forest, an organization that helps the Kenya Forest Service in its mission to protect, manage and enhance Kenya’s forest resources. She attributes her success to the lessons she learnt from her teachers and mentors at Elmwood who helped her discover her strengths and taught her to be generous with her time. She admits that serving her community and supporting these causes gives her energy and great satisfaction.
Veronique Merkley French ’96 and Isabelle French ’98 Sisters Veronique Merkley French ’96 and Isabelle French ’98 both attended Elmwood in the 80s and 90s and both went on to complete their undergraduate studies at the University of British Columbia. After graduating with a degree in Kinesiology, Veronique went on to study Medicine in French. She is now practicing family medicine and holds the position of Care of the Elderly Program Director at the Elizabeth Bruyere Geriatric Day Hospital in Ottawa. In 2013, she received the “Early Career” award in recognition of her outstanding contribution as a family
physician. Isabelle studied health sciences and is now a labour and employment lawyer in Halifax with Ritch Durnford having recently completed her Masters of Law in Health Law and Policy. When asked what shaped them as individuals and why they took different career paths they both agree it is thanks to the enriching opportunities they had at Elmwood and the challenging International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. Veronique recalls that the rigorous and varied course load of the IB programme made her a well-rounded person prepared for a demanding career in Medicine. Isabelle thought she would follow the same path but has blended the two disciplines, a health science background and a law degree. She attributes her career success to the nurturing learning environment that gave her confidence and focus. Isabelle and Veronique have similar traits and beliefs and know how important it is to have balance in their lives. They each find time outside of work to volunteer with numerous organizations, chair various committees, coach their children’s soccer team and plan their family vacations together. Both are passionate about education, their work, their families and giving back to their communities and have found a way to do all that and more! E L M WO O D.C A
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ALUMNI NEWS By Elise Aylen, External Relations Coordinator Former Staff Unite Elmwood held its second Spring Gathering on May 14 and it was a great opportunity for former staff to reunite and meet the members of our Centennial Task Force Committee. Many past teachers were in attendance, including newly retired Director of Athletics, Brenda Neale, who has been traveling the world since she left Elmwood. Everyone was thrilled to hear of the current school success stories and enjoyed the wonderful breakfast buffet prepared by our Chef Candice. We look forward to seeing them at the next Elmwood gathering.
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The Class of 2004 Comes Home The Class of 2004 returned to Elmwood on May 3rd and enjoyed cocktails and tours of the school to celebrate their 10th anniversary. It was a great chance to reconnect with classmates and visit with some favorite teachers. Sarah McCabe, Angela Boychuk, Beth Ellison and Annette Rossiter were excited to hear of their former students’ accomplishments. Thanks to Neha Goel ’04 who made contact with her classmates and helped organize the event. We hope to see them all back for the Centennial Celebration! Old Girls Gather on the Banks of the St. Lawrence Elmwood Old Girls are so grateful to Judith (Maclaren) Caldwell ’51 for hosting the third Prescott Reunion and welcoming 10 Old Girls in to her home on the St. Lawrence. Janet Uren ’68 had a chance to talk about our upcoming Centennial Celebration in 2015-16 and invited all those attending to join in the activities. After a wonderful brunch, we congratulated Jeanette (MacDonald) Marett ’64, who donned a crown to commemorate her 50th anniversary of graduating from Elmwood. Despite a few rain showers, guests enjoyed the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival’s adaptation of “The Tempest” and are already looking forward to next summer’s get-together.
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1 From left to right, Wendy Dennys and Carole Schmidt reminisce with Ellen Ewert at our Spring Gathering. 2 The Class of 2004 re-enacting their graduation photo in the Main Hall. 3 From left to right, Pam Dewar ’58, Janet Uren ’68, Shirley Prosser ’53 and Judy Reid ’50 enjoying the view of the St-Lawrence at the Prescott Reunion. 4 Former staff Annette Bellamy, Nancy Chance and Leslie MacLeod share a laugh. 5 2004 Alumnae Claire VanKoughnett, Laure Pitfield, Alexandra Keys and Neha Goel at their 10-year reunion. 6 Nancy Casselman ’68, in full uniform, catching up with Sandy Hind-Smith ’53. 7 Prescott reunion guests: (L to R) Jeanette Marett ‘64, Pamela Dewar ‘60, Judith Caldwell ‘51, Shirley Prosser ‘53, Judith Reid ‘50, Joan MatthewsKhan ‘50, Janet Uren ‘68; (front) Nancy Casselman ‘68, Meera Ruparelia ‘97
Alumni Events Save the date for these upcoming opportunities to reunite with fellow classmates, teachers and staff.
OCTOBER 21, 2014 Alumni Reception at Linden House Theatre DECEMBER 6, 2014 Holly Tea DECEMBER 18, 2014 Recent Grad Reunion (for the Classes of 2010 – 2014) E L M WO O D.C A
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GALA
25th Anniversary Gala Elmwood’s 25th Anniversary Gala—“The Silver Gala”— surpassed its fundraising goal of $135,000! Twenty-five years ago, a group of Elmwood parents came together to plan a fundraising event for the school. Today, with more than $2 million raised cumulatively, this signature fundraising event has supported many school initiatives including bursaries to deserving students, the arts, sciences, athletics and technology.
The Silver Gala held on April 26, 2014 was an elegant affair with 200 guests actively bidding on fabulous live and silent auction items. Proceeds were directed to the Elmwood bursary program and several projects that will enhance creativity in the visual arts, drama and music programs. We are grateful for the leadership support shown by Michael Potter, Gala Patron and our six Corporate Partners. Heartfelt thanks to the Gala Committee members for making this evening possible, with special recognition to Nancy Greenley, the Gala Chair. Her leadership, boundless energy and excellent ideas made this a Gala to remember!
THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS! We were honoured to feature Elmwood’s six Corporate Partners in many Elmwood School events over the School year—including the Welcome Back Festival, the Father-Daughter Dance, the Experts@Elmwood Speakers Series, the Holly Tea and the 25th Anniversary Silver Gala.
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Thank you to David and Debra Wu (The Athletic Club), Gary Zed (EY), Jeff Mierins (Star Motors), Terry and Catherine McLaughlin (Terlin Construction Ltd.), Jacob and Jeannie Polisuk (Vista Credit) and Jim and Pam Skippen (WiLAN).
Philanthropic Support Comes in Many Forms
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Whether someone wishes to support Elmwood through our Annual Campaign, the Gala or other priority projects, everyone’s donation is important and appreciated. The impact of our donor support is evident throughout the School. Below are some examples of how donations make a meaningful difference inside and outside the classroom. 1Volunteer coaches look great in their new uniforms. 2 & 5 The Flexible Classrooms are very popular with teachers and students.
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4 Elmwood’s historical front door was restored to its original beauty. 6 Elmwood parents, students and community members benefit from Experts@Elmwood Speaker Dr. Alex Russell who spoke on “How to Parent in the Age of Entitlement.” And more: •T he Class of 2014 established a new endowment to support Elmwood’s Bursary Program which will benefit future students that might otherwise not be able to afford an Elmwood education. •T he Student Success Centre was equipped with appropriate furnishings for student use.
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•A new “Makerspace” will be unveiled in the fall. •T he Drama, Art and Music Programs will see new furnishings, work areas and equipment. • Science equipment for the lab. • I nteractive Projectors and Idea Paint installed in many classrooms. 5
•C reative Spaces, just outside the classrooms, will allow students to have informal meetings and work collaboratively on various projects. •T he Old Girls’ Association Scholarship Endowment Fund is providing bursary support to a student each year.
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PHILANTHROPY AT ELMWOOD – A BANNER YEAR! The entire Elmwood Community pulled together over the past year to show unparalleled support for the School. In all, over $762,000 was raised through the Annual Campaign, the Elmwood Gala and a number of Strategic Projects. What an accomplishment! Parents, former parents, alumni, friends, faculty and staff all contributed to enhance the educational experience of our students— thank you to all! In addition, 100% participation was received from the Board of Governors and the faculty/staff campaign reached an unprecedented 90% participation! Of special mention is the overwhelming response to the 100/100/100 challenge: with 100 percent participation from our Elmwood families, we now have an additional $100,000 from a group of anonymous donors. These additional funds will be used to create a new Makerspace, which is sure to quickly become a highlight for all of our students and teachers. Thank you to Annual Campaign Chair Catherine McLaughlin, Development Committee Chair Peter Hudson and our many parent volunteers for their leadership and tenacious pursuit of this goal. Your gifts to the School will have a tremendous effect on the day-to-day experience of each Elmwood girl, and for generations of girls to come—thank you for your support!
Annual Campaign Donation Growth $85,000
2007-08
$125,000
2008-09
$150,000
2009-10
PLUS $100,000 CHALLENGE BONUS!
$184,000
2010-11
$225,000
2011-12
$285,000
2012-13
$326,000
2013-14
Introducing our “1915 Legacy Society” SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1915, Elmwood School has touched the lives of countless students. The thing we hear the most from our Alumni is about the lifelong friendships they formed and the vital role their Elmwood educational experience played in who they are today. We are always touched by these comments. We are honoured when a donor chooses to make a bequest with Elmwood School as a beneficiary. The 1915 Legacy Society enables Elmwood School to acknowledge and celebrate those generous donors who make a Planned Gift such as a bequest, a gift of life insurance or other tax advantageous vehicles. “When I recently updated my will I spent some time thinking about how my estate might be used, in part, to provide one last contribution to various organizations I believed in. Because of Elmwood and a good work ethic, I have always felt invincible, and I think girls need to feel this way. We need to expect that the highest pinnacle is an achievable climb away. For this reason I have a meaningful bequest in my will for Elmwood, in thanks for the best education I could have hoped for, and its lasting importance in my development as a strong woman.” –E lisabeth Preston ’85 Elisabeth Preston is the CEO and General Counsel of InhouseToolbox Solutions Inc. and is an international business lawyer
If you would like more information, please contact the Advancement Office.
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THANK YOU TO OUR 2013 – 2014 DONORS We sincerely thank all our parents, past parents, grandparents, alumni, staff and friends who supported Elmwood School, based on receipted donations, between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. Donors to the Annual Campaign, Endowment Funds, the Gala “Creative Spaces” and other Strategic Projects are included. Donors that have contributed in the last five or more consecutive years are identified with a symbol. A special thank you for your unwavering dedication and commitment to Elmwood.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our donor listing. If, however, there are any errors or omissions, please accept our sincere apologies and notify the Advancement Office so that the appropriate correction can be made.
FOUNDER’S CLUB Gifts $25,000 and Greater Olivier Benloulou & Pascale Parisien Chris Brennan & Stephanie James-Brennan Dan & Denise Carruthers Peter & Kelly Hudson Jeffrey Mierins & Tara Leigh Cancino-Brouillette Michael Potter Pam & Jim Skippen David & Debra Wu VISIONARY CLUB Gifts $10,000 – $24,999 Michael & Karen Fung Kee Fung Christopher & Laurie Gillin Daniel Goldberg & Whitney Fox-Goldberg Peter Griffiths & Willa Griffiths-Kersten Raymond Kuate Konga Terry & Catherine McLaughlin Jacob & Jeannie Polisuk Eric Yau & Paula McNeil Yau Gary Zed PACTUM SERVA CLUB Gifts $5,000 – $9,999 Ray & Rita Arseneau Mike & Nancy Greenley Heather Dewar Luard Michel Lucas & Donna Wishart Evva Massey-Henry ’69 Claudia Montgomery Sean Murray & Jamilah Taib Murray ’82 Jonathan Richter & Raquelle Dupuis Fayez & Nooren Thawer
GOVERNOR’S CLUB Gifts $2,500 – $4,999 Rahim & Shahin Abdullah Craig & Antonia Betts Michael Bolitho & Angelica Thiele-Bolitho David & Cheryl Boughton George Dolhai & Catherine Coulter Derek & Elizabeth Howe Peter & Ann Marie Hume Gary & Lori Hutchinson Alfred Jay & Kim Ling Ryan Keon & Cindy Tomlinson Keon Carol Kirby John & Jane Melloul Robert & Joanne Nelson Joanna Rozanski ’03 Ian & Melissa Shabinsky Andrew Sharpe & Cynthia Farquharson HEAD’S CLUB Gifts $1,000 – $2,499 Arthur & Erika Andersen Brook Bangsboll & Jan Kennedy Craig Bascombe & Lori Lovett James & Sarah Baxter Donald & Sheila Bayne Paul Beaulé Peter Boehm & Julie Wayand Jody Bothwell & Christine Lamontagne Robin Boushey & France Bourbonnais Gregory & Pilar Bryson Nicholas Caragianis & Sarah Murray ’79 Frederic Casarramona & Lorie Derraugh-Casarramona Mitchell Charness & Janice Palmer Patrick & Patricia Coady Diane Cramphin Mario Cuconato & Danielle May-Cuconato Norma Davies ’42 Sonny Dhanani & Lillian Lai Doug Ducharme & Junya Devine Ellen Ewert David Goldstein & Kim Doran James & Melanie Harmon Andy & Krista Hartvich Nobutaka Hayashi & Natalie Piché Elizabeth Heatherington ’63
Clark & Cheryl Holden Arthur Howarth & Michelle Martin Christopher & Karin Johnson Jean McCloskey Brian McGarry & Joan Sun McGarry Mark & Azhra McMahon Benjamin Merkley & Véronique French Merkley ’96 Husein & Nimet Moloo Ed Morgan & Mollie Johnson Oluremi & Omobolanie Oni Andrew Pateman & Mary Noella MacInnis Michael Rapp & Susan Margles Christopher & Jean Rath Cynthia Rathwell Nizar & Nadia Rida Annette Rossiter Alaa Rostom & Catherine Dube James Ryan & Robyn Ryan Bell Eric & Michelle Saltel Lawrence Schembri & Elizabeth Springer Adhan Sharara & Mariann Domonkos Emmanuel Simantirakis & Voula Karamanos Sanjeev & Lalita Singla Shalin Sugunasiri & Jacqueline Palumbo-Sugunasiri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib & Elisa Chan John Thomson & Susan Sollars Glen & Ann Tremblay Janet Uren ’68 Jose Urena & Noriko Yoshizawa Benjamin & Jenny Vaughan Geoffrey & Silvana Waddington John Witherspoon & Rebecca Baker Nhanci Wright Kenneth Young & Valerie Nixon Thomas Znotins & Sandra Fraser
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CONTRIBUTOR’S CLUB Gifts $500 – $999 Sanjay & Colleen Acharya Stephen & Sandra Assaly Ercel Baker & Xiaobei Chen Jonathan Barker & Margaret Lawson David & Barbara Berks Allan & Sarah Bifield Ole Bredberg & Berta Canizares Joan Brodie ’68 Gordon Brownlee & Carolyn Sims Yan Chen & Nancy Zhang David Cork Michael Crystal & Tracey Thompson Dave & Jill Dickinson Mohammad & Ahlam El-Ramahi James Frodsham Michael Gilligan & Benedetta Del Balso Christopher Glover & Carolyn Foley Nicholas Gummeson Adnan Hadziomerovic Charles Hofley & Julie Pryor Hofley Stanley & Susan Jacobson Dominique Jacobson ’02 Matthew Jones & Virginia Roth David & Suzanne Lang Dennis & Andrea Laurin David Law & Carol Watson John Lundrigan & Tara Preston Amy Luo W. Allan MacEwen & Leslie MacLeod Walter & Kristine McGinn Sarina Messina Arlie Mierins Scott & Christine Murray Gwyneth Norman Jasvinder & Satpal Obhi Scott Parkinson & Jane Mathew Brian & Cathy Peters Warren & Tracy Pratte Susan (Reid) Senn ’77 Joseph & Julya Sembrat Lakhwinder Singh Saran & Baldeep Kaur Saran Evan Solomon & Tammy Quinn Brad & Heather Sweeney Britt-Mari Sykes Nimroz Thawer Rajiv & Sheila Thomas David Toscano Pierre Trudel & Mieke Bos Simon & Penny Tucker Carolyn Wakeham Jingyuan Zhao FRIEND’S CLUB Gifts up to $499 Carmen Abele Jeff Ackert & Pam Chiles Pat Adams Jenika Adolph Matthew & Kathleen Aken Nicholas Akins & Holly Shaheen Osama Al Khalili & Ola Yasin Saif Helal Al Shehhi & Juma Abdulla
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David & Hilary Alexander Pedro & Ines Alicea Mohamed Allam & Meriem Boufassa David Allatt & Sarah Smith Katherine Alvarenga ’14 Gerald & Barbara Amannt Shelina Amlani Rajiv & Razia Arora Bronte Roya Assadzadeh Alireza Assadzadeh & Janis Jones Michel & Carole Auclair Geneviève Audet Manfred & Petra Auster Elise Aylen John Aylen Charlotte Baril ’78 Lucy Barnes Mary & Leslie Barnes Family Fund Michael Barnes & Josée Berthiaume Alyson Bartlett David Batchelor Andrew Batchelor Laleah Beaudoin Jason Beever & Liliana Bonventre Susan Bennett Eleanor Berks ’14 Marcos Bettolli & Ana Remonda Vibov & Neelema Bhan Rosemary (Nesbitt) Bickerton ’78 Charles Birchall & Hilary Geller Christine Blackadar ’88 Chris Boland Dana Borschewski Angela Boychuk Gretta Bradley Iain Brambell & Laryssa Biesenthal John Brooks & Anna Blauveldt Michael & Cheryl Brownlie Richard & Kristin Brunner Candice Butler Judith (Maclaren) Caldwell ’51 Brent & Mary Capehart Mark & Diana Carney Olivia Casarramona ’14 John Case & Barbara Perry-Case Elaine Castillo Jean-Roger Cavé & Brigitte Gonga Stanley & Estrella Cheer Lan Chen Heawon Chun Gary & Marilee Chwast Brenlee Claman Janice Clarke Erica Coady ’14 Alexa Colbert ’14 Jackie Comerton Julian & Gulay Coulter Chaouki Dakdouki & Catherine Chung How Melanie D’Alessio Said Darwish & Noha Saleh-Darwish Ralph & Elizabeth DeFelice Edward Deng & Christine Hou Erin Derbyshire Dongming Ding & Ruifang Xu Emma Dolhai ’12
Gordon Douglas & Margaret Somody-Douglas Stephane Dube Steven & Susan Dzioba Beth Ellison Bruce Farquhar & Christelle Desgranges Frank & Judith Farrell Jon Fisher & Jill McConnell David & Vera Fitch Bernard & Katharine Fitzpatrick Justine Frame ’14 Richard & Sheila Frame Jon Frauley & Leigh Anne Currie Marissa Frodsham ’14 Jennifer Gagnon ’07 Rolf & Donna Garcia Gerardo & Editha Garcia Fabien & Aurelie Gaussorgues Gail Gavan Lindsay Germano Celina Gilligan ’14 Claire Glazier Zoltan & llana Gombos Mckenzie Gowie ’14 Robert Gowie & Sheen France Janet Graham Pierre Gratton & Lynn Mainland Sam Grbesic Kelley Gu ’14 Gordon Gu & Samantha Liu Gezim Halili & Elvira Salja-Halili Bill Halloran & Sheila Gallant-Halloran Paul Hambleton & Sarah Wallace Daniel Hanson & Sarah Wright Brynley Hanson-Wright ’14 David & Laura Hathaway Sarah & David Hay Douglas & Susanne Heim Peter Ho & Giovanna Valente Ryan Hodgins Charles Hodgson & Ella Mar Allison Holmes Joa Hoshizaki ’14 Alexandra Houlton Nasrallah ’14 Kate Hubbs Brenda Huggins Max & Melba Humilde Rachael Hunter ’14 Ludmil Iliev & Jeevaa Thangavalloo Meaghan Iwanowski Natascha Jansen Poulin ’14 Jan Jarvlepp Manahil Jawad ’14 Rainer & Emma Karpfinger Gary & Stacey Kay Patrick Kelly Terry Keough & Lynne Watt Seema Khan Nadine Kilbertus Jannette Kilgore Matthew King & Marta Morgan YamHean Kong Alan & Naoko Kors Sreenivasa & Aruna Koya Michael Kremmel & Katie Fraser
Bo Kuang & Ruixian Yuan Kay & Petra Kuhlen Gilles Laberge & Carmen Natividad Malek & Liana Ladki Johanne Laflamme Merrin Lalonde ’14 Mark Lalonde & Carol Todd-Lalonde Luc & Norma Lalonde Mark & Lisa Lambert Charles Laplante & Joyce Baker Wolfgang Lassl & Ulrike Butschek Robert & Carolyn Lauzon Matthew Lawson & Milena Simic-Lawson Janie Lawson ’84 Mark & Mojgan Legault Robert Leighton & Karen Zerr Jason Levesque Monika Lieberenz Mika & Sari Lietsala Nicholas Lloreda & Alessandra Tassara Elizabeth (Sellers) Logan ’78 Stephen Lounder & Susan Dent Zibin Lu & Dan Yang Alli MacDougall Mohammad Mahin Francie Marchard Teresa Marquis Mary Marsh Heather (MacPhee) Martel ’78 Rusty Martin Carol Martin Joan Mavor ’50 John & Gayle McClelland Robert & Micheline McElligott Fiona McElwain ’66 Alycia McIntosh ’14 Esmond & Anna Maria McIntosh Caroline McLoughlin ’05 Kate Meadowcroft Sarah Melloul ’14 David Miller & Yolanda Pino Jeffrey Miller & Marcie Lorenzen Tom & Joanne Molnar Neil & Paula Moloney Karen Molson ’78 Mark Montaldo Paul & Cynthia Moore Sarah Morrison ’14 Erin Mulcahy Jean-Sébastien Nadon & Diana Huang Ramsay Nasrallah & Holly Greco Donna Naufal-Moffatt Gillian Neville-Ball ’56 Warren Newberry & Kellie Major Trevor & Juliana Nightingale Sean Norton Geoff Noxon Donald & Rachel Oakes Charles O’Brien & Randi Klebanoff Jian Peng & Juan Chao Matt Perreault Evelyn Pike Alexandra Pipe ’14 Kevan Pipe Walter & Andrée Potoczny
Stephane Poulin & Stefanie Jansen-Poulin Nicola Powadiuk Elisabeth Preston ’85 Lisa Pryor Malek Purran JianHe Qiu & Yanbing Jiang Tara Rajan Lauren Rapp ’14 Judith (Nesbitt) Reid ’50 Gill Reilly Fraser & Patricia Reilly-King Scott & Eve Reynolds Aurelie Richter ’14 Caroline & Kaveh Rikhtegar Colin Robertson Troy Robinson & Shannon LaBelle Andrew & Bonnie Robinson Kathy Ross & Wendy Mitchell Adrian & Christina Rossi Pauline Rubarth David & Juliet Russell Jack & Nadine Sabine Vicki Sainsbury ’67 Ivan Sambles Anish & Naina Sanghavi Andrew Saranchuk & Kim Gibner Muhammad Sarwar & Najla Fasih Robert Sawaya & Faten Fares Hugo Schotman & Inez Rensink Valerie Sedlezky ’14 Pedro Serrao Sonia Siddiqui ’14 Sohail & Nadra Siddiqui Shem & Joyce Simuyemba Inta Sipolins-Zobs ’76 Jordan Small Jordan Smith ’14 Derek & Katherine Smith Andrew Smith & Meagan Enticknap-Smith Philip Smith & Alexandra Colt Katherine Snelling ’14 Peter Snelling & Pamela Peers Jean-Pierre Souaid & Dalida Jilwan Kelly Spence & Elizabeth Thompson Nigel & Andrea Stephens Teresa Stirling Raphaelle St-Phard Kathryn Suh ’82 Mark & Ginny Sutcliffe Cynthia Taing ’14 Pean & Pheung Taing Blanche Talbot Martin Thomas & Violina Lozeva-Thomas Amanda Thoo ’14 Ryan & Joanna Todd Martha Torres Gregory Townsend & Anna Liberta Townsend Dixie Trudel Cheryl Tweedie Aashna Uppal ’14 Jack & Gayatri Uppal Mahendra & Tanuja Vaidya
Troy & Joanna van Haastrecht Rudy Vandenbelt & Danica Irwin Obbe & Donna Vermeij Liviu & Madalina Voina Katherine (Caldwell) Walker ’44 Mackenzie Walker ’14 Scott & Kathryn Walker Jennifer Walsh Timothy & Carolyn Walsh Vivian Wang ’14 Daisy Wang ’14 Jun Wang & Jianying Zhao Weiwei Wang & Ling Yan Jeremy & Christine Want Alexandra Watson ’14 Peter Watt & Heather Fong-Jean Thomas & Inga Werdnik Frederick & Gillian Whichelo Derek & Annica White James Whitehouse Barbara Whitley ’36 Chandra Wiegand Cathy Wiley Mike Wilson & Stephanie Meyer World Computer Exchange Gang Wu & Li Sha Steven & Gloria Yankowich Steve Zate Elaine Zhang ’14 Chunpeng Zhu & Yun Xing TRIBUTE GIFTS In memory of Mary Barnes In memory of Leslie W.C.S. Barnes In memory of Leah Grace Bascombe In memory of Jane Burke Robertson In memory of Barbara Meggeson Dickie In memory of Joan Paterson Keyes In honour of Peter Griffiths In memory of Harry Gross In memory of M.A. Rathwell In memory of Sandra Sharpe In memory of Jim Tassie ENDOWED FUNDS Gisele Campeau Scholarship Fund Norma Davies Scholarship Fund Paul Deacon Memorial Scholarship Fund Katherine Ellis Endowment in Memory of Mabel Dunlop ’29 Elmwood School Endowment Fund Elmwood School Old Girls’ Association Scholarship Endowment Fund Elmwood School Scholarship Fund Dr. Carol Kirby Global Citizenship Program Endowment Fund Joan Matthews-Khan Scholarship Endowment Fund Milena Sigmund Scholarship Fund Cairine Wilson Memorial Scholarship Fund Class of 2013 Legacy Endowment Fund Class of 2014 Legacy Endowment Fund
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PACTUM SERVA SOCIETY
Donors with cumulative giving history of $5,000 or more are permanently recognized on our Donor Wall located in the Atrium. Names are listed as requested by the donor. SUMMA SUMMARUM “HIGHEST OF HIGH” $250,000 AND GREATER Thomas Ahearn Rebecca Baker & John Witherspoon Rod & Sandy Bryden Elmwood School Parents & Friends Association Ethel Fauquier Sean Murray & Jamilah Taib-Murray ’82 Michael Potter John & Jennifer Ruddy Lilias Southam Senator Cairine R. Wilson PARENS “FOUNDER” $100,000 – $249,000 Chris Brennan & Stephanie James-Brennan Norma Davies ’42 Paul & Adelle Deacon Derek & Elizabeth Howe Peter & Kelly Hudson Brendan Lucas & Chloe Lucas Esme Pepall ’34 Jeannie & Jacob Polisuk Jim & Pam Skippen R. Howard Webster Foundation William White PATRONUS “PATRON” $25,000 - $99,999 Rita & Ray Arseneau Laureen Assaly Stephen & Sandra Assaly The Baxter Family Donald & Shelia Bayne Olivier & Pascale Benloulou J.P. Bickell Foundation Douglas & Sharon Black Jean-Luc & Catherine Brazeau Neil Bregman, Katherine Jeans & Ivy Bregman Janet Burns ’29 The Robert Campeau Family Foundation Nicholas Caragianis & Sarah Murray Dan & Denise Carruthers Catherine Coulter & George Dolhai Eleanor Creery Elmwood School Staff John, Louise, Veronique ’96, Isabelle ’98 & David French Michael & Karen Fung Kee Fung Philip & Beata Garel-Jones Daniel Goldberg & Whitney Fox-Goldberg Mike & Nancy Greenley The Griffith Foundation Peter Griffiths & Willa Griffiths-Kersten
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Lucy Grossman-Hensel Morag S. Gundy Alice Hunt Carol Kirby Anja Kloch ’88 Raymond Kuate Konga Kenneth & Christina Loeb David & Diana Mason David McClenahan Anne McDougall Terry & Catherine McLaughlin Burton & Susann Merkley Brooke, Ava & Mila Mierins Brian & Cathy Peters Gordon & Wendy Peters Andy & Bonnie Robinson Rockwell International Canada Lawrence Schembri & Elizabeth Springer Janet Southam Ritchie ’30 Bob & Jill Strachan Ronald & Wendy Sumner Toller Memorial Fund Janet Uren ’68 Irena Wight Cairine R.M. Wilson ’31 David & Debra Wu The Yau Family Gary & Lisa Zed AUCTOR “BUILDER” $10,000 – $24,999 Rahim & Shahin Abdullah Peter & Denise Allen Jagtar & Manjit Basi Luc Berube & Odette Laneuville E.W. Bickle Foundation John, Johanna & Jennifer ’04 Blakney Michael Bolitho & Angelica Thiele-Bolitho David & Patricia Boomer David & Cheryl Boughton The Janet & Charles Burns Foundation Peter & Nenita Clark James & Vera Cody Elizabeth Coristine ’34 Michael Crystal & Tracey Thompson Mario Cuconato & Danielle May-Cuconato Elizabeth Davis The Dawes Family Gordon Douglas & Margaret I. Douglas Victor Duret & Hilary McCormack Katherine Ellis Stephen Gallagher The Gillin Family Joan Henderson IBM Lori & Gary Hutchinson Alfred Jay & Kim Ling
Cynthia Kasem & Julia Campbell ’08 Estate of Nancy Kneeland (Martin) Donegani ’38 Louis & Patricia Lamontagne Dennis & Andrea Laurin Allan MacEwen Joan Matthews Khan ’50 Jean C. McCloskey Sarah McDonald ’04, Katherine McDonald ’09 & Heather McDonald ’11 Ian McDowell & Carrol Pitters John & Jane Melloul Benjamin Merkley & Véronique French Merkley ’96 David Milne & Pam Gibb-Carsley In Memory of Maxine Miller & Stuart Noble Harry & Lee Near Robert & Joanne Nelson Akiko Nishiyama ’78 N.E. Peters Foundation John & Liz Pigott Judy Nesbitt Reid ’50 The Kathleen M. Richardson Foundation Inc. Michael Robinson & Mary-Louise Walsh Annette Rossiter John & Amy Russell Frank & Hannah Sellers In memory of Sandra Sharpe (1987 - 2007) Andrei & Nadia Shirobokov Sanjeev & Lalita Singla Helen Hirsh Spence & David Spence George Tawagi & Françine Belleau Fayez & Nooren Thawer Fred & Jean Toller Gregory Townsend & Anna Liberta Townsend Glen & Ann Tremblay Biff & Dianne Wheeler Ruth Wijkman ’54 Allan & Marilyn Wilson Russel & Anne Wilson Thomas Znotins & Sandra Fraser AMICUS “FRIEND” $5,000 – $9,999 Faiza & Aly Abdulla David, Sharon, Ryan, Jaye & Brody Appotive Christian Asselin & Joanne Lefebvre Sol Avisar & Karen Brook Blake, Denise & Quincy Batson Mary Beattie Paul Beaulé David & Barbara Berks Robin Boushey & France Bourbonnais
Peter Bouzanis & Maureen Donnelly Gretta Bradley Ole Bredberg & Berta Canizares Nazib & Nimira Charania Mitchell Charness & Janice Palmer Yan Chen & Nancy Zhang Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Helen Cooper David & Peggy Cork Glenn Coulter Anna Cundill ’35 Heather Dewar Luard Zahir Dhalla & Sahira Charania Ellen Ewert Mitchel Fein Chris Fournier James Frodsham The Geddes Family Debbie Gill Elizabeth B. Gill The Guimaraes Family James Haebe & Sharon Ebata Maureen L. Harper ’84 Thomas & Karen Howcroft Caroline Kern ’69 Grant & Dawn King Peter & Susan Knowlton Kerry & Roshene Lawson Michael & Suzanne Lewis The Mackenzie Foundation Donald Maclaren ’38 Nancy MacLaren ’44 Gary & Louise Maffett Evva Massey-Henry ’69 E.B. McDougall The McLaughlin Foundation Janis & Hilda Mierins Foundation Claudia Montgomery William & Mary Elizabeth Mulock Darren & Clare Nippard Bernard & Linda Normand The Paterson Foundation Jaime Pitfield & Nicole Jauvin Oliver Portner & Kathleen Gartke Patrick & Beverly Reid Susan (Reid) Senn ’77 Don & Meena Roberts Emile, Cheryl, Rachael & Paul Rodrigues Michael & Cynthia Rowland A.L. Smith Susan Sollars & John Thomson Ann Southam ’37 Ryan & Joanna Todd Brian Toller & Lorna Tener Robert & Madeleine Toller Weiping Tong & Ying Chen Raman Tuli & Caroline Bigue William & Barbara Turner Betty (Caldwell) Walker ’44 Ralph & Helen Westington Nhanci Wright
THE COUNTDOWN TO THE CENTENNIAL IS ON! ONLY ONE YEAR LEFT UNTIL ELMWOOD TURNS 100 YEARS OLD—we will celebrate this important milestone starting in September 2015. We have an incredible group of volunteers and staff who are working very hard to plan the events, activities and celebrations that will mark this occasion.
The following members of the Elmwood community make up the Centennial Steering Committee:
Sarah Murray ’79 and Nancy Greenley, Co-Chairs
Gayle McClelland, Events Committee
Norma Davies ’42 and Nancy Chance, Honorary members
Ellen Ewert and Tanja Mackin, Fundraising and Finance Committee
Cheryl Boughton, Headmistress
Joan Sun McGarry, Member at Large
Denise Carruthers and Teresa Stirling, Communications Committee Beth Ellison and Elise Aylen, Alumni and Community Engagement Committee
If you are interested in becoming involved in planning for the Centennial please email Elise Aylen, External Relations Coordinator, at eaylen@elmwood.ca.
Elizabeth Heatherington ’63 and Janet Uren ’68, Historical Committee
Don’t miss any of our Centennial Celebrations
Save These Dates! Welcome Back Festival and Centennial Kick-Off September 9, 2015 Homecoming Weekend: Founder’s Day, Fall Festival, Class Reunions October 2 – 4, 2015
Holly Tea December 5, 2015
Elmwood’s Centennial Gala April 23, 2016
Father Daughter Dance February 6, 2016
Centennial Finale June 17, 2016
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1970s
1980s
Elizabeth Heatherington ’63 Elizabeth Raymont Heatherington, ’63 (Head of Fry) and Former Chair Elmwood Old Girls’ Association, is currently honoured to be working with Janet Uren on the Elmwood Centennial Historical Sub-committee . After graduation she attended Queen’s University (B.A. History/Art History) and worked for Parks Canada (Historic Sites) before accompanying her husband Scott overseas for seven foreign assignments (Hong Kong, Philippines, Moscow, Bangkok, London, Bonn, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia). After returning from overseas in 2012, she resumed her duties at the Bureau of Protocol, Foreign Affairs, Development Canada where she currently works as an Official Events Officer. Volunteer activities include assisting with the Spouses of Canadian Heads of Mission Group (Departure briefings), co-chairing the Annual Bazaar at the Church of St Bartholomew, Fundraising for TIPES (Thinking in Pictures Education Services Ottawa—for children with exceptionalities and autism) and singing in the Latvian and DFATD/CIDA choirs. Last year the family home, opposite Elmwood, was part of the IODE House and Garden Tour (International Organization of the Daughters of the Empire). As a neighbour she is delighted to see the School thrive and believes her studies at Elmwood, particularly with former Headmistress Patricia Blyth, not only gave her a firm grounding in her own culture but encouraged her to discover others.
Georgie Binks ’71 Georgie is currently working as a journalist in Toronto and published her first novel last fall. It is called A Crack in the Pavement and features many Toronto and Ottawa scenes in it. She also received the Professional Writers Association of Canada feature writing award in 2013 for a Reader’s Digest article entitled ‘Tough Love.’
Louisa Taylor ’85 After a newspaper career of more than 25 years in Ottawa, Dar es Salaam and Toronto, Louisa Taylor is back in Ottawa working as a freelance journalist and communications consultant. She is also a volunteer in the social sector, including honorary co-chair of Welcoming Ottawa Week 2014. Louisa and her husband Carl Neustaedter are proud parents to two young girls.
Janet Uren ’68 Janet Uren ’68, with her sidekick Liz Heatherington, is currently co-chairing the Elmwood Centennial Historical Sub-committee. She came back to the school after many years for the 1998 reunion and had so much fun seeing old schoolmates that she volunteered to write the history of the School, Voices, which was published in 2000. Janet is a professional writer who started her career in magazines and still does a bit of work for Ottawa Magazine. In fact, she was recently nominated for a Canadian Magazine Award (didn’t win but she got the prize for the best thank-you “tweet,” so clearly she is keeping up). Janet lives in a heritage house in New Edinburgh and is passionately interested in history. She is working with Martha Edmond (author of the Rockcliffe history) to write the history of New Edinburgh in her spare time. Her other passion is theatre. She founded her own company in 2007, specializing in 20th-century British comedy, and productions are staged annually in the old Elmwood Auditorium. Every year, proceeds from the opening performance go to the Old Girls Scholarship Fund. 38
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Vicky Wilgress ’71 Vicky Wilgress ’71 had been working at Ashbury College in the Advancement office since September 1987. As of May 2014, she is now working at the College where her new title is Ashbury Relations Ambassador. She will be working towards Ashbury’s 125th Anniversary celebrations in 2016, developing the School’s extensive archives and engaging with the vast community network including alumni, past parents and faculty. Passionate about golf, Vicky is a member of the Royal Ottawa Golf Club, where she is a volunteer with the House Committee and the Nominations Committee. The Royal Ottawa Golf Club will also be celebrating their 125th anniversary in 2016. Vicky is a member of Elmwood’s Centennial Historical Sub-committee.
1990s
Erin (McCloskey) Rebelo ’97 Erin (McCloskey) Rebelo ’97 and her husband Dominic welcomed a baby daughter, Zadie Maria Rebelo, in Nairobi, Kenya in July 2013. Zadie is looking forward to frequent trips back to Canada to visit her aunt Kate (McCloskey) Binnie ’97 and cousins Malcolm and Henry. Erin continues to work with UNICEF supporting public health and nutrition programs in Somalia. In addition, Erin and her husband Dominic have opened a safari lodge in Kenya and look forward to welcoming any current or former Elmwood girls!
Marika Farrell ’92 Marika graduated from Elmwood in 1992 and went on to earn her B. Ed at the University of Ottawa. She was a Physical Education teacher at Elmwood (2000-2005), but left Canada to try teaching overseas. After four years teaching in Beijing China, and four years teaching in Kiev, Ukraine, Marika and her son Kyle are now living in Tanzania, in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Marika is the MYP Coordinator, as well as Athletic Director at the International School of Moshi. Marika has now travelled to 54 countries, but she and Kyle have their eyes set on discovering more of hiking in Tanzania and summiting the beautiful mountain in their backyard.
Anne-Marie Bissada ’99 Anne-Marie is currently living in Paris, France and working as a journalist for Radio France International’s English service. Prior to France, she was working in Toronto as an associate producer for CBC’s investigative program, ‘The Fifth Estate.’ Anne-Marie has a degree in political science and French language from McGill, and her master’s degree in international studies and diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, England. In her spare time, she writes a food blog on Egyptian food and history. Kinga Petrovai ’99 Kinga is now working on her Ph.D. in Education at Oxford University. Her research is focused on the use of mobile technology in middle school math education. As part of her research, Kinga is working closely with teachers to effectively design technology into their lessons.
2000s Joanna Rozanski ’03 Joanna is happily living in Ottawa, and taking over her family business Goldart Jewellery Studio. She graduated in ’07 from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts concentration in communication. She then apprenticed to learn to carve wax, learned how to design jewellery with CAD/CAM software and is continuing in her jewellery education, getting her GIA certificates and will soon become a certified gemologist. In 2013, to commemorate the 10 years since her own graduation, Joanna, in partnership with Goldart, committed to giving a wonderful gift to today’s Elmwood graduates: beautiful custom-made graduation rings. Aleana Young ’04 After leaving Elmwood, Aleana attended McGill University where she completed a B.A. Honours and M.A. She served as residence president and in various leadership
positions in student clubs and faculty committees. After a ‘love at first sight’ chance meeting at the 2010 Olympics, Aleana moved to Regina, Saskatchewan to be with her partner. They got engaged in February this year. In October 2012, Aleana ran for public office and was elected to Regina’s Public School Board. As the youngest Trustee in the city and second-youngest in the province, she serves as the Community Relations Committee Chair. Since moving to the Prairies, she has been active in the community serving as a Director of the Board for the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District, Family Service Regina, and as volunteer coordinator for the Saskatchewan Book Awards. Professionally, Aleana works full-time for a local research organization and part-time at the city’s only sustainable seafood shop. She is the author of the popular local food blog EatMyBlog, and has appeared on Global TV’s morning show. In the future, she hopes to continue to serve the public and work to encourage greater female participation in politics and representation in elected office and leadership positions. Alix Dudley ’05 Alix is currently completing a three-month internship at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in the Neuroscience Laboratory, performing protocol development and data collection for studies that look at the effects of long-duration space flight on the human body. It was her childhood dream to work in the space sector. After an amazing ten years following her Elmwood graduation, Alix has E L M WO O D.C A
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a boutique economic and financial advisory firm called Cambridge Economic Policy Associates (CEPA), specialising in African agricultural development.
Kerrigan sisters Stephanie Kerrigan ’03 married Peter Wilson in April. They celebrated their wedding in the Eastern Townships, where friends and family from all over the world were in attendance. Stephanie is currently living Surrey, UK (where Peter is from) and is working as a mathematics teacher at a prestigious secondary school for boys.
Genna Giampaolo ’05 Genna is still following her dreams and blessed with the privilege of doing what she loves every day since graduation. At age 18, Genna created and taught the Musical Theatre Program at The Ottawa Vocal and Dance Performance Academy, while performing locally around the Ottawa area. After a few years of working, directing and teaching, with the encouragement of her vocal coach, she moved to Toronto to continue her education and pursue her goals. Genna graduated from the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in 2011. Since then, she has been working as a professional Singer/Actor/Dancer. Some of her recent credits/accomplishments include the role of Janet in The Rocky Horror Show, winning ‘Female Singer of the Year’ at IMTA New York, and filming her first on-screen speaking role in the Independent film, “Good Morning Kabul.” Over the years Genna also worked as a model, was co-Artistic Associate of neXt Company Theatre and has just returned from teaching and performing abroad. She helped start the Performing Arts program with the Modern Montessori School and Stardust Academy in Amman, Jordan. You can follow Genna and her upcoming projects and journey via her website. www.gennagiampaolo.com
Laura Kerrigan ’05 is living in Oxfordshire, UK with her fiancé Adam Hutchings, who is also British. She is working for an engineering and consulting firm specialising in flood risk management. Laura and Adam are getting married this August in Canada. Alicia Kerrigan ’07 is currently completing her third year of medical school at Western University. Her love of travel has taken her throughout Southeast Asia, Europe and North America. After graduation in 2015, she is hoping to pursue a residency in Orthopaedic Surgery.
made working in the field of space studies a reality. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Physiology at McGill University, and continued her research post-graduation at the Montreal Neurological Institute where she studied brain cancer invasion and completed a Master of Science in Neuroscience. In direct pursuit of her goal, Alix attended the International Space University’s Master’s program in Space Studies for one year in Strasbourg, France. While there, she got to partake in some incredible opportunities in developing protocols for parabolic flight and apply her Physiology/Neuroscience background to understanding how humans can adapt to microgravity. She is now planning her next endeavor with some exciting events happening in the near-future; such as moving to California and flying in zero-gravity come fall!” Kaylin Fraser ’05 Kaylin graduated from Elmwood in 2005 and after spending the summer 40
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at Pearson College’s PSYL program (a leadership program she recommends to all Elmwood girls), she headed East to Dalhousie University in Halifax to study Economics and French. While at Dal, her social life revolved around the Dal water polo team (she first started playing water polo at Elmwood and at one point, the Dal team had three Elmwood Old Girls!) and in later years, student government. After graduation from Dal, Kaylin went to Paris to complete a Masters of Economics and Public Policy joint between Sciences Po Paris and the École Polytechnique. While there, she took courses specialising in development economics and health economics and continued to play water polo with a local club—she was fortunate to get the opportunity to play all over France as well as attend a training camp in Slovakia. After Paris, Kaylin moved to London—where she still lives—for an M.Sc. in Economic History at the London School of Economics (LSE). She is currently working as an economic consultant with
Eva Hitschfeld ’05 Eva recently graduated with an M.Sc. in Physical Therapy at McGill and is currently working at a private physiotherapy clinic. She helps athletes with sports injuries, people of all ages post-surgery for rehabilitation, neck and back pain, running injuries, and more. Eva is thrilled to keep in touch with many of her Elmwood classmates, including Alix Dudley, Laura Kerrigan, Sara Duplancic and Marielle McGovern. Marielle McGovern ’05 Marielle is living in Ottawa after completing her B.A. at McGill University and her M.Sc. in Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science. After working in the Federal Government for two years, Marielle took a position as the Community Liaison Officer with the Rideau Transit Group. She is Vice-Chair of the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee and volunteers as a press officer for Rugby Canada. Rosemary Tross ’05 Rosemary has lived in London, England for the past seven years.
Luise Birgelen Luise left Elmwood after Grade 10 to return to Germany, where she graduated high school in 2006. The love for science and engineering she discovered at Elmwood led her to get her Masters in Engineering at Oxford University, where she graduated with first class honours in 2010. Her senior tutor was a fellow Elmwood Old Girl, Lucia Nixon ’66! After earning her M.B.A. in Paris, Luise returned to Germany to start working at a management consultancy company called Boston Consulting Group. She really enjoys her work, getting to travel a lot and working for really interesting clients, mostly international car companies. For the last year, she has had the opportunity to work with the World Wildlife Fund in Brazil, helping them develop their Brazilian strategy for the next five years, including their conservation priorities in the country. She has also had opportunity to travel to biodiversity hotspots such as the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest.
She went to England to study drama and now divides her time between working in theatre productions and as a personal assistant to the author Shirley Conran. The last production she worked on was Richard III at The Rose Theatre, Bankside. Sarah Yan ’05 After graduating from Elmwood, Sarah attended McGill University and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Studies and Communications. Since 2009, she has been working in Ottawa for the federal government. Her work has taken her overseas to Singapore, Vietnam and India. Most recently from October to December 2013, Sarah was working in the Philippines during Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) and assisted with the Canadian efforts there. Virginia Brown ’06 After graduating from Elmwood in 2006, Virginia attended McGill University, completing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience in 2010. She spent summers working with youth at canoe tripping camps (Paddlefoot and Boundless Adventures) and then took a year off of school and spent six months travelling and volunteering in South America. After that, Virginia moved to Toronto to pursue a Masters of Science in Physiology and Neuroscience at the University of Toronto, studying the effect of new antidepressant therapies on the brain and novel ways to give therapies directly to the brain. She started medical school (also at the University of Toronto) in Fall 2013 and spent the summer of 2014 doing clinical research at a hospital in Toronto. She has also volunteered with a student-run medical clinic, coordinated a mentoring program for children living in low-income areas of Toronto, as well as played on intramural sports teams.
Lorena Mason ’06 After graduating from Elmwood in 2006, Lorena attended McMaster University and graduated in 2010 with a B.Com. (Hons). During her time at McMaster, she embarked on a six-month exchange to the University of Warwick in England. In September 2011, Lorena began work as a tax professional at Deloitte in Toronto and has since successfully completed the Chartered Professional Accountant exams and expects to be fully qualified as a CPA, CA in the fall of 2014.
In September of 2013, while still working full time at Deloitte, she also began the Masters of Taxation program at the University of Waterloo on a part-time basis and anticipates graduating in August 2015. She is currently living in Mississauga with two dogs and participates on a few sports teams. Angela Skaff ’06 Angela graduated from University of Ottawa in 2010, with a Bachelor of Science in Medicinal Chemistry. She was accepted into the four-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program at Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida and is currently in the final year of the program. While studying, Angela has been very active in professional pharmacy organizations, serving in a number of leadership positions on the local, state and national level of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. She served as the 2013 – 2014 President of the Student Society of Health System Pharmacists, coordinating programming and events to prepare fellow Pharm.D. students to apply for residency programs. Concurrently, she was appointed to the State Council on Organizational Affairs for the Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists, through which she authored professional policy and position statements on Sterile Compounding, Collabo-
Sarah Black ’07 After graduating from Elmwood in 2007, Sarah attended the University of Western Ontario and graduated with a degree in psychology and religious studies. She rowed on the UWO varsity team for five years and won the 2012 UWO Female Athlete of the Year Award. She also raced on the Canadian Under-23 National Team for three years, winning a bronze (2010) and a gold (2011) medal. Sarah is currently living in London, Ontario and training with the Canadian Senior National Rowing Team. She recently won bronze and silver medals at the 2013 World Rowing Championships in Chungju, South Korea and aspires to represent Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games.
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rative Practice and Provider Status. Angela was recently appointed to the National Council of Public Policy of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, which will involve frequent visits to Capitol Hill to discuss health policy bills with Members of Congress. This June, she became one of twelve recipients of the ASHP National Student Leadership Award. Anticipating graduation in May 2015, she is in the process of applying for a two-year residency in Clinical Practice, including a Masters in Health System Administration, with an overall objective to become a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a future hospital administrator. Christiane McGovern ’07 Christiane graduated in 2011 from McGill University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences. While at McGill she played on the McGill Martlets Varsity Field Hockey team. After graduating she spent a year working in the Federal Government as an Environmental Review and Approvals Officer at Infrastructure Canada and during her time there realized she wanted to pursue a career in law. Christiane is now entering her third year of law school at Queen’s University, where she has also been very involved in the community— working as a member of two Pro Bono projects, as the Vice President of the Queen’s International Law Society and as a peer tutor. Last summer Christiane spent four months working with the legal counsel at Hydro Ottawa and this summer is working at Gowlings as a summer student in their Business group. In the fall she will be heading to Hong Kong as a part of Queen’s Law International Exchange Program. Julia Normand ’07 Julia graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Arts, where she studied Political Science and Environmental Studies. She completed a four-month internship at a United Nations specialized agency as a Climate Change Intern and knew that it was the type of work she wanted to be involved with. From there Julia went on to complete a Masters of Environment and Sustainability at Western University and completed a research and consulting project on Natural Gas extraction via Hydraulic Fracturing. She recently moved to Calgary with the hopes of pursuing a career in the Oil and Gas sector, specifically within an environmental department. Julia is currently working as a bookkeeper in the meantime while she searches for a permanent position in her field! Vanessa Assally ’08 After graduating from Elmwood in 2008, Vanessa went on to study at the University of Ottawa, earning a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), majoring in Communications and a minor in Psychology. She is currently working at TD Canada Trust as a Credit Risk Analyst in Toronto. As a member of the Credit Analysis team 42
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Anne Pigott ’08 Anne graduated from McGill University in 2012 with a B.A&Sc. in Environment and Economics and, upon graduation, moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to join a national consulting firm as an Environmental Planner. She has since relocated to Vancouver where she is primarily involved in Traditional Knowledge/Traditional Land Use studies, First Nations governance development, land use planning and First Nations community development planning. Anne’s work takes her to communities across Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia as well as the North, working on projects in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. at TD Bank, she adjudicates credit applications associated with the new TD Aeroplan Visa card. The team received months of training prior to launching the new card in January 2014. Vanessa has been enjoying this opportunity, both work and the move to a new city. Hilary Brown ’08 Hilary graduated from Elmwood in 2008 and pursued a joint-honours political science and history degree at McGill. During the summers she enjoyed working as a wilderness whitewater canoe guide. After graduating from McGill, Hilary took a year off and lived and worked in Melbourne, Australia. She began a J.D. at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in the fall of 2013 and has enjoyed getting involved in student life there, as a ProBono Students Canada researcher for the Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal, volunteering at a legal clinic, and as a member of the Women in Law club. This summer, she is working as a legal researcher and preparing litigation seeking to enforce the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement to go to trial next year. Ally Brown ’09 Ally attended Queen’s University to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Sciences. She spent a couple of summers working as a whitewater canoe guide in Northern Ontario and Quebec, and after her third year of undergrad, worked in the Northwest Territories doing paleontology research for Queen’s University. After graduating in 2013 she worked in Kingston for the Queen’s University Facility for Isotope Research conducting research concerning modern mineral exploration methods. After that, Ally travelled throughout Eastern Canada and Iceland, and recently moved to Vancouver, B.C. to pursue a career in mineral exploration and mining. Sophia Dhalla ’09 Sophia served as Elmwood’s Head Girl for the 2008 – 2009 academic year. Following her time at Elmwood, Sophia was awarded the National Millennium
Scholarship and McGill University’s Greville Smith Scholarship. During her time at McGill, Sophia pursued a Bachelor of Arts and Science, majoring in Molecular Biology and International Development. Outside of the classroom at McGill, Sophia was actively involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities. She served as the events coordinator for McGill’s Student Association for Medical Aid, raising money and awareness for medical projects in developing countries. In addition, she was also involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Montreal, and enjoyed teaching swimming to children with developmental disabilities on weekends. Sophia currently lives in Vancouver, where she recently completed her first year of Medical School at the University of British Columbia. This summer, she plans to travel through Southeast Asia, and will also be working at B.C. Children’s Hospital in the field of pediatric neurology. Joanna Schembri ’09 Joanna graduated magna cum laude from St. Lawrence University in 2013 with a B.A. in Economics. At St. Lawrence, she completed her honors thesis on the founding of the Bank of Canada and spent two years as an economics teaching assistant. Joanna is currently completing a dual M.Sc. of Accountancy and M.B.A. degree from Northeastern University in Boston. She lives in downtown Boston and loves it because Boston is full of students, great restaurants, history, and culture. 2010s Emilie Chiasson ’10 Following graduation from Elmwood, Emilie began her Bachelor of Science degree at Acadia University and just graduated (2014) with her B.Sc. with Honours and Co-operative Education. In her first year, after playing rugby for the first time in Grade 12 at Elmwood, she tried out for the varsity rugby
team and earned the position of starting fullback. Rounding out the year as both Acadia’s Rugby Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player she continued with athletics at Acadia. After
Wallace Sisters Lillian ’07 graduated in June 2014 from the University of Windsor and Detroit Mercy with a dual, Canadian-American law degree. She will be starting her articling with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, in the Ottawa office in August, with an the firm’s intellectual property practice. Cynthia ’08 is currently at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University and will be graduating in 2015. Cynthia has accepted articling with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Daphne ’10 is currently at the Rowe School of Business at Dalhousie University, graduating in 2015. Daphne played on the Dalhousie Varsity Soccer team and completed her last season as captain. She is working at Scotia Bank in Toronto, with the Bank’s Debt Capital Markets trading group.
missing her second year season due to a broken collarbone Emilie bounced back for her third and fourth year to earn Acadia Rugby’s Most Valuable Player, as well as Atlantic University Sport’s Rugby All-Star Fly-Half and League Most Valuable Player. In her fourth year she broke the single season scoring record and was named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport All-Canadian and nominee for CIS Player of the Year. Earning honours as an Academic All-Canadian in all of her four years Emilie enjoyed pursuing biology with special interest in research during her time. One highlight was her research experience at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada where she worked in a microbiology lab. Outside of academics and athletics Emilie found particular passion being involved as a committee chair for Acadia’s Relay For Life, earning donations for the Canadian Cancer Society, and in her fourth year was the third top individual fundraiser. With her academic background Emilie is pursuing medicine and will be applying to medical schools for the following year. Emilie is currently living in Halifax and training as a Canadian Sport Centre Athlete to earn a spot on the Canadian Women’s National Rugby Team. Kelly O’Connor ’10 Kelly entered the Bachelor of Arts degree program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and found her
calling in English literature and French studies. Looking to get involved in the school community, she has been an active member of the UBC Debate Society, participating in inter-university competitive debate tournaments in a variety of places including Alberta, Montreal, Ireland, and Germany. She has also been involved in UBC’s English undergraduate journal, the Garden Statuary, as a member of the executive board and later as a published writer. In 2012 – 2013 Kelly spent an exchange year studying literature abroad at University College Dublin in Ireland. It was a particularly valuable experience since her father was born in Ireland and she is a citizen of the country. She has been lucky to gain work experience through the university’s co-op program, working at the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy, France in 2013. Since January 2014, Kelly has been back in Ottawa doing a final co-op work term as an intern at Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada in international development. This fall she will be finishing up her undergraduate degree and in 2015 she plans to start studying law, with a particular emphasis on international law and human rights. Caitlin Rogers ’10 Caitlin is currently pursuing an Honours B.Sc. degree in Biochemistry at Carleton University and will be graduating at the end of 2014. She plans to go on to attend graduate school and is currently considering options at several different universities. She has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters as a facilitator of their Go Girls program, educating pre-teen girls about self-esteem and a healthy and active and lifestyle. She has also tutored four elementary school students in English and math and worked with Elmwood’s 3:26 Club. She is also a key member of Elmwood’s Summer Camp for Girls staff—as a camp counselor and now as the Assistant Coordinator. She was thrilled to have an exciting fun-filled summer at camp!
Sacha (Arseneau) Clement ’11 Sacha married Ian Clement on June 22, 2014 at Beantown Ranch in Plantagenet, Ontario. She is also currently pursuing a Bachelors in Bio-Resource Management through the University of Guelph, majoring in Equine Management. The program is the only one of its kind in Canada, and each year’s cohort is anywhere from 25-30 students. Sacha made the dean’s honours list last year. Her hope is to pursue a career relating to the science and economics behind large agricultural animals.
Juliet Caragianis ’11 Juliet is a political science major at Yale University, class of 2015. She works in the International Office of Students and Scholars (OISS) as a Peer Liaison for international freshmen and also works for the Yale Dean’s Office as a Communication and Consent Educator. Juliet is Director of Events for the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and will be moving into the sorority house this upcoming year to fully immerse herself in the American college experience. She has spent the last two summers working in London, England: last summer in property development and this summer in private equity and finance. The end of the summer will be spent traveling to Monaco, Greece and Croatia before returning for her last year of college.
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Judith Low
Victor Wilgress
Margaret Anne Gerard ’41
Angus Mackay Wilson died peacefully at the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre on August 27, 2013. He was the son of the late Senator Cairine Wilson and Norman Wilson. Angus was predeceased by his siblings, Olive, Anna, Cairine, Janet and Ralph and is survived by his wife Alice and his children. He was the dear brother of Robert (Marilyn) and Norma Davies ’42 (late Jim), who studied at Elmwood from 1931 to 1942 and is an active Board Member.
Yael Sara Dalit Jason passed away suddenly on July 17, 2014 at the age of 32—she was the daughter of Paul and Yvonne. She attended Elmwood in her early years, as did her sister Mikhela who attended in the eighties and nineties. She is also survived by her brother Guy. She was very active in the community and was the inspiration for The Snowflake Ball which raised awareness and money for Crohn’s disease.
In Memoriam Margaret Marise (Bishop) WillisO’Connor ’43 died in her sleep on June 24, 2013. Jackie was predeceased by her husband Hugh Raymond. She is survived by her three children Michael, Maggie and Catherine and her five grandchildren. Jackie studied at Elmwood in 1941 and 1942. Judith Low passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, July 6, 2013, surrounded by her family. Judith taught French and music at Elmwood for many years and was fondly known as “Madame Low.” She will be greatly missed by her husband and her three children, Jessica, Thomas and Kate. Mary Scott (Fry) Wang ’36 passed away at the Kingston General Hospital on July 16, 2013 at the age of 94, beloved wife of the late Dr. Peter Wang and mother of Susan and Erik. Mary entered Elmwood in 1934 and graduated in 1936. Victor Wilgress passed away on July 31, 2013. Predeceased by his wife Jane Edwards, who attended Elmwood from 1929 to 1937, and survived by his three children, Willy ’69, Vicky ’71 (Jimmy) and Ted, grandfather to Tyler, who attended Elmwood from 1990 to 1994. Diana Eleanor (Lawson) Ryback ’60 following an evening of life and laughter among good friends and family, Diana passed away peacefully on August 17, 2013 at the age of 71. Predeceased by her parents, John Osborne and Jessie Eleanor, who studied at Elmwood from 1924 to 1932, and her sister Catherine Boyes. Mourning her loss are her four children, Bruce, Deborah, Gillian and Jennifer. Diana grew up in Ottawa, graduating as Head Girl from Elmwood.
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Arthur Campbell Colley Pigott died on November 2, 2013, surrounded by his children. He was a caring father to John (Elizabeth), David (Janet) and Mary Jane ’81 (George) and a loving grandfather to Elmwood graduates, Jane Pigott ’05 and Anne Pigott ’08. Margaret Anne Gerard ’41 died peacefully on November 20, 2013 at the Civic Hospital with her husband by her side. Margaret entered Elmwood in 1936 and graduated in 1941. Her trophies and school pins have been donated to the school. Arabella Helen Nixon ’74 passed away on April 24, 2014 at the age of 57. Arabella graduated from Elmwood in 1974 and went on to study at Trinity College and the University of Toronto. She leaves behind her siblings, Lucia (Nixon) Price ’66, Charles B. Nixon and Anita Biguzs. Her family has donated her memorabilia to Elmwood.
Hilary Anne Nicolson passed peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Tuesday July 22, 2014 at the Elisabeth Bruyère Hospital, aged 60. She will be missed dearly, but is reunited with her beautiful daughter, Fiona ’04 who attended Elmwood from 1997 to 2000, and father, Jake Warren. Hilary was a beloved mother to Andrew and Colin and daughter to Joan Warren, but will also be remembered as a lively sister to Martin (Lorraine), Jennifer (Charlie) and Ian (Andrea). Genevieve Laidlaw (“Denny” Armstrong Bronson) ’36 passed away August 8, 2014 in Ottawa at the age of 95. Genevieve attended Elmwood from 1924 to 1936 along with her sister, the late Margaret Bronson Toy, who attended the school from 1935 to 40. She was the dear wife of the late Archie Malloch and a loving mother to Sheila, James, Ian and Christie.
Frank Sellers died peacefully in Winnipeg on May 31, 2014. He will be missed by his wife, Dr. Hanna Sellers, past member of the Elmwood Board, and his children, Gordon (Laura), Todd and Dr. Elizabeth Sellers who attended Elmwood from 1971 to 1978.
The Emblem is published twice a year. To ensure your news is included in the next issue, please submit your story and a high resolution photo to eaylen@elmwood.ca by December 15, 2014.
Strength in Numbers Each and every contribution to the Annual Campaign makes a difference to our girls. Your donation provides us with the means to fulfill our mission—Inspiring each girl to reach her full potential. Every gift counts and participation from our entire Elmwood community is key to our success. Thank you for your support!
Visit elmwood.ca and click on “Donate Now” or call the Advancement Office at 613.749.6761 to donate today.
Mrs. Boychuk doesn’t just teach drama,
SHE TEACHES GIRLS TO FIND THEIR VOICE.
All of Elmwood’s outstanding teachers lead, inspire and encourage our students’ creativity, growth and academic excellence in our supportive and collaborative environment. At Elmwood, we go above and beyond to ensure our girls receive a well-rounded, rigorous education that will prepare them for life and work beyond the classroom. Come meet our faculty and see them in action at our upcoming Open House. You’ll also have an opportunity to speak to our students and families, hear more about the Elmwood difference and tour the School.
Open House: Saturday, October 18 at 9:30 a.m. Call (613) 744-7783 or visit elmwood.ca/openhouse to RSVP.
www.elmwood.ca Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Elmwood School, 261 Buena Vista Rd. Ottawa ON K1M 0V9