Elmwood Emblem April 2016

April 2016

Early Years Outdoor OdysseyThe Early Years programme at Elmwood School takes learning outdoors! PAGE 18

A Century of Self-expressionThe History of Visual Arts at Elmwood School PAGE 22

Norma Davies ’42 Serves Her 50th Year on Elmwood Board of Governors PAGE 32

Celebrating a Century!E L M W O O D S C H O O L 1 9 1 5 – 2 0 1 5

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C H A P T E R O N E

The School

heodora Philpot stood out from the crowd in her time. She had seen some of the far corners of the world. She was not afraid to defy convention. She was capable of hard work and, even as a respectable married woman with children, she had plans that went far beyond her own front door. She was an entrepreneur, and her

dream was to create a great school.The child of British parents, Theodora grew up in Burma, trained as a teacher in

California and—horror of horrors—married a divorced man. Even then, she refused to be conventional. Instead of settling down and raising children on her husband’s meagre wages as a teacher, she founded a school on the outskirts of a colonial capital and drove herself to exhaustion balancing the demands of running a household with service to a school population that grew from 4 to more than 40 in only four years. In the end, she was defeated by her own success and left the school she created to others, who in their turn nurtured it and helped it to grow through infancy and adolescence into the Elmwood of today. Her contribution was nevertheless seminal.

Elmwood was Theodora Philpot’s second educational venture. In the early years of the century, she was living in rough-and-tumble California, where her parents were trying, unsuccessfully, to grow oranges. There she met and, a year later, braved her parents’ disapproval to marry, an Englishman by the name of Hamlet S. Philpot. He was an Oxford-trained scholar who found teaching work in Baltimore, where Theodora bore two sons. In 1912, they acted on the suggestion of friends to found a school in Babylon, Long Island.

Beginnings 1915 – 1925

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SHOW YOUR ELMWOOD PRIDE –

SHOP OUR CENTENNIAL STORE!

Looking for a way to commemorate this moment in Elmwood’s history?

You’ll find a number of limited edition Centennial items both online at elmwood100.ca and in the school store—the Eagles’ Nest.

E N D E A V O U R ’ S A L L : T H E E L M W O O D S T O R Y 1 9 1 5 – 2 0 1 5

In celebration of Elmwood’s Centennial, we are proud

to present our updated and expanded history book,

written by Janet Uren ’68! This book captures the story of Elmwood School through the

recollections of many who have been a part of it.

You can order a copy of the book on our online store at elmwood100.ca, call the Communications Department at 613.749.6761 or visit the Eagles’ Nest in person.

E L M WO O D.C A | A P R I L 2 0 1 6 1

editor: Teresa Stirling, Director of Communications

photographers:Alex BraultDwayne BrownLindsay GermanoChris Snow

design:Ryan Mesheau

contributors:Elise AylenChristine BlackadarCheryl BoughtonBeth EllisonMeagan EnticknapLindsay GermanoJennifer Irwin-JacksonBrian McCullough Kate MeadowcroftEvelyn PikeMadighan Ryan ’22Kimberley SenfJoan SunMegan Sweeney ’16Janet Uren ’68

The Elmwood Emblem is published twice a year for the entire Elmwood community by Elmwood’s Communications Department

elmwood school

261 Buena Vista Rd.Ottawa ON K1M 0V9Phone: (613) 749-6761Email: [email protected]

above: No birthday celebration is complete without a birth-day cake! Photo by Chris Snow

on the cover: Jane Buckley and Andrew Philpot, the grandchildren of Elmwood’s Founder, donated 1000 daffodil bulbs to mark Elmwood’s Centennial year. The first few were planted on Founder’s Day by a group of distiguished members of the Elmwood community. Photo by Chris Snow.

retraction: Julia Fournier is not associated with The Foundation Solution Haiti (FSH) as previously noted in The Elmwood Emblem, Alumni Spotlight, September 2015.

ELMWOOD EMBLEM | A P R I L 2 0 1 6

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EARLY YEARS OUTDOOR ODYSSEY

Away from the walls of the classroom, children engage in a different kind of

learning that allows them to connect with their environment in meaningful ways.

By Kate Meadowcroft

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WHY ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE?

Community service allows students to connect their learning in meaningful ways

to real life contexts and situations.

By Madighan Ryan ’22, Megan Sweeney ’16 and Meagan Enticknap

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Contents

Message from the Headmistress .. 2

News and Notes ..................................4

Centennial Weekend .......................10

Centennial Timeline .......................... 16

Outdoor Odyssey ............................... 18

A Century of Self-Expression .......22

Why all the Buzz About Community Service?........................ 24

Creating a Home Away From Home ......................................... 26

An Inspiring Girl: Fumi Shibutani ‘16 .............................28

Meet the Mascots .............................30

Taking the Long View .....................32

Once a Prefect .................................. 34

Alumni Spotlight .............................. 36

Alumni News and Events ...............38

Class Notes .........................................40

Advancement News ....................... 45

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A CENTURY OF SELF-EXPRESSION

Arts education at Elmwood has been an important part of the curriculum since the

School’s infancy.

By Teresa Stirling

2 A P R I L 2 0 1 6 | E L M WO O D E M B L E M

e recently celebrated the 100th day of our 100th year, and it was

a fitting time to reflect back on the high-lights of our year so far. It has certainly been one for the record books!

Starting off on the first day of school, we were so thrilled to have Ottawa’s May-or, Jim Watson, join us for our opening assembly. The day was filled with festivi-ties, and capped off with record-breaking attendance at our Kick-off Carnival. Later in the month we held the first of our Cen-tennial “Dress-up Through the Decades” days. I couldn’t believe how many of our students and staff members took part—there were moments during the day that I truly felt like our founder, Theodora Philpot, must have felt.

On a gorgeous weekend at the begin-ning of October, we welcomed our entire community to gather for Centennial Weekend and celebrate the school we all call home. From Friday to Sunday we held eight different events, which had over 1400 attendees. We welcomed back alumni from the 1940s to 2015 and had strong representation from every decade. We saw former colleagues and friends. It was incredible.

Before we took a break for the holidays, we all came together as a community once more for the Old Girls Art Fair and Holly Tea. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to visit over a cup of tea, view some incredible art and sing along with our special Holly Tea Choir made up of alumni, teachers and current students.

After the break there was a flurry of activity in preparation for the Father Daughter Gala. This annual favourite reached new heights this year, as fathers and daughters took a “Flight of Fancy” at the Canada Aviation Museum. It was a magical evening that I’m certain will be a highlight of this year for all that attended.

As much as I have loved taking part in all of the celebrations, I think one of the things that has struck me most this year is how looking back helps us to recognize how far we have come. I read the feature on Norma Davies ’42 (page 32) with particular interest. Norma started at Elm-wood in 1931, and has been witness to the school changing and modernizing over the years, while still retaining the values upon which it was built. Norma celebrates her 50th year on Elmwood’s Board of Gover-nors this year. What an amazing accom-plishment, and how lucky we are to have such a dedicated and committed member of our community!

The party isn’t over yet! We still have our Centennial Gala – 100 Years of Bril-liance, and our Centennial Finale to look forward to. I hope to see all of you before the year is out.

MESSAGE FROM THEHEADMISTRESSCheryl Boughton, Headmistress

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1 Ms. Blackadar ’88, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Mrs. Boughton, Mr. Whitehouse and Head Girl Brooke Mierins ’16 on the first day of Elmwood’s Centennial year. 2 The Holly Tea Choir entertains the crowd. 3 Mrs. Boughton with Elmwood Alumnae on Centennial Weekend. 4 Faculty and staff on the first “Dress-up Through the Decades” day. 5 Members of the Class of 2016 at the Father Daughter Gala. 6 Mrs. Boughton and her parents helped out with the daffodil planting on Founder’s Day.

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Awesome Colosseum You may have had a chance to visit the Canadian War Museum’s summer exhibit, Gladiators and the Colosseum – Death and Glory, which ran from June 13 – September 7, 2015. The exhibit was a wonderful collection of real, ancient gladiatorial equipment, monuments and related artwork from approximately nine different museums in Italy.

What you may not know, though, is that earlier in the year the War Museum was looking for help organizing an “Awesome Colosseum” day—an opportunity for families to visit the exhibit and then participate in activities to learn about the ancient Roman world. And so, they contacted Elmwood’s Classics Club! After a meeting where we showed the museum’s educational coordinator some of the works of art created by our club (ranging from costumes to jewellery, replica artefacts, pottery, and even our chariot), our Classics Club students were invited to lead a full day of activities at the museum. We were asked to put together a display of our students’ Classical artwork and to teach young visitors and their families how to make gladiator action figures, oil lamps, and children’s games. We were also asked to provide chariot rides for visitors!

Our Latin and Classics Club students were also invited to a photo shoot, and the pictures were used in the online promotion of the exhibit. Then, the group spent the last Sunday of June teaching children and their parents how to create replica items—all while dressed in authentic costume. Over the course of the day, approximately 1,400 visitors cycled through the exhibit and display, and our chariot was run over and over to give rides to the crowd!

Elmwood’s Classics Club represented the school with exceptional creativity, enthusiasm, talent, and responsibility. CTV Morning Live was so impressed by our club that they used our chariot and involved several of our costumes in their morning promotion of the exhibit and its activities! We were honoured to have been asked to participate in this amazing exhibit, and we are proud to have been sought out to show our students’ work at its only Canadian stop!

A Proclamation to Kick-Off the Celebrations! Mayor Jim Watson helped us celebrate the first day of our 100th year with a fantastic opening speech at our whole school assembly. We were also thrilled to have him present Elmwood with a proclamation from the City of Ottawa in honour of our 100th anniversary.

Later that day families, friends, alumni and members of the community gathered to celebrate the beginning of Elmwood’s 2015 – 2016 school year. A carnival-themed menu and fun carnival games and activities made for an incredible evening!

Thank you so much to our Event Chair, Catherine McLaughlin, and her group of volunteers for all the planning and hard work that went into making the event such a great success and a fitting start to our milestone year.

Happy Campers Camp Elmwood —The Centennial Edition was a huge success. Students in Grades 6 – 12 visited Camp Kandalore in mid-September and enjoyed some beautiful weather. Their days were filled with sunshine, swimming, canoeing, sports, zip lining, team building, campfires and more! Camp Elmwood is such a great

opportunity for our students to build new friendships, take risks, try new things and have fun!

Dress Up! As part of our student engagement activities for Elmwood’s Centennial Year a series of “Dress-up Through the Decades” days have been held. Students come to school dressed up to represent a specific time period—some choose a whole costume, some a specific hairstyle, and others a few key items that represent the era. Throughout the day they also learn more about the specific time period. Our first Dress-up Day took place on September 30, and featured the early years of Elmwood. Even our school’s leaders got in on the fun—Mrs. Boughton, Mr. Whitehouse and Ms. Blackadar ’88 all had wonderful costumes!

Our second “Dress-up Through the Decades” day took place on January 20 and focused on the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. We saw some Pink Ladies, some Rosie Riveters and more than a couple of poodle skirts!

The third dress up day took place on February 24 with a focus on the 1960s. Students arrived to school looking groovy! The Cappies team helped organize the day to help promote Elmwood Theatre’s production of Les Belles Soeurs. This era coincides with that in which Michel Tremblay’s Canadian classic is set. The play depicts the lives of Québécois women living in Montreal, who, throughout the play, relay the hardships of gender inequality, the class system, the political scene and the burgeoning modernity of the 1960s.

It has been fantastic to see how our students have connected with Elmwood’s past through these special days!

NEWS AND NOTES

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1 Classics Club members, Elizabeth Coulter ’18 and Pooja Moorti ’17, were on-hand to help families participate in learning activities at the War Museum as part of “Awesome Colosseum” day. 2 Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa, presents a certificate to Cheryl Boughton, Headmistress, and Brooke Mierins ’16, Head Girl. 3 Grade 11 students, Emily Bangsboll ’17 and Sheetza McGarry ’17, enjoying the Kick-off Carnival festivities. 4 Ms. Blackadar ’88, Mrs. Boughton and Mr. Whitehouse get in the spirit on Dress-up Day! 5 Fun in the sun at Camp Elmwood with Sophie Glover ’21, Rukmann Sandhu ’21, Madi Chwast ’21 and Cate Woodhead ’21. 6 Students dressed up to celebrate the early years of Elmwood (1915 – 1920).


VI(G)Ps (Very Important Grandparents!) On October 13, we welcomed some very special guests to visit the School—Elmwood grandparents! Junior students hosted their guests in the morning, inviting them to visit their classrooms and take part in some fun activities. Middle/Senior students hosted their special guests in the afternoon—they were treated to a wonderful showcase performance including a song from the Grade 3s, a presentation about the Fab Lab and a wonderful sample of Elmwood Theatre’s Fair Cruelty. Thank you to all of the grandparents and special guests who were able to join us! Where in the World Are Our Students? Class trips are always a highlight for our students, and this year has been no exception!

In October our Grade 8s travelled to Toronto for their grade trip. They took in the sights and sounds of the city including a CN Tower tour, a visit to the Toronto Zoo and the incredible Ripley’s Aquarium. They enjoyed Motown the Musical and took part in an improv workshop at Second City. They also visited the Royal Ontario Museum and Art Gallery of Ontario.

Our Grade 9s were excited to visit New York at the end of October. While they were there they visited the Top of the Rock, enjoyed an evening at a Broadway show, visited the Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and so much more!

Our Grade 10s braved the cold in Algonquin Park as they went dog sledding as part of the Duke of Edinburgh programme. The group arrived in South River on January 17 and spent the first night at the North Ridge Inn where they had a quick orientation to help them prepare for the following day. They left the morning of the 18th and spent the next three days and two nights dog sledding and winter camping.

Our Grade 7s visited Quebec City in early February to take part in a Winter Experience Tour. The girls spent three days in Quebec City and had the opportunity to participate in outdoor activities as part of Quebec City’s annual Winter Carnival. While in Quebec City the students also visited the Valcartier Winter Playground, the beautiful Montmorency Falls and a traditional sugar shack, focusing on the traditions of the early Quebec settlers.

Engineers in the Making Grade 3 students built up their knowledge of structural strength and stability during a visit from Scientists in School on November 3. The girls explored the difference between manmade and natural structures. They investigated how the strength of a material can be altered by its shape. They created structures and learned about the impact of forces acting on them. Finally, they took part in a challenge to design, build and test a bridge.

By far the highlight of the day was when the girls had the opportunity to apply the knowledge they’d gained by completing various activities. They put their skills to the test and built bridges out of newspaper and masking tape, then weighed them down with math textbooks to see how strong and stable each bridge was.

Watch and Learn On Friday, November 6 we hosted our second annual “Curriculum in Action” event. The purpose of the event is for parents to observe learning happening first hand. The early morning was selected so that parents could spend some time in their daughter’s classroom and also observe learning that is happening at other grade levels on a typical day. Classes were engaged in IB units of inquiry, as well as literacy- and mathematics-focused classes.

Curriculum in Action was a great opportunity for parents to see how our talented teachers, exuberant girls, breakout spaces and flexible furniture facilitate learning and teaching.

Oh, Canada! It has been over 50 years since Joan O’Malley sat down to sew the first red maple leaf flag. We were thrilled to have Joan visit Elmwood on November 18 to share with Junior School students her story about how she ended up being the one to sew the flag.

Joan explained that Prime Minister (Lester B.) Pearson had made an election promise to get Canada a new national flag. More than 6,000 suggested designs were received, which were narrowed down to three finalists. On the night of November 6, 1964, the Prime Minister’s Office called Joan’s father, Ken Donovan, then Assistant Purchasing Director with the old Department of Trade and Commerce, with a very urgent request. The Prime Minister requested three prototypes of Canada’s new flag ready for evaluation the next day. Joan recalled getting the phone call from her dad that night for a favour! So, 20-year-old Joan grabbed her sewing machine and got the

job done. She worked through the night to create Canada’s first red maple leaf flag! One World. Many Cultures. On Friday, November 20, the International Cultures Club hosted a fantastic International Night. The evening including performances from the Junior School International Dance Club, a Bollywood song sung by Sophia Sweetenham ’17, a fashion show, a performance by the Junior School Drummers, 10 Things I Know About You performed in Swedish by Clara White ’24, Rainy Season sung by Gefan Zhou ’17, a centenarians video, a presentation from the Classics Club, a Fascinating Flower Forms video prepared by Leanne Gaussorgues ’18 and, last but not least, a Bulgarian dance performance. A special thank you to Mrs. Purran for all her hard work preparing such an incredible event.

REDBLACKS Day! November 27 was REDBLACKS Day at Elmwood! Students were invited to wear red and black to celebrate Ottawa’s team taking part in the 103rd Grey Cup. The Grade 5 and 6s were invited to a special event in the gym at lunchtime that included a visit from Dylan Hines who played football at Acadia. Dylan shared some pro tips on how to throw and catch a football. The girls practiced their throws and competed in some friendly competitions. It was an awesome day celebrating the team and we wish them all the best next season!

Holiday Cheer On Saturday, December 5 we hosted our annual Holly Tea, along with the Old Girls’ Art Fair. Members of the Elmwood community gathered together for a cup of tea and some holiday cheer. Works of art from various alumnae were on display and available for purchase, as well as a variety of vendors on hand at the Marketplace with demonstrations and items for sale. It was such a festive afternoon! Thank you to everyone who helped organize and volunteered at the event—especially Holly Tea Chair, Liana Ladki, Art Fair Co-Chairs Elizabeth (Raymont) Heatherington ’63 and Lynne (Houwing) Evenson ’79, and Art Fair Curator Maureen O’Neill ’69!

Musically Inclined Musical theatre aficionados have had two wonderful opportunities to take in a show at Elmwood this year.

NEWS AND NOTES

1 Sydney Little ’24 with her special guests on Grandparents’ Day. 2 With their flags in hand, Fatemah Ebrahim ’28, Emma Bettolli-Remonda ’28 and Daniella Lloreda ’27 were happy to meet Joan O’Malley. 3 International Night models Alaa Ba-Rasheed ’19 representing Saudi Arabia and Carine Ladki ’18 representing the Middle East. 4 Our Grade 5s and 6s celebrate REDBLACKS Day. 5 Head Girl Brooke Mierins ’16 serves tea at the Old Girls Art Fair and Holly Tea. 6 The Grade 9s visit Times Square in New York.

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The Middle School Production cast and crew were extremely excited to present Edward Mast’s Jungalbook on December 10. They did an absolutely fantastic job depicting Mowgli and his jungle crew. A special shout-out to the play’s Director, Ms. Josselyn, for her wonderful work!

On February 9 our Grade 4s and 5s proudly presented The Nightingale, a musical based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Congratulations to all of our actresses, and to their Director, Mrs. Pike!

Nightingale Breakfast Elmwood’s annual Nightingale Breakfast was held on January 13. We welcomed families and friends for a delicious breakfast, crafts, face painting, photo booth fun and amazing raffle prizes all to help support the Make-A-Wish Foundation! Congratulations to Head of Nightingale, Sikemi Oni and the prefect team for organizing such a fantastic event!

The Sport of Reading Elmwood School hosted The Kids’ Lit Quiz inaugural Ottawa Tournament on January 18. The Quiz is an annual literature competition for children aged 10 to 13. It puts readers onto the stage and lets them compete for fantastic prizes.

We were thrilled to have His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada join us as honorary Quizmaster, as well as teams from Ashbury College, Connaught Public School, Manor Park Public School, Rockcliffe Park Public School, St. Patrick’s Intermediate School and Turnbull School. A special thank you to Elmwood’s Librarian, Ms. Senf, for organizing such a fantastic event.

Taking Action Last year, Grade 5 student Sonja Sweetenham ’23 submitted an Action Proposal to create a Pen Pals club in the Junior School. Her goal was to create a relationship with a group of students in a First Nations community, to encourage writing skills for everyone, and to facilitate cultural understanding.

After a determined effort, they got in contact with a teacher and a group of interested students at Kash-Kap School for evacuees (from Kashechewan) in Kapuskasing, Ontario. Mid-January the class received their first letters and have since replied back, eager for a response.

Beyond the Boundaries On January 28 and 29 our students took part in Winterim! Now in its fifth year, this two-day event offered an exciting array of programmes that involved students learning through direct experience. At Elmwood, we believe that experiential education is a vital element of inspiring each girl to reach her full potential.

During Winterim, each student in Grades 3 – 12 participated in an intensive, enriching, small-group activity that took her beyond the boundaries of the regular curriculum and allowed her to explore her creative, intellectual or leadership potential. Some groups took part in adventures, such as rock climbing and tubing, while other groups focused on testing their problem-solving skills within a locked room. After the two days were complete it was evident that Winterim 2016 was a great success.

The Sound of Music Prior to Christmas break our JK to Grade 5 students presented a fantastic holiday concert to parents and guests. The concert included classics like Deck the Halls (sung by the Senior Kindergarten class), Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer (performed by the Grade 1 and 2s), Jingle Bells (performed by the Chime Choir), Silent Night (performed by the Ukulele Club) and many more! The girls performed beautifully and helped kick-off the holiday season!

Happy New Year! Our Grade 1s kicked-off the first day of class for 2016 with a fun New Years party! With their party hats on, noise makers in hand and some yummy snacks the girls had a blast welcoming 2016 together!

Flights of Fancy Dads and daughters from Grades 4 – 12 danced the night away as part of a special Centennial edition of a traditional Elmwood favourite—the Father Daughter Gala!

The gala was held at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum—one of the best aviation museums in the world and a spectacular setting for the special event. The entire museum was open for dads and daughters to explore! Thanks to our amazing Chair of the event, Catherine McLaughlin, and all of the volunteers for bringing the vision to life and giving the girls and their fathers such an unforgettable evening!

A Country Hoedown On February 17 Fry House hosted its annual fundraiser in support of its House charity, the Ottawa Humane Society, a non-profit, community-based organization. Since 1888, they have been the leading organization providing a safe haven for sick, injured and homeless animals in Ottawa. Each year, the Ottawa Humane Society rescues and cares for more than 11,000 animals in our community.

With the help of her fellow prefects, Brianna Gonga-Cavé ’16, this year’s Head of Fry, organized the Fry Country Hoedown, a departure from the House’s traditional skating party. The evening included a dance instructor to show guests how to country-dance, a yummy southern-style dinner was served and more!

The 100th Day of our 100th YearFebruary 19th marked the 100th day of our 100th year! To celebrate our Middle and Senior students enjoyed some beautifully decorated and delicious ‘100’ cookies. Junior School had activities happening all day, including a circuit of 100-themed activities for JK, SK and Grade 1 students and a special assembly to celebrate the day.

NEWS AND NOTES

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1 Head of Nightingale, Sikemi Omi ’16 with former Head of Nightingale Zein Zaghloul ’15. 2 Genevieve Collum ’23 tests her limits during the Winterim Indoor Rock Climbing Adventure. 3 Rudolph, better known to us as Angelina Montegrande-Arcenal ’27. 4 Kids’ Lit Quiz participants with His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, Quizmaster, Wayne Mills and Kids’ Lit Quiz Canada Coordinator, Nancy Davidson. 5 Fry Country Hoedown photobooth fun with Isabel Morgan ’27, Rose Jackson ’27 and Tilly Cook ’27. 6 The incredible centrepieces created by the amazing Father Daughter Gala volunteers. 7 Happy New Year from Ms. Wakeham’s Grade 1 class.

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ELMWOOD SCHOOL 1915 – 2015

CENTENNIAL WEEKEND

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The first weekend in October 2015 was a very special one in Elmwood School’s history. All members of the Elmwood community—alumni and their families, current students and their families, present and past faculty and staff, neighbours and friends—were invited to join us to honour and celebrate the extraordinary past, present and future of our beloved school. It was a weekend full of celebrations, new and old traditions and catching up with old friends—and it was a weekend we won’t soon forget.

Friday was Founder’s Day, a celebration of the beginnings of the School. The day began with an opening ceremony where students, alumnae, faculty and staff came together to learn about Elmwood’s history, blow out the candles on our beautiful birthday cake and be presented with commemorative pins. The afternoon was filled with visitors taking tours of the school, the official opening of our wonderful decades rooms, historical exhibit, “The Girls in Green” uniformed doll display and “Between the Elm Trees,” our collaborative art project. In the evening, we held a cocktail party for the launch of our updated history book, Endeavour’s All: The Elmwood Story, 1915-2015, written by Janet Uren ’68.

Saturday was the most perfect day for our Big Birthday Bash!

The day included a Family Fun Fair, with bouncy castles, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting and more. There was a special drama performance from Elmwood Theatre’s Fair Cruelty, and the decades rooms and exhibits were again available for tours. The Elmwood Bistro provided a fantastic BBQ lunch and the afternoon concluded with sports competitions and an ice cream social.

Saturday evening we moved the party to the spectacular Grand Hall of the Canadian Museum of History, for our Founder’s Dinner. It was a magical night of food, drink and conversation in honour of Elmwood’s 100th anniversary. The evening culminated in a fascinating interview with our special guest, Margaret Atwood, facilitated by Catherine Clark ’95.

On Sunday morning, as a fitting finale for our weekend of celebrations, members of the community gathered for a traditional favourite—Prayers—followed by a delicious brunch catered by the Elmwood Bistro. It was so nice to have one more opportunity to catch up with old friends and classmates, colleagues and students.

Thank you to everyone who attended, and special thanks to the members of our Centennial Committee who worked tirelessly on the planning of this memorable weekend.

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1 Junior School Deputy Head, Christine Blackadar ’88; former faculty, Annette Bellamy; Muriel Rowe ’02; Alexandra Zarama ’03; former faculty, Kim Lehman and Judith Sabourin; and Caroline McLoughlin ’05 enjoy the Sundial Sunday brunch. 2 Author, Janet Uren ’68 signs a copy of Endeavour’s All: The Elmwood Story, 1915-2015 at the book’s launch. 3 Headmistress Cheryl Boughton leads the Sundial Sunday attendees in the traditional Prayers ceremony. 4 Sarah Murray ’79 rings the school bell to kick-off Centennial Weekend at assembly on Founder’s Day. 5 Dominique Jacobson ’02 and Senior Drama and English Teacher, Angela Boychuk. 6 Former staff member, Wendy Dennys, hand-made replica Elmwood uniforms modeled on American Girl dolls.



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1 Members of Nightingale House cheer loudly before the relay races begin at the Big Birthday Bash. 2 Community Service Prefect, Megan Sweeney ’16 and Head Girl, Brooke Mierins ’16 take part in a tug-of-war at the Big Birthday Bash. 3 A highlight of the Decade Rooms tour was visiting the gym to view the history of Elmwood athletics. 4 The Elmwood Community gathers at the Canadian Museum of History for Elmwood’s Founder’s Dinner. 5 Catherine Clark ’95 interviews Margaret Atwood at the Founder’s Dinner. 6 Retired and current staff members celebrate at the Founder’s Dinner. 7 2005 graduates, Maja Campara ’05, Karen Leung ’05 and Abanti (Zakaria) Nawaz ’05, visit the 2000s decade room.

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1 Maizie Solomon ’21, Claire Goldberg ’21 and Rebecca Kealey ’21 enjoy the Founder’s Day student luncheon. 2 Tory Woodhead ’18 receives her Centennial pin from Sarah Murray ’79. 3 A student gives Jane Buckley and her husband a tour of the School and Decades Rooms. Jane is the granddaughter of Elmwood’s Founder, Theodora Philpot. 4 Family fun at the Big Birthday Bash!

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CENTENNIAL WEEKEND

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CENTENNIAL MESSAGE WALL

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1915The first headmistress, Mrs. Philpot, turns a farmhouse into a school.

Canada fights in the First World War.

1917An old barn becomes a gym.

1918Hume Cronyn became the first boarder at age 7. He later became an actor.

Women over 21 can vote in Canada.

1919

Two Elmwood parents, Mrs. Southam and Mrs. Fauquier, buy the school.

1915 - 1920 1930s 1950s1940s

1920Mrs. Buck becomes the second headmistress of Elmwood.

1923

The school gets a new name, “Elmwood.”

1925

Elmwood gets a new building and the first three houses called Fry, Keller aand Nightingale.

1929A 10-year Depression hits the world.

Women are made legally “persons” and now have the right to be appointed to the Senate.

The old barn is made bigger and better.

1931Mrs. Philpot, the first headmistress, remembers Elmwood and sends it a beautiful gift.

1933A house is built for the headmistress.

1939Elmwood students go to see King George VI unveil Ottawa’s War Memorial.

The Second World War begins.

The first child care centres are set up to help women who are working to help the war effort.

1940Quebec women can finally vote provincially.

In wartime, English children are sent for safety to Elmwood.

1946Senator Cairine Wilson asks law-makers for open and inclusive immigration to Canada.

The Thomas Ahearn wing is built in the Senior School with more room for science.

1951Charlotte Whitton is the first female mayor in Canada.

Mrs. Graham is the third headmistress.

1955Mrs. Bruce is the fourth headmistress.

An African American, Rosa Parks, bravely refuses to give up her seat on a bus.

1956The Duke of Edinburgh program comes to Elmwood.

1951Charlotte Whitton is the first female mayor in Canada.

Mrs. Graham is the third headmistress.

1955Mrs. Bruce is the fourth headmistress.

An African American, Rosa Parks, bravely refuses to give up her seat on a bus.

1956The Duke of Edinburgh program comes to Elmwood.

1920s

Elmwood Makes History: 1915 – 2015


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1980s 1990s 2000s1960s 1970s

1962Mrs. Blyth is the fifth headmistress.

1966The boarding school closes. Elmwood adopts a foster child in Hong Kong.

1967Grade 13 is added.

The UN says that the unfair treatment of women must end.

1969A spaceship lands on the moon.

Mrs. Whitwill is the sixth headmistress.

1972Canadian women are promised equal opportunity in education.

1978Elmwood starts offering the IB in the Senior School.

1979This is the last year for sewing classes at Elmwood.

Mother Teresa wins the Nobel Prize for her work with children in India.

1982Mrs. White is the seventh headmistress.

Elmwood is growing and needs a fourth sports house. Wilson House is named after Elmwood patron Cairine Wilson.

1983Elmwood gets bigger with more students and more space.

Roberta Bondar is the first Canadian woman chosen to go into space.

1985A small young Internet is born.

1988A big new gymnasium opens.

1990Mrs. Gundy is the eighth headmistress.

1994An Elmwood student is Ottawa’s top athlete.

199510 of 90 universities in Canada are headed by women.

For the first time, Elmwood girls produce the yearbook by computer.

1996Dr. Kirby is the ninth headmistress.

J.K. Rowling puts the final touches on the first Harry Potter novel.

2000The first laptop computers arrive.

2002The new Junior School opens.

Elizabeth II marks 60 years as queen.

The Canadian women’s hockey team wins Olympic Gold.

2003Mrs. Spence is the tenth headmistress.

Work is underway on the new Library.

2006The IB PYP programme is being offered in the Junior School.

2008Mrs. Boughton is the 11th headmistress.

2015Elmwood has its 100th birthday party and gets its own coat of arms!

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Early Years

OUTDOORODYSSEY

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The Early Years programme at Elmwood School takes learning outdoors!By Kate Meadowcroft, Junior Kindergarten Teacher

It’s snowy and cold in the kindergarten yard, but the students are burning with questions. “Why does the snow look sparkly when it’s sunny?” “Why is my shadow bigger than me?” “Why can’t I see my flashlight in the sunshine?”

The students are experimenting with light and shadow, noticing how light is affected by the snow that covers the grounds of the school. Before we ventured outside, I purposefully selected the materials the students are using to explore the environment, such as headlamps, flashlights, mirrors and prisms, giving careful consideration to which materials would best spark their curiosity about light and shadow, leading them to ask meaningful questions to guide their learning. But, as per usual, the students take the lesson to an unexpected, yet equally rich, site for learning. “What happens if we put the flashlights in the snow?” a student asks. “I wonder how much snow it would take to make the light go away?” another student responds. I ask “How can we find out?” A student spots a metre stick nearby and an exploration of measurement begins.


Each week in Junior Kindergarten, we head outside for an extended period of learning. We call this time “Outdoor Odyssey.” Away from the walls of the classroom, the children engage in a different kind of learning that allows them to connect with their environment in meaningful ways. Our Outdoor Odysseys harken back to the original kindergarten or “children’s garden,” an idea conceived by German educator Friedrich Froebel in the 19th century, in which children learned through play in nature. Today’s Kindergarten offers a more comprehensive curriculum for a more sophisticated time, but our children still benefit greatly from the lessons learned out of doors. We now know that resiliency and a growth mindset are some of the core character traits that determine success in school and life. Outdoor learning is ideally suited to building these traits in young children. We are remembering that mastering mud puddles and overcoming obstacles like rocks and fallen branches are just as important as learning letters in preparing children to map a successful journey through our rapidly changing world.

Outdoor Odysseys are multidisciplinary, cutting across math, science, literacy and physical education in any given moment. As the teacher, my role is both to encourage

the children to brave situations outside of their comfort zones leading to deeper understandings and confidence-building, as well as to take a backseat sometimes to follow their interests. Our exploration of light and shadow morphed into a lesson about measurement and I gladly followed the students’ interest in this area for a time. Gradually and with carefully framed, open-ended questions, I guided the students back to the original intent of the activity. The students’ natural curiousity is fostered, while the curriculum is covered in a way that honours each child’s intrinsic learning process. Wondering and exploring along with the children is another important facet of my role, as this sends the message to the children that their play is important and valuable. Safety is paramount and so the environment is carefully designed and checked regularly. Materials are also thoughtfully selected with safety in mind. In this secure environment, students can take risks without being aware of the safety net that has been created for them.

During each Outdoor Odyssey, I record their questions and observations in our class journal. We also collect treasures to display and explore further in the Hands-on Thinking Centre in the classroom. When we head back inside, we will

discuss the questions we asked, revisit key observations and see what understandings we constructed. If further information is needed to answer some of our wonderings, the students will brainstorm ways that we can research this information, perhaps searching for books in the library or asking an expert. After our adventures, the final step will be the creation of documentation that will make evident the learning that has occurred, so that we may share it with the entire school community. Photos will be posted, as will their questions and observations, to illustrate fully their learning process. The documentation will serve as a portfolio of their learning to which the students will refer back many times. They will also proudly share their learning with their parents and families before and after school.

Back in the classroom once again, we move on to the day’s literacy activity. As I watch the students’ concentration, I am reminded of how a breath of fresh air helps to focus the mind and calm the body. I am confident that our Outdoor Odyssey was invaluable in terms of the learning that occurred outside, but that, just as importantly, it will have a lasting effect on the learning the students will continue back inside the classroom walls.

Wondering and exploring along with the children is another important facet of my role, as this sends the message to the children that their play is important and valuable.

Singing the Praises of Mrs. Wiley By Evelyn Pike, Junior Music Teacher

What sounds and sights emanate from the classroom of Elmwood’s Senior Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Cathy Wiley?

In the morning, you will hear her guitar as she accompanies the “morning circle” songs. A happy buzz of activity fills the room as her students discover new things together in math and literacy centres. Students ooh and aah as classmates in lab coats carry out experiments involving such exciting objects as grapes suspended in liquid or a red cabbage. Having a science degree herself, Mrs. Wiley hopes to inspire confidence, excitement and curiosity about science in her students. Before Christmas, Mrs. Wiley’s classroom is transformed into a toy-making workshop, as the girls eagerly apply their imagination (as well as copious amounts of glue, paint, sparkles, feathers and pom-poms) to toys they create as part of their Primary Years Programme.

Mrs. Wiley’s strong interest in music extends beyond her own classroom into other areas of Elmwood, including her very popular Chime Choir for students in Grades Three to Five, many of whom wait longingly until they are old enough to join.

Most of Mrs. Wiley’s 15 years at Elmwood have been spent in her beloved Senior Kindergarten classroom. Her ultimate goal is for her students to love school; she believes that if they are happy and captivated by what they are learning, everything will fall into place.

Patience, dedication, humour and generosity: these are the hallmarks of our Senior Kindergarten teacher, Cathy Wiley. With a gentle hand, she has guided countless young Elmwood students as they navigate their way towards whatever learning adventures beckon. As she prepares for her retirement, we wish her many happy adventures of her own, with the hope that she will drop in and visit the Elmwood community that has appreciated her so much!

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A CENTURY OF SELF-EXPRESSION:

THE HISTORY OF VISUAL ARTS AT ELMWOOD SCHOOL By Teresa Stirling, Director of Communications

ccording to thoughtfullearning.com (2016), today’s students “need to think deeply about issues,

solve problems creatively, work in teams, communicate clearly in many media, learn ever-changing technologies, and deal with a flood of information” in order to prepare for information-age jobs.

Though it wouldn’t necessarily immediately spring to mind, one of the best places for Elmwood students to acquire those key skills is in the art room. Ms. Heawon Chun, Elmwood’s Middle/Senior Visual Art teacher, believes that arts education is the perfect conduit for the 21st century skills so in demand in today’s workforce.

“Creating a piece of art isn’t just about slapping things together,” said Ms. Chun. “It is a process—one that involves research, creative problem solving, self-awareness and expression. The artist must think critically, work innovatively, and be open to and incorporate feedback.”

The focus in Ms. Chun’s classes is on contemporary art, and the projects that the girls undertake are related to what is

currently happening in the local, national and international art scenes. This creates an ideal framework for students to see beyond the typical and expected. They are challenged to seek out new ways to approach their work, and to invite critique from their peers.

Arts education at Elmwood has not always had such a contemporary focus, though visual arts have certainly been an important part of the curriculum since the School’s infancy. As early as the second issue of Samara (1925), there was mention of official instruction:

“An Art class under the direction of Miss Nicol has been arranged for the pupils who show the most promise. We have been to the National Gallery at the Victoria Museum to study the pictures, and we hope to go sketching in the near future.”

In the 1927 Samara, Miss Nicol was listed as a visiting art teacher, in addition to Miss Hancox, who taught drawing and Miss Meyers who taught needlework. Miss Nicol was Pegi Nicol MacLeod, who went on to be a well-regarded artist whose wartime work, which included more than one hundred oil

paintings, set her apart from many of her contemporaries. A biography written by Laura Brandon captured the impact she had on her pupils:

“In 1925, she took a job teaching at Elmwood School… She made lasting friends of one or two of her young charges. One was Marjorie (Borden) Osborne, who remembered Pegi talking about the magic to be found in nature and the need to exaggerate the images perceived when painting landscapes. ‘If you see a slightly blue light in a shadow, make it very blue.’ ‘She was a rare and inspiring teacher,’ she added, ‘broke through the academic rules, got us all thinking in terms of creation rather than copying…’”

Miss Nicol was the first in a series of impressive “artists-in-residence” at Elmwood. In Endeavour’s All: The Elmwood Story, 1915 – 2015 author Janet Uren recounts three other artists of impressive stature that taught at Elmwood in addition to working as artists—Henri Masson, Robert Hyndman and Jean Cimon.

Janet writes, “Students studying art at

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Elmwood in the 1950s remember their teacher with great affection. Henri Masson was not just a very fine artist. He was also a cultivated man and a great talker on music and politics and any other subject.”

Robert Hyndman was a distinguished artist and teacher whose contributions to Canadian art spanned more than seven decades. He served as a pilot during WWII, and was appointed an Official War Artist in 1944. He created numerous paintings during the war, many of which remain part of the Canadian War Museum’s permanent collection. He taught at Elmwood from 1966 to 1971, before going on to teach at the Ottawa School of Art for the remainder of his career.

Of Jean Cimon, Janet Uren writes, “While her work never reached the renown of Nicol or Hyndman as professional artists, she was highly appreciated within the Ottawa area and was even commissioned by the prime minister of the day to do a painting at Moorside… Mrs. Cimon’s outstanding artistic legacy to Elmwood is a well-known and loved painting of the building.”

The trend continued into the 90s and early 2000s. Dodie Lewis, a nationally-known portrait artist, was Artist-in-Residence at Elmwood for three years during that time. She has continued her connection to the school—often donating her works for auction at the Elmwood Gala, or showing her stunning pieces at the Old Girls Art Fair.

Visiting artists have inspired decades of Elmwood girls, but so too have a number of long-serving art teachers. Prior to Ms. Chun’s arrival at Elmwood in 2009, there were a number of inspiring women teaching art at Elmwood: Barbara Aldous (1958 – 1980), Sheila Heacock (1977 – 1992), Sarah McCabe (1981 – 2005) and Leslie McLeod (1991 – 2007). These women shared their love of everything from art history and sewing to pottery and puppetry with thousands of Elmwood girls. The excellent arts program at Elmwood today was built on the incredibly strong foundation created by these wonderful teachers.

Today, Ms. Chun carries on their traditions, inviting well-known local artists like Marc Walter, Christopher Griffin, Adrian Gollner and Anthony Scavarelli to take their turn at the head of the class. She believes having the students interact with working artists is incredibly important, saying “I’m keen to have the girls hear other voices—both in instruction and in critique. And learning about other artists’ processes helps the girls develop their own.”

Also key to Ms. Chun is exposing her students to the different career paths an artist can take. She has invited architects, photographers, painters, curators, art

historians and others to speak to her classes about their vocations.

For many of Ms. Chun’s students though, the culminating art show each year is one of the most memorable parts of their art education. Starting in her first year at Elmwood, Ms. Chun and her Senior students have mounted an annual professional-level show at venues around the city, including the Dale Smith Gallery, Ottawa Art Works and Koyman Galleries. This is an incredible opportunity for our young artists to go through the process from idea to execution, to public viewing and critique. “For most, this is the first time they’ve shared their art with the public,” said Ms. Chun. “It takes courage and confidence to put a piece of yourself on a gallery wall—this helps our girls raise the bar, and not just in terms of the marks they make on a canvas, but also in the way they present themselves and their ideas.”

This year’s culminating art show will be held at Star Motors later this spring. I am sure that under the direction of Ms. Chun, our student artists will rise to the occasion and make their mark.

Opposite page: Elmwood art teachers Robert Hyndman and Heawon Chun.

1 Artwork by student Marjorie (Borden) Osborne ’27 2 Artwork by student Fumi Shibutani ’16 3 Artwork by student Ashton Yau ’19 4 Artwork by student Brooke Mierins ’16 5 Ms. Chun with one of the 2014 – 15 land art projects 6 Long-serving art teacher Sarah McCabe.

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1 Middle School Community Service Council helped plant 1000 daffodil bulbs all around the Elmwood campus. 2 Sophia DeFelice ’22 was one of 14 girls who donated their hair to create wigs for women fighting cancer. 3 Megan Sweeney ’16, Community Prefect, and Elmwood mascot Squawk. 4 The Grade 12 class was well represented at the Run for the Cure. 5 Elmwood has participated in the annual Run for the Cure for over a decade.

Opposite page: Megan helps deliver holiday hampers to the Rideau Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre.

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WHY ALL THE BUZZ ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE?By: Madighan Ryan ’22, Megan Sweeney ’16 and Meagan Enticknap

lmwood School is committed to finding opportunities for students to get involved outside the classroom and to have the

chance to contribute to communities both locally and globally. But why? What are the benefits in having students reach out to connect beyond the classroom walls?

Community service, or ‘service learning’ as it is sometimes called, allows students to connect their learning in meaningful ways to real life contexts and situations. It helps students to see the purpose in their learning and often answers the age-old student questions, “Why do I need to know this? Why does this matter?” Through these activities students have the chance to apply their learning in authentic ways. For example, when making a poster to raise awareness for a school initiative such as Run for the Cure, students need to use awareness of design principles, accurate spelling, use of colour, etc. Calculating the amount of hot chocolate powder from a large tin that can be equally divided into smaller Ziploc bags to be given out to families at the food bank requires the application of math skills in a real-life context. In these situations the learning becomes purposeful and therefore more engaging.

Equal, or maybe even more important, are the relationships that students build as they engage in service learning opportunities. Having the chance to meet new people, consider perspectives beyond their own, find the shared connections with people outside their direct circle—these understandings are arguably as important as the academic skills students have the opportunity to apply.

This year the Elmwood Community Prefect, Megan Sweeney, has introduced several new initiatives for students to get involved in. Megan says that, “Upon being elected Community Prefect, I made it my personal mission to ensure that every member of the Elmwood community had the opportunity to participate in events going on both within the school and around the city.”

One of the new initiatives that Megan started this year involves volunteer

excursions to the Boys and Girls Club in Vanier, where Senior School students have the chance to play, read and spend time with underprivileged youth. One of the Elmwood student volunteers, Keiren McClelland, says, “I love to be involved in Community Service because I get to make others feel happy, which makes me really happy as well. Volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa allows me to do just that. I love seeing the smiles on the children’s faces when they answer a question correctly or when they finish reading a chapter!”

Megan makes note of the commitment that the whole school has shown for a variety of community events and activities, such as Run for the Cure, in which Elmwood annually participates with a large team of runners and this year received the award for Top Fundraising High School in Ottawa, as well as the Holiday Hampers initiative, where every homeroom makes a kit of holiday supplies to donate to families through the Rideau Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre.

Says Megan, “The most rewarding experience this year, for me personally, has been the Hair Drive, an initiative that gave girls from Grades 6 to 12 the chance to donate their hair to make wigs for cancer patients.” The Hair Drive was another new initiative this year, planned by Megan, which truly inspired members of the Elmwood community to consider what it means to give.

Madighan Ryan, a Grade 6 student at Elmwood and a member of the Middle School Community Service Council which Megan leads, says, “Elmwood students are encouraged to reach out to the community every day.” She also notes, “Students are motivated to connect with the community through activities such as the Hair Drive, and this particular activity was an incredibly challenging one for some girls, but some felt very strongly about this charitable action and took a risk to get involved.”

Madighan says, “I am a Community Service Council member and have had the chance to get really involved in activities such as the Holiday Hampers—from the planning,

to promoting, to finally delivering the goods that were collected to their final destinations. For the Holiday Hamper drive, I got to really connect with the community. After all the classrooms had collected the goods, our Council had the opportunity to deliver the hampers to the families. This was a really inspiring experience and has been one of the highlights of my year.”

Sometimes service learning means simply taking the time to become more knowledgeable about other’s way of life or current global events. Recently students in the Middle School Community Service Council have been discussing the Syrian refugee crisis and learning about the historical and political context of the crisis as well as the impact on the families involved and the role that Canada is currently playing. The Council is exploring ideas around ways that Elmwood might be able to get involved or help out.

As an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, Elmwood is committed to helping students become internationally-minded, global citizens. As the IB mission statement states, “The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.” Service learning can go a long way in helping to achieve this goal. At Elmwood we want students to see that the actions they take can make a difference in the world—and that reaching out to others can be a positive, life-altering experience for all those involved.

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DCREATING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME:

Becoming a Homestay FamilyBy Joan Sun, Advisor of International Student Program, Elmwood School

id you know Canada is ranked sixth in the world’s most popular destinations for

international students? Canada’s global market share of international students is 4.89%, and more of them come to Canada from China than any other country. So why are international students—nearly 340,000 of them—flocking to Canada each year? Firstly, the excellence of the Canadian education system. In addition, Canada has a reputation as a tolerant and non-discriminatory society and is known to be a very safe country. Finally, for students from China, the clean air here is one of the prime reasons why they choose Canada. As a result of the popularity of Canada as a destination for students from around the world, international education has become Canada’s biggest service export with revenues of $8 billion annually from tuition and living expenses.

Elmwood has seen a small increase in international students over the past two years. These students bring new perspectives and cultural diversity to the school community. While a small number of international students live with their relatives or parents, most of them stay with local families. Referring to their hosts as “Homestay Mom and Dad,” they live with these families just like another member of the family. Homestay provides

an authentic experience for international students and an opportunity to completely immerse themselves in Canadian lifestyle and culture.

Homestay students settle into the daily routine of the family. They share meals and living space; participate in family activities; learn to celebrate Canadian holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas; embrace speaking English all the time; learn to live the Canadian lifestyle; and adapt to Canadian social norms and values.

For the host family, hosting an international student is a great opportunity to get to know more about other countries and cultures. Elmwood parents Carolyn and Rob Lauzon welcomed a Chinese student into their home in the fall of 2014. The reasons why they chose to host were two-fold, as Carolyn explained, “…to help a student learn English and obtain an education in Canada while providing a secure home environment, and to make a link to a Chinese family and learn more about the Chinese culture.”

The Lauzon family got a glimpse into their student’s way of life in China by hearing about her family, listening to stories about her growing up, and discovering differences in the Canadian lifestyle here versus the student’s back

For the host family, hosting an international student is a great opportunity to get to know more about other countries and cultures.

Photos from left: The Lauzon family with their homestay student Zoe; Zoe and her “little sister”; Gefan Zhou with her homestay “sisters”; Gefan performs at Elmwood’s International Night.

home. The family has learned to make dumplings, and celebrate Chinese festivals like Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Another benefit that the Lauzons had hoped would happen, but could not predict, is that their younger daughter is proud and excited to tell her friends about her “sister,” and is interested in learning about Chinese traditions through playing “tea party” and trying the different foods their student brings home.

All the benefits aside, hosting an international student is not without its challenges. One of the common challenges as hosts get to know their student better, and start to consider her as part of the family, is finding the balance between how they would impose rules on their own daughter versus being a host family who are not her parents. Another challenge is a Canadian host family may find it difficult not being able to communicate with the student’s family due to the language barrier, and therefore rely mainly on the student to tell her family what is going on in her life in Canada. However, in many cases, Elmwood School helps facilitate communication between the host family and the natural parents.

For any Elmwood family that is

considering hosting an international student, the Lauzons advise that the experience will enrich the host family’s life as much as they allow it to. “The more time you spend and the more heart you invest, the greater the benefits for everyone,” says Carolyn Lauzon. Also, it is important to set the house rules and expectations at the outset—this will help the student transition into her new surroundings. Then, maintaining the dialogue during their stay helps to make the time together a great experience for all.

The host family is such a key part of the student’s life in Canada. The positive impact of homestay families on international students cannot be underestimated. Students learn to be independent; to communicate with an open mind and polite manner; to embrace a new lifestyle; and to appreciate the diversity of Canadian society.

Over time the family and the student develop a close bond that often lasts beyond the term of stay. Many of our families still keep in touch with the girls that have stayed with them.

If you are interested in hosting an international student attending Elmwood, please contact the admissions office at 613-862-7507 for more information.

The Student’sPerspectiveBy Gefan Zhou, Grade 10

“As a student who studies abroad, I believe a good host family plays a very important role in my life.

I feel very lucky and appreciative that I can meet such a nice host family this year. Sue and Rob are great parents. The girls are lovely. I also met a hilarious roommate who comes from Italy. Life is so great! I enjoy every moment staying with my host family. They are my family in Canada, because they make me feel warm as my home. During September, Rob would drive us to the Parliament Buildings to watch the light show. The weather was so beautiful! We sat on the chair, next to each other, and enjoyed the amazing story. My memory is sweet like a dream. At Christmas, we would bring up the Christmas tree, and decorated the house together. Every part of the house was immersed in the Christmas mood. Sue would leave the Santa socks under the tree. Everyone’s sock was unique but full of surprise. I still remember how excited I was when I opened my gifts. Last year’s Christmas was my best Christmas ever. During the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), Rob brought me to the Chinese Market and picked the dishes for a big family dinner. Sue was so busy to prepare the big dinner for me at home. My homestay family is so lovely and warm-hearted. I always tell them how much I love them. Everyday is happy and fresh for all of us.”

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An Inspiring Girl:

FUMI SHIBUTANI ’16By Kimberly Senf, Senior Librarian

umi Shibutani has had the unique perspective of studying at Elmwood as a child, leaving

for several years and then returning to Elmwood for Middle and Senior School. For those who know her, it might not come as a surprise that while Fumi was travelling with her family in Southeast Asia she managed to homeschool herself, and then she jumped right back into the thick of things upon her return to Elmwood in Grade 7. She is both committed to her academics and able to bring her “joyful, compassionate and sincere personality everywhere she goes,” according to Donna Naufal Moffat.

When Fumi returned to Elmwood during Middle School, she was happy to continue on with the many memories and friendships she had made during her years in the Junior School.

As a recipient of the Old Girls Scholarship, the way that Elmwood’s Old Girls give back to the school is something that isn’t lost on Fumi. She reflected that Elmwood alumni show their continued commitment to helping students, and that “even though they’ve left the school they’re still here in their own way,” through their continued support.

The commitment that Fumi demonstrates to her studies has been apparent from Grade 2 straight through to her final year at Elmwood. Fumi recalls that some of her first memories at Elmwood involved making spaghetti structures in Grade 3, as well as the Power of One unit where she did a

project on Marie Curie, as she really wanted to learn more about a female scientist. Teresa Marquis, Fumi’s English teacher, knows her as a student who welcomes constructive criticism. “She wholeheartedly takes the advice she’s been given to ensure her next assignment is an improvement from the last.”

The sense of community at Elmwood is something that has resonated with Fumi throughout her entire time at Elmwood; from the Junior School birthday announcements, to the ability to try new things without fear of judgement from her peers. Even though Fumi asserts that sports are not her forte, while at Elmwood she took her chances trying out for sports teams that she was interested in, knowing that her peers would be supportive. “If there’s a place to try something new, Elmwood is it. The people around you will be supportive, regardless of your skill level and expertise.” Being encouraged to give it her best shot at tryouts gave her the confidence to try these new experiences, regardless of the outcome.

Fumi’s commitment to the Elmwood community is evident in her work as this year’s Middle School Prefect. While in Middle School herself, Fumi greatly admired the girls that spoke in assemblies and she knew that she wanted to take part in school life in much the same way in her final year at Elmwood. The prefects made a big impact in her life when she returned to Elmwood after her time away, from the dances they

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organized to having someone older and wiser to confide in. Fumi’s role as Middle School Prefect allows her to spend time with the younger students and provide the support that she knows firsthand was crucial for her during those middle school years.

In addition to her prefect role, and her involvement with the student literary magazine, Fumi has also been on the cross-country team for her entire high school career. Being part of the team is something that she’s immensely proud of, as it definitely pushed her out of her comfort zone. As yearbook editor last year, Fumi took on the enormous challenge of turning all the memories that are made over the course of a year at Elmwood into a keepsake book for each student to cherish. Her yearbook supervisor Alyson Bartlett maintains that Fumi was willing to take risks and always encouraged her team members to do the same, and that she never let her commitment to the yearbook wane. Fumi stated that seeing the book go from a series of blank pages to a finished

product was immensely rewarding. The role of yearbook editor was challenging, but her sense of humour and her respect for others showcased her leadership skills throughout the entire process.

Fumi has her sights set on two options for next year—either direct entry medicine in the UK or an engineering program in Canada. She admits that she’ll be happy whichever way the university acceptances go, but she has planned on being a medical doctor since the age of three. A turning point for Fumi was at 11 years old when a close relative had a heart attack and she did not know what to do. In pursuing medicine, she hopes that she will never again know the feeling of helplessness that she encountered that day. And if engineering is where she ends up for her undergraduate degree, she knows she will be able to use the knowledge she acquires in a practical manner (and she has not ruled out graduate medical school either).

When asked about what she’s going to miss most about Elmwood when she

graduates in June, Fumi steadfastly replies: the people. She has grown accustomed to seeing the same faces in the hallway for the past six years and there are teachers that have helped shape her academic interests that will be dearly missed. Being at Elmwood means that you walk the halls and know almost everyone by name, which is something that will surely be different in a university campus next fall. According to Fumi, “the community at Elmwood makes you feel like you belong, you’re not just another student in the hall.”

The one topic that is always close to Fumi’s heart is food. “Food is the best way to get to know people and to have interesting conversations with them, since you can connect over a mutual love of a certain dish.” It comes as no surprise that her favourite food is a buffet—between the options and the endless supply, she’s clearly thought this one through. Much like her decisions regarding her future, Fumi likes to keep her options open to see what comes her way.


By Zafreen Abdullah and Olivia Howe, Grade 5

Meet the Mascots:

ALPHY, MERLIN, WILBUR AND WINSTON

Grade 1 Students, Mira Acharya ’27 (Keller), Maryam Al Shehhi ’27 (Fry), Yasmin Dhanani ’27 (Wilson) and McKenna Wu ’27 (Nightingale)

s a special way to commemorate the four houses for Elmwood’s Centennial year it was decided

that house mascots would be created. Each Elmwood student was given the

chance to vote for her favourite name for her house mascot. After the votes were tallied, the new names for the mascots are as follows: Alphy (Keller), Merlin (Nightingale), Wilbur (Wilson) and Winston (Fry).

So, how did these mascots come to be? Well, the first step was to gather a small group of people, including several students and Ms. Enticknap, to narrow down a long list of potential animals and select which would have the honour of being Elmwood’s four house mascots. The animals that were chosen all connected in some special way to one of the incredible women for whom our houses have been named.

Drop by the Eagles’ Nest (our School shop) to adopt one of the mascots for yourself! A

E L M WO O D.C A | A P R I L 2 0 1 6 31

The Wilson House mascot, Wilbur, is a moose. This well-known Canadian animal was chosen because moose are very strong and brave. Cairine Wilson showed herself to be both strong and brave because she was the first woman in the Canadian Senate. She had to be very brave and strong to fight for women to have the right to be a part of the government because many people at the time did not feel that women were capable of such responsibilities. Moose: strong, powerful, peaceful, has integrity, knowledgeable.

The next mascot is Merlin, Nightingale’s fox. This house is named for Florence Nightingale, a nurse who was known for being very caring and committed to helping sick and injured people. Foxes are committed to catching food and although you may not realise it, they are also caring because they catch for not just for themselves, but to keep their entire pack alive. Foxes look out for each other, just like the girls in Nightingale House. Fox: wise, quick thinking, adaptable, responsive.

The Keller House mascot, Alphy, is a wolf. Wolves are clever animals and they are also strong communicators, calling to the members of their packs across great distances. Despite being born deaf and blind and spending many years frustrated by her inability to communicate, Helen Keller and her tutor finally broke through the communication barrier. They persevered and once Helen Keller realised that she could communicate, she insisted on learning how to speak and proved that she was clever and strong. Wolf: intuitive, intelligent, social, loyal.

The Fry House mascot is a bear. Elizabeth Fry stood tall and strong like a bear in her day. She is remembered for her perseverance in standing up for women and children who were living terrible lives in prison. She was forceful, like a mamma bear protecting her cubs, and worked hard to make these women’s and children’s lives better and safer. Black bear: protective, intelligent, strong, independent, patient, confident.

WILBUR

MERLIN

ALPHY

WINSTON


By Janet Uren ’68

TAKING THE LONG VIEWNORMA (WILSON) DAVIES ’42, 50 YEARS ON THE ELMWOOD BOARD

E L M WO O D.C A | A P R I L 2 0 1 6 33

orma (Wilson) Davies ’42 formally assumed her position as member of Elmwood’s board of

governors in 1966. In fact, however, her involvement goes back much further in time. Norma’s mother was Cairine Wilson, who is famous as Canada’s first female senator in 1930 and, at Elmwood, as the woman who gave her name to Wilson House. As a parent at Elmwood, Mrs. Wilson preceded her daughter as a member of the school’s board of governors. She was also responsible in 1929 for rebuilding the old Keefer barn as the present Auditorium and one-time gymnasium.

The Wilsons lived just around the corner from Elmwood, and many of Norma’s older siblings attended the school before her. The youngest of a large family, she graduated from Elmwood in 1942. The war years were a period of great change with new opportunities for women in particular, and Norma was the first girl in her family to attend university. “I went to McGill for a B.A. and came home in 1946. I think my parents would have been quite happy to have me hanging around the house after that, but I wanted to get a job. So I worked for Bell Canada for two years before I married, and I learned so much.”

It was those years, also, when she began her lifelong connection with the Elmwood board, where at first she merely represented her busy mother from time to time. “The board in those days was led by Lilias Southam and Ethel Fauquier,” Norma recalls. They were the owners of the school from 1919 on. “My mother came in a little later and served for many years, but it was taken for granted that the younger generation would take over eventually, and this included my older sister, Cairine, who was very active as well. It was the same for Janet Southam. We were quite young when we started deputizing for our mothers, and eventually we stepped into their shoes as directors.”

As a woman whose experience on the board dates back to the 1940s, Norma

is able to take a long view of Elmwood’s history. “Board meetings were very different before the war,” she says, “more like a tea party than a formal business meeting.” She also remembers how personally the governors took their role. “The agenda was much more relaxed. The original board members talked about everything and everyone, and they knew every student by name. Nothing was sacred.”

Norma Wilson married in 1949 and, for a time, her connection with the school weakened as she and her husband pursued a series of Air Force postings. Whenever she came back in Ottawa, however, she found herself once again representing her mother on the odd occasion. The 1950s were unsettled years. The war had brought many changes to Canadian society—and to Elmwood. The 1951 departure of Headmistress Edith Buck after a very long tenure, shook the institution. “After having Mrs. Buck in place for 30 years,” Norma remembers, “we had three headmistresses in a decade. There was instability.”

There were changes in the board as well. Ethel Fauquier died in 1953 and Lilias Southam and Cairine Wilson in 1962. It was time for a new generation to step forward and do its duty, and Norma answered the call. Returning to Ottawa from an overseas posting in 1966, she formally joined the board and, after a few years in Toronto (1968 to 1972), she returned to the board, eventually taking over the position of chair. “I took over from Ogden Martin, another Old Girl. She said to me, ‘It’s your turn now.’”

Elmwood was suffering some growing pains in those years. It had never been a rich school and, though it had no debts—a huge achievement—it also lacked the endowments that might have helped it expand and modernize. Even as the demand for private education grew, there was some question that the school might not survive. The board of the day was committed to making sure it did.

“I surprised myself at how tough I could be,” Norma recalls. “This was a time when Ashbury really thought that

it might take over Elmwood. There was a very friendly relationship then, and they were sending students over to share lessons. I guess it made sense to them. But I fought back. I even asked one member of the board to resign, because he had strong ties to Ashbury. I told him that he was in conflict of interest.”

Acquisition was not the only danger to Elmwood’s way of doing things; there was also pressure to abandon the single-gender model. Canadian women had been struggling with the issue of equality for women, and many in the 1960s had come to equate girls’ schools with gender discrimination. By the 1980s, many independent schools in Canada had gone co-educational (Ashbury in 1982, for example). The Elmwood board under the leadership of Norma Davies and other chairs showed its courage by remaining committed to the idea of single-gender education for the Senior School, though boys remained at the junior level until a few years ago. Current research shows that they had made the right decision.

Norma has sat on the board for fully half of Elmwood’s century-long history. “The chair of the nominating committee calls me periodically to ask if I want to continue,” she says, “and I always say that I’m willing to step down to make room for someone younger if they need new skills and talent, but they seem to want me.”

It is easy to understand why. Norma Davies represents continuity at Elmwood. From her school days in the 1930s and 40s, to 2008, when she was one of the board members invited to a parent’s house to meet a new prospective head, Cheryl Boughton, she has known, studied under or worked with every headmistress from Mrs. Buck to Mrs. Boughton. Her mother served on the board, and her children and grandchildren attended as students. That is a four-generation connection between past and present that the school honours, appreciates and needs.

Thank you, Norma Davies, for everything you have done and contributed to Elmwood in a long history of commitment and dedication.

NAs a woman whose experience on the board dates back to the 1940s, Norma is able to take a long view of Elmwood’s history.

Photos: Norma (Wilson) Davies’ official Board of Governors portrait (top).Bottom, left to right: Norma with her daughter, Caroline (Davies) Kern ’69 and granddaughter, Robyn Kern ’99; a photo from Samara 1942; Norma at the ribbon cutting for the 1983 expansion project.


By Bryan McCullough

ONCE A PREFECT...LOIS (DAVIDSON) LAWRENCE ’45

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

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AIn the prefects’ sitting room on Fridays, the senior girls would sip tea and discuss the week’s events, all under the gaze of “gorgeous” Gregory Peck looking down from a poster of his 1944 film The Keys of the Kingdom.

bout the same time as Canadian soldiers were landing at Normandy on D-Day in June

1944, a 17-year-old Nightingale House prefect by the name of Lois Davidson was standing for a photograph on the front steps of Elmwood School with six of her fellow prefects. Unbeknownst to her, within a matter of weeks, a 21-year-old army reconnaissance lieutenant by the name of Bert Lawrence would also be going ashore at Normandy to do his part in the liberation of Europe. Strangers then, the two would marry in 1950.

“You know, I never really put those two events beside each other like that before,” Lois said. “Bert was the most marvellous man. He was lovely.”

The couple had four children together in a happy marriage that lasted until Bert’s death in 2007. Both of their daughters graduated from Elmwood, and today all four of their children continue to enjoy happy lives.

In the 1970s while Bert was a PC member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the two retraced part of Bert’s wartime route through northwest France to the place near Brionne where he won the Military Cross for engineering a makeshift bridge that allowed the armoured corps to advance across a river. When Lois and Bert stopped for dinner at the very inn Bert had used as an observation post 30 years earlier, the meal was on the house. Lois recalled that after Bert’s death his former army unit major Jimmy Blyth—the brother-in-law of future Elmwood headmistress Patricia Blyth—told her that Bert was “the best soldier Canada ever had.”

Lois and Bert both grew up in Rockliffe. Her father, Keith Davidson, had a lumber business founded by his father James Davidson, mayor of Ottawa in 1901. Her mother, Nan Beach, was descended from United Empire Loylaists who settled in Canada following the American Revolution.

Lois remembers the quiet woods and fields around the house her parents built when she was three years old as idyllic. “It was a marvellous place to grow up,” she said. “I rode my tricycle up and down Manor Road, there was so little traffic.” Years later as a teenager she would engage in the somewhat more verboten activity of running along the log booms tied up to the shore of the Ottawa River. “I’m beginning to sound like Tom Sawyer here,” she laughed.

Lois attended Rockliffe Public School before starting high school at Elmwood in the fall of 1940. It would be the beginning of five years of strong academics, and participation in sports. “I was not naturally very athletic,” she said, “but at Elmwood you had to join in because there were so few girls to make up the teams. It turned out to be a plus for me that it was a requirement.”

Lois remembers Mrs. Buck, Elmwood’s headmistress from 1920 until 1951, as an outstanding history teacher. “She was really great, but you only got her as a senior,” Lois said. “She told us that she expected all of us to get first-class honours in our provincial exams, and we did, which says something about her teaching.” When Edith Buck retired in 1951, Lois delivered the retirement speech that is now preserved in Janet Uren’s Elmwood centennial book, Endeavour’s All.

“What I got out of Elmwood was that it was actually a good idea to work at your studies, that academics mattered. I got good work habits, and I was interested in what I was learning. We had such close supervision with the small classes, and the atmosphere was to achieve academically.”

Lois would go on to university at McGill for a year before transferring to her preferred choice of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York where she completed her arts degree. “We are within a couple of short generations of when some people thought it was not necessary to give girls higher education,” Lois said. “ Education is obviously important for people, no more so for boys than for girls, and the more you can get the better.”

She certainly lives her own advice, as she is a regular participant in Carleton University’s Learning in Retirement lecture series program designed for people who embrace life-long learning.”I’m always taking courses,” she said. “It’s such a different world now, really. When I was at Elmwood the idea of having a career was unusual, whereas today leaving Elmwood is just the beginning.”

In the spring of 1932 five-year-old Lois Davidson enjoyed the “idyllic woods and fields” around the house her father built in Rockliffe. Eighty-four years later, the former Elmwood School prefect lives just a short distance away across the Ottawa River from her alma mater. (Photo: Lois Lawrence collection)

Photos: Lois (Davidson) Lawrence ’45 today.

Bottom: Weeks after this photo (left) was taken of Lois Davidson and her fellow prefects (FRONT ROW L to R – Lois Davidson ’45, Betty Caldwell ’44, Ruth Osler ’45 BACK ROW L to R – Joan Patterson ’44, Janet Caldwell ’46, Philippa McLaren ’46, Janet Edwards ’45) at Elmwood School in June 1944, a young 21-year-old army lieutenant by the name of Bert Lawrence (right) would land at Juno Beach in Normandy. They did not know each other at the time, but they would marry in 1950. (Photo: Lois Lawrence collection)


MAGGIE THOMSON ’03 ANDBRONWYN THOMSON ’09

”

““ The teaching staff at Elmwood supported me extremely well. The IB Diploma program was very challenging, but it was good preparation for university and medical school.”

– Maggie Thomson ’03

Maggie and Bronwyn with their parents at Bronwyn’s “White Coat” ceremony.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

E L M WO O D.C A | A P R I L 2 0 1 6 37

Lasting friendships, confidence in their ability to succeed, and a strong academic work ethic are what these sisters took away from their memorable years at Elmwood. By Brian McCullough

amily medicine physician Maggie Thomson and her younger sister Bronwyn, a first-year medical student at the University of

Ottawa, were only together at Elmwood School for two years from 2001 to 2003, but their memories of the friendships, the academics, and the work ethic they developed at their alma mater on Buena Vista Road are strikingly similar.

The sisters are daughters of doctors, and granddaughters of doctors and other healthcare professionals. As girls they attended First Avenue Public School in the Glebe before moving on to Elmwood—Maggie in 1997 to start Grade 7, Bronwyn in 2001 for Grade 5.

“It was a pretty seamless transition for me because it was a very welcoming environment,” Maggie recalls. “There were some pretty great people in my class at Elmwood, and I made some lifelong friends.” One of those friends, classmate Emily Kent ’03, will be a bridesmaid at Maggie’s upcoming nuptials on June 18 to Ottawa lawyer Alex Gloor.

Maggie said her Grade 7 homeroom teacher, Miss Naufal (Moffatt), started at Elmwood about the same time she did, and was just as excited about being at Elmwood. “I had a very positive experience with all the staff,” she said. “I was encouraged to pursue any interest I had, whether I had talent for it or not.”

In addition to studying drama with Mrs. Boychuk, fine arts with Mrs. McCabe, and history with Mr. McCabe, Maggie said she enjoyed co-captaining the school alpine ski team, and also taking a pastel workshop taught by Mrs. Lewis-Smith. “I certainly gained a lot of confidence at Elmwood,” she said.

As part of the double cohort graduating class of 2003, Maggie was advised to consider following the full International Baccalaureate Diploma programme in her final year to improve her chances of getting into the university of her choice. “That was a big commitment on top of the traditional curriculum,” she said, “but I never felt it was out of reach. The teaching staff at Elmwood supported me extremely well. The IB Diploma programme was very challenging, but it was good preparation for university and medical school. At Elmwood I developed the academic skills I needed to be successful in my undergraduate degree, which ultimately helped me pursue a career in medicine. Every door was open to me academically. There really were no barriers to what I could accomplish if I put in enough work.”

Maggie went on to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at Queen’s University in Kingston, which led to her current career path in medicine. She now splits her time between practising family medicine and working with the Care of the Elderly Program at the Elizabeth Bruyère Geriatric Day Hospital in Ottawa with Veronique French Merkley ’96. Maggie said it was a pleasant surprise meeting Veronique at the program.

“I am passionate about my work,” she said. “We take a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to patient care, which means we need to work together as a team. I just love it.”

For Bronwyn, the transfer to the new school to begin Grade 5 marked something of a sea change in her ways. “I was a bit of a troublemaker before I went to Elmwood,” she admitted. “But Elmwood was really good for me. I got focused, and I was happy there. Miss Ostiguy was the best Grade 5 teacher.”

Bronwyn would go on to become Junior School Prefect, and was active on five or more sports teams. In a testimonial written a decade later for Elmwood’s fall 2014 open house, she told how the school fostered a supportive all-girls environment that empowered her to excel in all facets of her life, from academics and athletics, to volunteerism and community involvement. As an undergraduate at Western University, Bronwyn served on the Kinesiology Student

Council during her second and third year, and then as the Council’s president in her fourth year. She also participated in the university’s Best Buddies program, a national charitable initiative that matches students with adults in the local community who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. “Elmwood taught me that I could be a leader,” she said.

Bronwyn said she felt well prepared for her academics at Western, especially for a degree in science. “I had an upper hand for sure,” she said. “Elmwood was rigorous academically, and I had a lot of classmates who were serious about school and pushed me to be a better student. You always had to be on your game.”

While at Elmwood Bronwyn completed her bilingual certificate as well as her International Baccalaureate French Certificate. She remembers Madame Adams fondly, and credits Elmwood for helping her maintain a high enough level of proficiency to allow her to study medicine in French at the University of Ottawa.

“I’ve always liked the idea of doing a job where you help people every day,” she said about her decision to take up the medical arts. “What I love about medicine is that it’s like a scientific puzzle involving people. You get to diagnose people’s problems, but you also have to have the emotional tactical skills to deal with people. It’s a really nice balance of the two.”

Bronwyn said she is thinking about eventually specializing in pediatrics or psychiatry, but for now is just happy to be living her dream. “My parents would get home from work and discuss medical things together, and I always wished I could be part of those conversations,” she said. “It was nice to have a role model like Maggie. My sister made me believe it was possible for me to do this.”

Today, both sisters enjoy keeping current with affairs at Elmwood through Facebook, and by attending events such as the Holly Tea. “Elmwood does a good job of linking grads to current students,” Maggie said. “They really do try to foster strong relationships with their alumnae.”

“A big part of who I am today was developed at Elmwood,” Bronwyn added. “I sometimes look back at those days and think they were the best times of my life.”

Elmwood was rigorous academically, and I had a lot of classmates who were serious about school and pushed me to be a better student. You always had to be on your game.– Bronwyn Thomson ’09 ”

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F


ALUMNI NEWSBy Teresa Stirling, Director of Communications

Bringing the Past to LifeOne of the highlights of our Centennial year has been our “Dress-up Through the Decades” days. Spread out throughout the school year, each special day highlights a decade or two in Elmwood’s history. Girls are encouraged to dress up in a costume from that time period, and we invite an alumna of the School to speak in assembly about what a typical day at Elmwood was like for them during their era. Our first dress-up day was in September, and girls came costumed in 1920s style. We had a special

whole school assembly and were delighted to have Elmwood Alumna, Ms. Janet Uren ’68, share the early history of Elmwood. As the author of our history book, Endeavour’s All: The Elmwood Story, 1915 – 2015, Ms. Uren had many interesting stories to tell! Next up was the 1930s to 1950s, and we welcomed Elmwood Alumna Judy (Nesbitt) Reid ’50 to share with the students what it was like to attend Elmwood in the 1940s. On our third dress-up day we welcomed Elizabeth (Raymont) Heatherington ’63 to share her many beloved memories from her

time at Elmwood in the 1950s and 60s. Visit elmwood100.ca/stories to read an excerpt from her wonderful speech. Thank you to these three wonderful women for connecting our students with the Elmwood of yesterday.

Simply Glorious!On November 4, 2015, we were thrilled to welcome alumni, current and former staff and faculty and other members of the community to a special benefit performance by Janet Uren ’68 and her theatre company, Linden House Theatre. Once again Janet

Nimrat Obhi ’10 Recipient of National Research GrantDuring her time at Elmwood, Nimrat Obhi ’10 made a name for herself as an excellent student, winning awards for both science and English, as an artist and singer, and as a leader (she was 2010’s Arts Prefect). It seems she has continued to make a name for herself beyond the walls of Elmwood, recently being named the recipient of the Tyler Lewis Clean Energy Research Foundation 2015 Research Grant.

Nimrat earned her HBSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Ottawa in 2014. She then enrolled as a PhD student in the Seferos Research Group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto. She is passionate about the use of alternative energies and is currently working on new materials for organic solar

cells. This work, in addition to her impressive volunteer experience, numerous academic awards and outstanding personal achievements, led to her recent award.

Below, in her own words, is an overview of her work with Unique Polymers for Organic Solar Cells.

Clean, renewable energy sources are of paramount importance, particularly since non-renewable sources of energy are in limited supply, harmful to the environment, and negatively impact local ecosystems. Of particular interest is solar energy conversion, where sunlight is converted into electricity without carbon emissions. Many different materials can be used to manufacture a solar cell; my interests are focused on semiconducting plastics, known as polymers.

Semiconducting organic polymers are long chains of small carbon-based molecules and are appealing materials for solar cells. There are numerous advantages in using these polymers because they can be synthesized in high volumes at low cost, they are flexible, and small amounts of material are able to absorb large amounts of light.

When organic polymers are used as the light-absorbing material in solar cells, they convert sunlight into positive and negative charges that are transported through the cell to generate electricity. If we can increase the ability of the polymers to absorb more light or to transport these charges, we will make more efficient polymer solar cells.

My PhD research focuses on the development of new types of organic polymers with a unique two-dimensional design that increases their ability to both absorb light and transport charge. The synthesis of these polymers is currently underway, after which I will study their properties before fabricating a prototype solar cell using these polymers as the light-absorbing and charge conducting material. I hope to learn how their unique structure influences their properties, and to ultimately show that these distinctive materials are useful for the fabrication of high-efficiency polymer solar cells.

Congratulations Nimrat on this outstanding achievement—we are so very proud of you!

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E L M WO O D.C A | A P R I L 2 0 1 6 39

1 Nimrat Obhi ’10 2 The poster for Linden House Theatre’s production of Glorious 3 Judith (Nesbitt) Reid ’50 shares stories from her time as an Elmwood student 4 Annie (Lawrence) Galle ’77, Vicky Wilgress ’71, Maureen O’Neill ’69, Jane (Blyth) O’Brien ’69, Paula (Lawrence) Grant ’69, front and centre Lois (Davidson) Lawrence ’45. 5 Sophia Sweetenham ’17, guest speaker Elizabeth (Raymont) Heatherington ’63, Sijyl Fasih ’17 and Ms. Enticknap on the 1960s dress-up day

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and her company generously donated the proceeds of their performance to Elmwood’s Old Girls Scholarship Fund. The audience very much enjoyed the performance of Peter Quilter’s Glorious! with Janet in the lead role of Florence Foster Jenkins, aging socialite and would-be opera singer. We can’t wait to see what she comes up with next year!

Alum Artists Abound!In celebration of our Centennial year, an old tradition—the Old Girls Art Fair—was revived as part of the Annual Holly Tea. Co-

Chairs Elizabeth (Raymont) Heatherington ’63 and Lynne (Houwing) Evenson ’79, Curator Maureen O’Neill ’69, and a team of tireless volunteers put on a truly inspiring show. Alumni artists showing work included Joan Brodie ’68, Sheila Coyne ’84, Felicity Don ’68, Marianne Feaver ’52, Sarah (Sally) McCarter Gall ’50, Dawn Harwood Jones ’69, Anne Hyde ’33, Sheila (Missy) Lang ’50, Alison MacNeil ’53, Maureen O’Neill ’69 and Joanna Rozanski ’03. Thank you to everyone who participated.

A Lovely LuncheonLois (Davidson) Lawrence ’45 hosted a luncheon in January for the daughters of her old Ottawa friends. Several of those attending were either Elmwood graduates, parents, daughters or friends of Elmwood girls. It was a wonderful opportunity to reminisce and share stories. Many thanks to Lois for hosting.


1960s

Janet Uren ’68Janet is still writing professionally with a focus on history, but her hobby continues to be theatre. She is currently working at the Ottawa Little Theatre on a production of Calendar Girls, a comedy that involves a little discreet nudity. Yikes! In November 2016, Janet’s own Linden House Theatre Company will be producing its tenth annual show at Elmwood. Last year, Linden House did Glorious! the story of the world’s worst opera singer (Florence Foster Jenkins), and the wisdom of Janet’s decision not to try singing for a living was fully confirmed. Every year, Linden House presents one special preview where proceeds go to the Old Girls Scholarship Endowment Fund. Though the play for this year has not yet been chosen, it will be a comedy, and Janet will be fully clothed.

1970s

Heather (Nesbitt) Borquez ’74Heather is having a ball living in Baja California Sur, Mexico, where her husband is building and she is selling real estate. Loads of Canadians and Americans are there, all enjoying the healthy lifestyle in Baja California. Prior to Mexico, Heather spent 25 years living in Africa and Latin America working for the UN and other humanitarian organizations such as Plan International and CARE. Heather’s three kids are grown and living in Canada and Mexico. Find her on Facebook: Heather Borquez, Realtor.

Karen Molson ’78Karen has a novel coming out in April, to be launched in Montreal at Blue Metropolis Literary Festival. The title is The Company of Crows. It is Karen’s first novel, although over the years she has had several other non-fiction books published. The Company of Crows has received a good review through the Montreal Review of Books.

1980s

Martha Gall ’83 (Senior Prefect)Martha and her husband, Darren Atwater, own a restaurant on Clerkenwell Road, London (UK) called Wedge Issue Pizza + Beer. Visit www.wedgeissuepizza.com.

Maria de Lourdes Lesniak ’89 (Lourdes Rodero)Maria moved to the U.S. from Mexico in 2010 after marrying a wonderful man, Chris. They have made Vancouver, Washington (the other Vancouver) their home and love the Pacific Northwest! They have two children: Grace Therese (4) and Joseph Dominic (2). They are their blessing and joy! Maria is a full-time mom and homemaker, for the moment, which she loves. The four years she attended Elmwood School remain in her heart as very cherished memories. “Best Wishes to all the Elmwood Community.”

CLASS NOTES

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1990s

Natalie Gandilo ’95Natalie received her PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Toronto. She works in balloon-borne astronomy; designing and building telescopes and launching them on stratospheric balloons from Antarctica. Two projects she has been involved with are Spider (www.princeton.edu/jones/research/spider/) and BLASTPol (blastexperiment.info/). Spider had its first flight in January 2015, and is designed to look for the signature of inflationary gravitational waves in the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background. BLASTPol is a submillimeter polarimeter that flew in 2010 and 2012. It allows them to study the role of magnetic fields in star formation by mapping the polarized dust emission from nearby star-forming clouds. Natalie is now a Post-Doctoral Fellow working at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. (Photo of Natalie with the telescope in Antarctica before the launch)

2000s

Nicola Krishna ’00Nicola sent us this fantastic photo (above, at left) taken on the weekend of Elmwood’s Centennial celebrations in the fall. “Fifteen years later, three babies, and oceans between us (for some!), some friendships never change!”

Julie Crabb ’00After Elmwood, Julie received her Bachelor of Humanities and Masters of English from Carleton University, along with her teaching degree from University of Ottawa. Currently, Julie is a teacher with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Recently, Julie visited Elmwood with a group of Grade 11 students from Colonel By Secondary School to watch the dress rehearsal of Elmwood Theatre’s production of Les Belles Soeurs.

Ginger Leigh Hull ’00Ginger and her husband Ryan Dolan are living in Toronto. Along with big sister Penelope (1.5 years) they welcomed their second baby girl (Bronwyn) on October 12, 2015. It was a storybook delivery and things happened faster than expected—Bronwyn was delivered by her father at home! She is perfect in every way.

Sophie Bifield ‘02 Sophie and her husband Ryan, along with big sister Issy, welcomed Ollie to the family on September 24, 2015.

Heather Hull ’03Heather and David Tousignant got engaged in December 2015, and are looking forward to their wedding, which will take place at the Hull family cottage in BC in July 2016. Both live and work in Ottawa—Heather is working for Citizenship and Immigration and David is with the Privy Council. Rayan Hagona ’04Rayan got married on January 22, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia and then honeymooned in Bali, Indonesia. She is back home now, living in Washington, D.C. with her husband.

Alissa and Gabrielle Bonneville ’04Alissa graduated from Elmwood in 2004 and now finds herself the proud owner of a beautiful small business called Momentom with her twin sister Gabrielle Bonneville ’04.

Gabrielle studied herself from the inside. She did a lot of meditation and got her yoga certification in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. She focused on becoming spiritually strong while also working on her physical body. She strived for “om” moments, such as the Vipassana retreats that she would rave about and the hours

1 Janet Uren ’68 2 Heather (Nesbitt Borquez) ’74 3 The Company of Crows by Karen Molson ’78 4 Natalie Gandilo ’95,

5 Julie Crabb ’00 6 Class of 2000 graduates Ginny Strachan, Julie

Crabb, Pam Chuchinnawat, Nicola Krishna. 7 Ginger Leigh Hull ’00

8 Ollie, son of Sophie Bifield ‘02, at five months 9 Heather Hull ’03

0 Alissa Bonneville ’04

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and hours spent on her yoga mat. Alissa, on the other hand, did the opposite. She decided that she wanted more momentum. She wanted to experience exhilaration. She traveled the world as a backpacker for two years, wanting to learn about the things around her, the exterior. She stumbled upon aerial skills while she was on Easter Island and fell in love. Alissa decided to go to NICA, the National Institute of Circus Arts in Australia, and attended circus school until she broke her knee. She came back home to Montreal, and opened up her own small circus school for amateurs and health conscious individuals looking for a fitness alternative and a fun new way to train and meet people.

The sisters blended their two passions together, Gabrielle’s “om” moments with Alissa’s momentum, and they created a company called Momentom (www.momentomcollective.com). Based in Nicaragua, they believe that balance comes from experiencing both sides of the coin: the introspection and stillness of yoga and meditation, with the exploration and momentum of risk leisure such as backpacking and circus. Momentom offers courses, performances, accommodations and travel exploration opportunities for all those who seek to find balance in chaos or for those who seek to get out of the routine and try something new.

Studio CirQus is now proud to be co-operating with its sister company Momentom Collective and that’s what the Bonneville twins are up to.

Marielle McGovern ’05On the evening of January 23, 2016 two Elmwood School alumni, Marielle McGovern ’05 and Norman Hladik (attended Elmwood 1989-1991) celebrated their winter wedding with a ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica followed by a reception in the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park. While Marielle and Norman never crossed paths at Elmwood, the school played an important part in their wedding day thanks to Elmwood staff that provided catering and entertainment, or attended as guests. Christiane McGovern ’07 and Sarah Yan ’05 were members of the bridal party and were two of several Old Girls who travelled from far and wide to attend.

Jessica White ’05Jessica and her husband Mike welcomed Abigail Judith Daugherty-White on February 20, 2016 in Pointe-Claire, QC.

Sarah Quinn ’06After spending four years in Manhattan and travelling across the United States producing events, Sarah moved to Los Angeles and started a media company focused on commercial real estate in 2015 with her business partner. Connect Media (and Sarah) are already making a strong impression on the market, and Sarah was named a board member for the Los Angeles chapter of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women). She isn’t missing the Canadian winters.

Ishani Nath ’07 (featuring Elly Smallwood ’07)Ishani graduated from Ryerson’s Masters of Journalism program in 2013 and is now a freelance reporter living and working in Toronto. In the past few years, Ishani has covered everything from plane crashes, to how

oncologists handle the emotional weight of their job, to celebrity Q&As. To date, her byline has been seen in FLARE, Reader’s Digest Canada, The Globe and Mail, Maclean’s On Campus and Allergic Living magazine—and the list just keeps growing. Recently, Ishani wrote an article for FLARE featuring fellow Elmwood alum, Elly Smallwood ’07, in an article called “What It’s Really Like to Be a Professional Artist.” The article gives you an idea of what daily life is like for Elly as a painter and Instagram star. It also highlights Elly’s accomplishments as an artist (Elly’s paintings now range in price from $1,200 to $13,000). Visit flare.com/culture/what-its-really-like-to-be-a-professional-artist/ for the article.

2010s

Andrea Lessard ’11After a four year endeavour at the University of Waterloo Andrea graduated from a unique and rewarding program called Geography and Aviation through the faculty of Environment. This degree prepared her for a career in her preferred field of aviation but also set her up to explore various aspects of the industry that involve mapping and geo-sciences. Andrea is presently living in Yellowknife Northwest Territories working for a charter company called Summit Air. Starting her flying career at Summit Air has proven to be a great choice. Its expanding fleet has introduced her to many high-performance airplanes, all of which she hopes to one day try out herself. This company facilitates travel all over the north, from sending a post card in Eureka (the most northern post office in the world), to transporting expensive uncut gems from the northern diamond mines—it has been a uniquely Canadian experience. Living North of the 60th parallel has given Andrea a new appreciation and respect for the vast Arctic regions of Canada. She encourages everyone to visit and experience this expanding region of our country.

Joanna Znotins ’12Joanna is currently in her fourth year at Queens, studying Concurrent Education and Psychology and is really enjoying her program of study. Joanna is also Co-Chair of “Kaleidoscope,” an outreach “big brothers, big sisters” program for local Kingston schools. In her spare time she plays Ultimate Frisbee and is interested in possibly working overseas when she graduates

Kerson Leong (attended Elmwood for JK – Grade 3, 2001 – 2005)Kerson was the featured Violinist at the Benefit Concert in Support of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra that took place on March 6, 2016. Kerson has also released his first album BIS.

Tannya Cai ’13Tannya is currently studying at Duke University and will graduate this December. While at Duke, Tannya was awarded a fellowship in the Vertical Integrated Program in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research focuses on: (1) a parametric analysis of self-stimulation of D1-receptors in the dorsal striatum, and (2) AgRP neurons in feeding

CLASS NOTES

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behaviors and motivation. Tannya is also co-founder of Tiba Health LLC. Tiba Health was the grand prize winner and Validic mHealth winner at the 2015 Triangle Health Innovation Challenge and named one of the Top 15 at the Duke Startup Challenge.

In Memoriam

Diana Meredith Wessels (nee Ramsay) ’49 passed away peacefully, with her family present, in Toronto on January 2, 2016 after a long illness. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends, including Marianna (Ray) Greene ’49, her classmate at Elmwood during the war years (1942 – 1945).

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Class of ’79 Many thanks to Lynne (Houwing) Evenson ’79 for sending us updates for the entire Class of 1979!

Sue Anderson ’79Sue lives in Ottawa and has had a long career with Statistics Canada.

Elizabeth M Coyle-Camp, Elmwood 1971 – 1972 and 1974 – 1979Elizabeth married Gordon Sorensen, from Arnprior,

in 1996. Liz currently lives in Tisbury, Wiltshire, UK, with two daughters Shauna (10) and Maisie (8). Liz is Managing Director/Owner of PR Agency E=MC2 Public Relations and Director/Owner of a building conservation and heritage sector publishing company called Cathedral Communications.

Nadine (Cvetanovic) Gareau ’79Nadine has retired from the practice of law, and is living happily in the beautiful city

of Sault Ste. Marie with her husband, Hon. Justice Edward Gareau, of the Superior Court of Ontario. Nadine has three lovely daughters: Dr. Alison Gareau, a research scientist; Maggie Gareau, a pharmacist; and Lauren, who is in Grade 7.

Lynne (Houwing) Evenson ’79 Lynne lives in Chelsea, Quebec. She has three children: Lauren (21 years), Grace (19 years) and Joe (14 years) and has had a long career in research with Agriculture Canada.

Amanda (Greenhalgh) Jackson ’79After extensive travel in Europe in her 20s and 30s, Amanda returned to Ottawa and now enjoys a career in the wine business. She is married with one daughter, Sarah Jackson ’17, who has been at Elmwood since Grade 1.

Sue Kayser ’79Sue lives in Ottawa and is married to Ian Kayser (Ashbury ’79) and has two daughters Sam and Sasha. Sue has owned several businesses and is now enjoying a new career as an Interior Decorator.

Sarah Murray ’79Sarah lives in Ottawa and is busy with three children and running her own architectural business.

Lynn Parker ’79Lynn lives in Ottawa and has had a long and very successful career in the insurance industry.

Susie Power ’79Susie lives in Toronto with her husband and two boys. She is a clinical and school psychologist.

Felicity Smith ’79Felicity lives in England and has two sons.

Alex Wilson ’79Alex is a retired registered massage therapist living in Owen Sound with her wonderful partner Richard.

She keeps busy with exercise, astrology and the piano. Her triplet 26-year-old daughters are busy: Arielle is finishing medical school, Sam is in law school, and Rhiana is working at BSharp Technologies.

Sandra Ulch ’79Sandra lives with her husband in London, Ontario where she works as a clinical psychologist.

1 Marielle McGovern ’05 and Norman Hladik with Elmwood

Alums Sarah Yan ’05 (far left) and Christiane McGovern ’07

(second from right). 2 Jessica White ’05 3 Sarah Quinn ’06

4 Andrea Lessard ’11 5 Joanna Znotins ’12 6 Tannya Cai ’13

(Standing L to R) - Lynne (Houwing) Evenson, Amanda (Greenhalgh) Jackson, Sue Kayser.

(Sitting L to R) – Elizabeth Coyle-Camp, Lynn Parker.

(L to R) Lynn Parker, Sarah Murray,Lynne (Houwing) Evenson, Felicity Smith, Amanda (Greenhalgh) Jackson.

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WELCOME (OR WELCOME BACK)

TO ELMWOOD!

We welcomed the following members of staff this year:

Kate AngellDirector of Co-Curricular LearningWe are thrilled to have Kate back at Elmwood. After leaving in 2012, when her husband David became Canada’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Kate continued to work in the education field. She was a member of the Board of Directors, International School of

Kenya (2012 – 2015) and was Chair of the School’s New Director’s Search Committee. She was also a workshop presenter and education consultant with Kisaruni Girls’ School (2013 – 2015). Kate is delighted to return to Elmwood in a new role as Director of Co-curricular Learning. Fun fact: One of the highlights of her three years in Africa was trekking through the rain forests in Rwanda to see the mountain gorillas.

Stephanie Chin ’00Acting Instructional Leader of MathematicsBeing back at Elmwood is like coming home. After graduating from Elmwood in 2000, Stephanie pursued her studies at Bishop’s University and graduated with an honours degree in Fine Arts and a BA in Mathematics.

She later went to teacher’s college to receive her Masters of Science in Teaching at SUNY Potsdam. Upon graduation, she immediately began work at a boarding school in the eastern townships before settling back at Elmwood. Fun fact: Elmwood plays a huge part in Stephanie’s family as her sister is a graduate of Elmwood and now Stephanie’s daughter attends Elmwood as well.

Pam ColeSenior School Health and Physical Education/Middle School ScienceOriginally from Egbert, Ontario (try and find it on a map!), Pam completed her Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education at the University of Ottawa. In search of adventure, she spent the next three years living and

teaching in the remote, northern community of Moose Factory. After surviving a few chilly winters of -50 degrees, Pam and her fiance decided to return south to get married and be closer to their families. She is excited to be teaching at Elmwood for the next year and is looking forward to sharing her love of healthy, active living with the students! Fun fact: Ms. Derbyshire mentored Pam as a student teacher in 2010, and now Pam is filling in for her maternity leave!

Toosje Delaney ’00ReceptionistAfter graduating from Elmwood in 2000, Toosje attended Bishop’s University until deciding to return to Ottawa and continue studying Criminology and Sociology at Carleton University. This allowed her to be closer to her family and also start a career

with MAC Cosmetics as a professional makeup artist and eventually become a retail manager. After taking a nine-year hiatus from work to be home with her three children full time, she is thrilled to return to Elmwood School to help preserve and carry on the traditions that were instilled when she was a student herself. Fun fact: Toosje is a classically trained dancer in tap ballet and jazz; having studied ballet with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and numerous Broadway choreographers from New York. Toosje frequents the NAC as much as she can!

Jennifer Irwin-JacksonExecutive Director, Advancement and Community RelationsJennifer oversees our team responsible for fundraising, alumni relations, admissions and communications. She is an experienced marketing and communications professional who most recently was a partner at Mediaplus,

a local advertising and marketing agency. Prior to joining Mediaplus, Jennifer was the VP Managing Partner of Publicis Modern. Jennifer’s daughter Rose is currently in Grade 1 at Elmwood. Fun fact: In her very first advertising job, in the early 90s, Jennifer worked on a print ad campaign for Elmwood, which is how she first got to know the School. She decided then if she ever had a daughter, she would attend Elmwood.

Allison KarahaliosMiddle/Senior French TeacherAs a University of Guelph graduate, Allison cultivated her passion for the French language and culture by participating in a study abroad program at the Université de Savoie in Chambéry, France. After receiving her B.A. she moved on to obtain an M.A. in French,

specializing in pedagogy of French as a second language, followed by her B.Ed. at Trent University. In 2009, she began her teaching career at the secondary level in York Region until moving to Ottawa this summer. For Allison, teaching is a vocation; it is an opportunity to be a part of hope, growth and vision for the future. Fun fact: Mrs. Karahalios loves to busy herself in the kitchen baking desserts for friends and family and mastering the art of cake decorating!

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Our Corporate Partners Make a Difference Throughout the School Year!

Elmwood’s four Corporate partners have committed a total of $160,000 over a three-year period and we are honoured to recognize their generosity at many events throughout the school year.

Thank you to Terry and Catherine McLaughlin (Terlin Construction Ltd.), Jeff and Tara-Leigh Mierins(Star Motors), Jacob and Jeannie Polisuk (Vista Credit) and David and Debra Wu (Movati Athletic).

2015 – 16 Annual Campaign: Centennial EditionAs not-for-profit organizations, all independent schools rely on charitable contributions to supplement their operating budgets. In any given year, the Annual Campaign provides about 5% of the school’s annual operating budget. We call this “the margin of excellence” and it helps to finance every aspect of the exceptional education experience our girls enjoy: outstanding faculty, extraordinary academic and extracurricular programs, financial aid, and improvements and maintenance.

This year’s campaign to date has been characterized by extraordinary participation.

Matt Perreault and Nicholas Gummeson co-chaired the staff and faculty portion of the campaign and led it to an unprecedented level of participation—100% of staff and faculty supported this year’s campaign.

Co-chairs Mollie Johnson (Isabel, Grade 1 and Marta, Grade 3) and Jan Kennedy (Emily, Grade 11) led a very effective parent portion of the campaign with over 90% of families participating. A big thank you to the tireless efforts of our Annual Campaign Committee:

• Art Howarth (Katherine, Grade 7 and Shannon, Grade 10)

• Cynthia Rathwell (Sonja, Grade 5 and Sophia, Grade 11)

• Joan Sun (Sheetza, Grade 11)

• Junya Devine (Victoria, Grade 7)

• Whitney Fox (Claire, Grade 7 and Grace, Grade 9)

• Catherine Coulter (Hannah, Grade 12)

• Janice Palmer (Grace, Grade 7 and Hannah, Grade 11)

• Carolyn Lauzon (Clarissa, Grade 2)

• Denise Carruthers (Kayla, Grade 6)

• Jill Dickinson (Leah, Grade 8)

• Juliana Nightingale (Christina, Grade 5 and Amanda, Grade 9)

• Sheila Gallant-Halloran (Ceili, Grade 4 and Ciara, Grade 11)

The Annual Campaign will continue through to the end of the school year and we are confident we will reach our goal of $400,000. Key initiatives supported by this year’s Annual Campaign include:

• Sundial Plaza Redevelopment

• 21st-century Classroom Transformation

• Early Years Playground Revitalization

• Fitness Trail Development

• Centennial Bursary Program

Visit Elmwood.ca/elmwood-forever for more information and to donate today.

100%BOARD / STAFF

92% PARENTS

AMAZING PARTICIPATION!

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Elmwood School, 261 Buena Vista Rd. Ottawa ON K1M 0V9

www.elmwood.ca

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:

DISCOVERY CAMPSFOR GIRLS AGE 4 TO 12 • WEEKLY FROM JUNE 20 - AUGUST 26

With exciting themes such as It’s Magic, Slime Time, and Island Escape, girls will discover new challenges, develop new friendships and enjoy a dynamic range of hands-on, interactive activities.

CAMPS RUN FROM 8 A.M. – 5:30 P.M. Cost is $295 includes a delicious lunch and snacks, excursion or special guest, fun “giveaways” and a cool camp T-shirt.

NEW THIS YEAR:

ELMWOOD SKILLS ACADEMYFOR GIRLS AGE 4 TO 18 • WEEKLY FROM JUNE 27 - AUGUST 26

Elmwood’s new Skills Academy offers an outstanding range of academic, special interest and sports programs. Taught either by Elmwood’s talented faculty or by other experts in their field, our Skills Academy combines superb instruction with dynamic activities.

CAMPS ARE HALF OR FULL DAY AND COSTS VARY. Please visit camp.elmwood.ca for full details.

New and Expanded Summer Camp Program!

All girls welcome! Visit camp.elmwood.ca for more information or call (613) 749-6761 for details and registration.

Elmwood Emblem April 2016

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