O'Connor Award for NAEC Stalwart

Jeff Green | Nov 10, 2011

In 1965 Gwen Leroux started working in the administration office at North Addington High School. She was still there when the school was renovated and opened up as North Addington Education Centre. A couple of years later she had a child and quit her job.

“I thought that was the end of my working life at North Addington,” she recalls.

But after a year went by she came back to work on a part-time basis, and eventually went back full-time. She’s still working at North Addington, and for a long time she has been the secretary in the Student Services Office, which is located exactly where the administration office was located when she first came to the school.

After 46 years, she is one of the longest serving employees in the Limestone, or any other school board in Ontario.

Last spring her colleagues at NAEC decided to nominate her for a Barry O’Connor Support Staff award and in June she found out that she was the winner for 2011.

She was celebrated at the NAEC commencement services in June, and this week she formally received her award at a meeting of the Limestone Board of Trustees in Kingston on Wednesday night, November 9.

In describing Gwen’s work at NAEC, Principal Angela Salmond wrote the following: “Gwen is known for her humble, gentle manner and her belief that her incomparable contributions are merely ‘part of her job’.  The ‘job’ that Gwen Leroux has performed for the last forty-six years with dignity and grace has allowed and promoted student, teacher andadministrator success and it is with great pride that we congratulate her on this achievement.”

The day after receiving the award Gwen was likely back at her office, carrying out her duties. She said that she has no plans to retire.