Janice Peters, the long time office manager at Hinchinbrooke Public School, couldn't let the final day of classes in the school's history pass without some sort of gesture. The school did have an official closing on June 15, but this was the final day, the final time the buses would come into the parking lot and gather up all the children and take them away for the summer.

Janice had an idea. Helium balloons, (biodegradable helium balloons in fact) one for each child, to be released just before they boarded the buses.

This children and staff gathered in front of the school. Most of them held on to their balloons until the proper moment, and they let go. The balloons floated up into the sky as everyone watched, and then drifted away. There were some hugs; some tears were wiped away. The children got on the buses, and the buses drove off, leaving a quiet, empty building in their wake.

Hinchinbrooke Public School opened in 1966. It served the population of Hinchinbrooke township, and later, Central Frontenac, for 47 years. There is a committee working on a plan to keep the building in public use as a recreational centre.

The heat and humidity were getting to the audience at the springtime Sydenham High School graduation last week (Thursday, June 27)

With over 200 graduates, and dozens of special awards to hand out, the audience had to struggle to maintain their enthusiasm at times.

Not so when Tyler MacComish took the stage to receive awards from the Kingston Community Credit Union and the Sydenham High School Staff Association, when the audience erupted in sustained applause, the loudest cheer for any of the deserving award winners all evening.

Because he has been a student in the School to Community Class, Tyler is now 20 and has been at the school longer than almost all of the graduating class, and his impact has been felt by the entire Sydenham High School community.

One of his teachers, Karl Hammer, met Tyler in September of 2006.

“Tyler began as a very quiet and shy young man, but slowly began to show his true personality over the course of the year. Tyler is one of the most well-mannered and positive people I have ever met.”

Over the past 7 years Tyler has been a manager for soccer, football, basketball, volleyball... he also played junior boys basketball, football and dressed and took the final snaps in the annual Bubba Bowl game in SR football this year. He has twice won manager of the year, and won a special award at this year's athletic banquet for his commitment and service to the athletic program at the school.

He has done co-op programs in the school and at the local Foodland store, where he has become an integral member of the Foodland family.

At SHS he has been the student council representative from the school to community classroom.

“Tyler is Mr. Sydenham,” said Karl Hammer. "He is known by all and highly respected for the joy he brings to people's lives. He is here with me helping me get my classroom ready for next year. Although he has moved on as a student and will leave my program... he will now become one of my close friends.”

There was standing room only at the cafetorium at Sharbot Lake High School on June 26, where friends and family gathered to celebrate the achievements of the last official graduating class from SLHS. The school is slated to be demolished once the new Granite Ridge Education Centre is completed and that fact made for an especially lively, emotional and very energetic ceremony that saw numerous graduates receive multiple awards, trophies scholarships and bursaries.

The commencement program included addresses by Principal Heather Highet, Vice-principal David Russell, senior management director with the Limestone District School Board, Brenda Hunter, and School Trustee Ann Goodfellow, as well as live musical entertainment courtesy of the SLHS band. Meaghan Kirby introduced the valedictorian of 2013, Cadence Cumpson, whom she described as spirited, kind, genuine, determined, bubbly - in a nutshell - a fireball.

Cadence took on a leadership role in many areas of the school while simultaneously working hard and succeeding academically. She was active in athletics, music, student council and many other special school events. In her address Cadence proved those descriptors to be true and made a very humorous, moving and impassioned speech about the school she entered four years ago as a grade nine newbie and how the staff and students there all helped to shape and inform her. She spoke about many memorable events and her easy speaking nature and fine sense of humour made the final valedictory address a memorable one.

Congratulations to all of the graduates, who will long be remembered as the last to graduate from Sharbot Lake High School.

In a special school closing ceremony at Sharbot Lake Public School put on by current staff and students on June 20, former students and staff had a chance to bid farewell to the school that holds many cherished memories for them.

The current school was built in 1930 and replaced the former one-room school house, which had been erected in 1887 further down the hill from the present site. The public school is slated to close in the upcoming school year when students and staff will be moved to Granite Ridge Education Centre, the new school currently under construction in Sharbot Lake.

The closing ceremony included addresses by Trustee Anne Goodfellow, current and former school council representatives Sarah Sauve and Cheryl Allen, SLPS grade 5/6 teacher Stephanie Leeder and former staff member Pam Woods. Each spoke of what the school has meant to them over the years and remembered SLPS as a small rural school with a big family feel. Each class at the school made a special presentation that included numerous songs and readings and Mrs. Harding wrapped up the presentations with a slide show commemorating the history of the school in photos from both its former and recent days.

School Principal David Allison saved for the end a special presentation- the opening of a school time capsule that was left at the school and meant to be opened in 2020. The capsule included many artifacts from 1999, the year that it was created.

Following the ceremony guests were invited to peruse a number of old and treasured school artifacts that were set up in a special “memory room” and visitors had a chance to leaf through and marvel at the fascinating collection of old notebooks and other school memorabilia kept by former teachers from as far back as the early 1900's.

While many were sad that the small school will be closing its doors for good in the upcoming school year, many expressed their confidence that the move to the new school in Sharbot Lake will make for an exciting change for both staff and students. The special ceremony represented the final chapter at SLPS, the small rural school perched high on a hill overlooking Sharbot Lake, which will long be fondly remembered by the hundreds of students and staff who passed through its doors in its 126-year history.

Mr. Hill, Ms. Cuthill and Ms. Buck took their students to the Secondary side to participate in a dance-off on June 11 at NAEC. This was the culmination of a project by Mrs. Walker's Grade 10 Physical Education class, which counts for 15% of the students' final mark. Deanna Allen, Jessica Chatson, Racheal Dorion, Tara Pringle, Taylor Salmond, Haily Whitelock and Cayley Wilson led the Elementary classes in dancing.

The Grade 10 students were completing an assignment which measured their leadership qualities, ability to work with peers, communication skills, and engagement in a different type of fitness activity (other than sports). The students had to learn the steps of the dance themselves, and then teach them to the Elementary students.

The Grade 10 students had to work with their Elementary peers over the course of a couple of weeks, involving two or three sessions to practice the dance. After the Elementary students had learned the dance, the teachers decided it would be fun to have an entire gym full of students dancing.

Each class ran through the dance once, as the other students looked on, and then there was a dance-off, in which all the students danced at the same time. The judges were Mrs. Salmond and Ms. Allan. They had a hard time deciding which class was the most engaged and energetic, as everyone seemed to be having a good time, particularly when doing the do-si-do. They declared all three classes winners.

Both students and teachers really enjoyed the exercise. Principal Angela Salmond said, "It is always good to see our teachers working together, and this was a particularly enjoyable event because the students were working together, too."

Hats off to the Parent Council at Loughborough Public School in Sydenham who entertained hundreds of students and their families on June 14 under sunny skies at their annual fundraiser, which was back this year after a one-year hiatus.

Multiple events took place inside and outside the school and included many games, a presentation by Ray's Reptiles in the school gym, demonstrations by the Frontenac OPP, Fire Department and ambulance services, and a bake sale in the school’s main foyer. In the library a silent auction fundraiser took place with many notable donations from local businesses and individuals. Also up for grabs was an impressive selection of fine art paintings, created by LPS students and representing each of the individual classrooms at the school. Jason Silver played his acoustic guitar and provided the perfect musical back drop to the day.

Christine Marshall, chair of the LPS parent council, was pleased with the turnout. She said that the funds raised by the fun fair will go towards supporting the school’s music department and program, which was brought back this year after a few years’ absence. Funds will also be used to put in a new technology system at the school called Synervoice, which uses an automated messaging service to let parents know of upcoming events at the school.a

Elementary students and staff at North Addington Education Centre met with a team from OFAH (Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters) and participated in a series of activities which gave them a better understanding of their environment. This program was sponsored by OFAH at no cost to NAEC students (who would normally have to pay). The presentation of this program was organized by Student Success teacher Sarah Sproule, an avid hunter and fisher herself.

The presentations were designed for Kindergarten to Grades 5/6. Students rotated through ten different activities, learning as they went. The activities focused on different issues, and the weather co-operated with a lovely sunny day. Activities included a deer game, a fishing information session, a prey game, and a casting challenge.

Outside on the football field, groups learned about the balance between species and their predators and food sources. Students were divided into groups consisting of deer, resources and predators, and played a game that showed how populations shifted depending on availability of food sources.

Inside, in the new foyer, students watched an information presentation regarding different types of fish. They then played a Jeopardy game in which they identified different local fish, ranging from yellow perch to rainbow trout.

Outside once again, students investigated the difficulties encountered by birds when searching for prey. Students took it in turns to "be" an eagle and everyone else hid in the trees and bushes. The eagle was supposed to try to find his or her prey, while the prey tried not to be found.

In the gym, students did a "casting challenge". This took the form of a relay in which students formed a line and took it in turns to cast fishing lines into a hoop. After their cast, they ran to the back of the line, and worked their way up again.

The Kindergarten to Grade 2 students participated in the morning session, and the Grade 3 to Grade 6 group participated in the afternoon. The activities were run by 3 college/university students and one staff member employed by OFAH, and the event was a big success. "It was well organized, and the kids learned a great deal and had a lot of fun," said Ms. Buck, who teaches Grade 5/6.

Citing the impact of a roofers’ strike on the construction schedule, Sharbot Lake High School Principal Heather Highet said last week that the Granite Ridge Education Centre will not be fully operational at the start of the school year in September.

“Until the roofers’ strike, construction was ahead of schedule,” Highet said, “and now the roof is finally going up, but even the contractors will have to wait until it is up and everything is completely dry before they move on to the next step.”

Highet told a group of parents at a meeting in the cafeteria of Sharbot Lake High School last week that the Limestone Board has developed two scenarios for next fall, Plan A and a Plan B. Under Plan A, the new school will be substantially completed by September and the current building will have been demolished. Students in grade 5 or 6 and up will attend Granite Ridge in September, “but students from Kindergarten to grades 4 or 5 will attend at the current Sharbot Lake Public School building until construction is completed,” said Highet.

This includes students who are attending Hinchinbrooke Public School this year and are slated to move to Granite Ridge.

Plan B is a more complicated scenario. It will be put into place if the new building is not substantially completed by September. In that instance students between grades 6 and 12 will be accommodated in the existing Sharbot Lake High School (SLHS) building.

Under Plan B, the existing school will be demolished sometime during the school year. Highet did not know how long the demolition and clean-up would take and SLHS needs to be removed in order for the parking lot and landscaping plan at the site to be completed.

Within the next two weeks a decision is expected concerning which plan will be put into place.

School staff are particularly anxious to find out which plan will come into effect.

“Either we have to pack everything up and put it into storage because this building is being torn down, or we have to prepare to receive students here in the fall, and then move everything over to the new school when it is ready,” Highet said.

Whichever stage the new school is at come September, the bussing for the students to Sharbot Lake will be in place. Gord Taylor, the Executive Director of the Tri-Board transportation consortium, said that most of the students throughout the wide region that is covered by the new school will be picked up at about the same time they were in the past. He acknowledged that a small number of students will be facing a bus ride of over an hour, “but not any more than previously.”

James MacDonald, who is currently the vice-principal at Hinchinbrooke, will be the new vice-principal at Granite Ridge. He said that based in part on a survey of all the students who will be attending the new school, the new school colours will be blue, green and silver, and the school’s mascot will be a Gryphon.

“The choice of colours and of the Gryphon, which has three parts, both recognize the fact that the new school is a coming together of three schools,” MacDonald said.

On June 3,Sharbot Lake High School Principal, Heather Highet, and long-time SLHS teacher Randy McVety were presented with the 2013 Associate School Award by members of the Faculty of Education at Queen's University at a special presentation and celebration in the school’s cafetorium.

The award honors one Ontario high school and one Ontario elementary school per year for their outstanding contribution to Teacher Education. Sharbot Lake was one of the 250 associate schools in Ontario who take on students teachers in their regular school year. This year 15 schools were nominated for the award. At the presentation Nadine Thompson, the practicum placement assistant at Queens University, first read from some of the letters written by teacher candidates at SLHS this year, who nominated the school for the award. From one letter she read, “From the moment we walked through the door at SLHS we felt included. There seemed to be a constant effort by all of the educators, administrators and support staff to strengthen us as growing teachers.” From another, Thompson read, “This school was wonderful and learning as much as teaching never felt better.”

Paul Twiddy, who is the faculty liaison at the Faculty of Education at Queen's University, also spoke and congratulated the school for their contributions over the last 20 years as an associate school and for taking on a total of 13 teacher candidates this year alone. He “cherry picked” from a letter he wrote supporting what the teacher candidates had to say about their experience at the school. “The school’s support for teacher education this year in particular was very important given the climate of the times and it provided a very stable environment for the teacher candidates here.” He continued, “The exemplary contribution and commitment to education exhibited by the school provided a significant opportunity for the teacher candidates.” School Trustee Ann Goodfellow also spoke at the presentation and said, “Nothing has changed in all of the years that I have known and been associated with this school. It's always been such a tight knit family and this is such an appropriate way to start off on our new adventure next door.”

Following the presentation Principal Heather Highet said, “It feels really good to have the staff here recognized for their hard work because they are a genuine staff that care deeply about their students.” This was the first time that SLHS has won the award.

Melanie Robinson, who heads up the Phys Ed program at Sharbot Lake High School, emceed their annual Athletics Banquet on June 4, where a plethora of awards were given out to honor the school's junior and senior athletes. Though the school's winter season was cut short due to the climate at the school this year, Robinson decided to increase the number of awards given out to each team that played a full season, with two members from each team (and in one case three) receiving coach's awards and one member, the most valuable player award.

Called to the stage numerous times during the presentation were two athletes, one junior and one senior Panther, whose names are currently on the sign board in front of school. Both athletes received gold medals at the Eastern Regionals in Belleville and both will be heading to the OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) finals this Saturday, June 8 in Oshawa.

The first is a grade 10 student, David Cox, who won a gold medal for junior boys high jump with a jump of 1.75 metres. Cox, who made it to OFSAA last year and placed 13th, said he is hoping to make it into the top ten this year. He said the sport is all about form. Cox also received two MVP awards; one for the junior boys volleyball team and the second for track and field, and he was named the Junior Male Athlete of the Year.

SLHS teacher and coach, Ben Moser, who presented Cox with the Junior Male Athlete of the Year Award, said that Cox is “a true, natural, stand out athlete. In every sport that he plays and the way he moves tells you that he is natural. He's improved his personal best year over year to the point where he is now jumping 180 centimetres, which puts him in the top ten junior male jumpers in the province. Not only that but he's also a great student, a great teammate and a great person.”

Johnny “Boom Boom" Vinkle also made numerous forays to the stage to receive awards; as the senior boys MVP in volleyball and in track and field, as well as the Senior Male Athlete of the Year. Vinkle will also be heading to OFSAA in the shot putting event, having won gold in the Eastern Regionals where he beat out the silver medal winner by just under one metre. Vinkle also made it OFSSA last year in the same event. He will be competing against 23 others at OFSSA this year. Vinkle has been shot putting since grade eight and said he played it for years more as a “filler event” for him. Vinkle said he is seated 12th going into the event and he hopes to finish off in the top ten. He also said that he plans to continue playing volleyball at the post-secondary level. One of Vinkle's coaches, SLHS teacher Randy McVety said of Vinkle that he is "a great athlete who got the name “Boom Boom” because of hard hitting on the court... The thing is... Johnny is not at all an aggressive guy but rather, a very reliable player who can keep his cool and he is a player who plays hard but understands that sports are important but not the end of the world. He is also a player who always represents his school very well.”

Other notable athletes who made numerous forays to the stage to receive awards were Skyler Howes, Taylor Welch, Cadence Cumpson and Aadan Kempe. Congratulations to all of the Panthers who received awards this year.