An appreciation for a colleague

submitted by the staff at Granite Ridge Education Centre | Jun 19, 2019

After twenty-nine years of teaching and impacting the lives of many students, Randy McVety has decided to retire. Sharbot Lake High School and Granite Ridge Education Centre have been extremely fortunate to have had this incredible teacher for twenty-six of those years and he will be dearly missed.

Mr. McVety has always taught in the Social Sciences department; teaching geography, history, civics, philosophy and law. He enjoys providing enrichment opportunities through field trips and guest speakers, making his lessons come alive. He has encouraged his students to be active members of society and understand their responsibilities through such organizations as United Way, Student Vote, and 30 Hour Famine. Mr. McVety was the driving force behind the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative in the civics class which has resulted in numerous charities receiving funding based on student presentations.

His teaching extends beyond the engaging lessons he has provided in his classroom. He has taught students how to give of themselves and to be kind to one another. His infectious smile and his big heart are fondly remembered by students as they understand that he genuinely cares and respects each individual student while encouraging them to reach their full potential as they pursue their dreams.

Since his first year of teaching, Mr. McVety has unselfishly dedicated his time to students by coaching numerous teams, attending leadership camps, and acting as an advisor to Student Council. Students remember those special moments where they travelled to Ottawa or Toronto or even to Costa Rica and Europe. He has been instrumental and creative in fundraising to make these opportunities feasible for students.

As a colleague, Randy has been a mentor to many. He has been a liaison between our schools and the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University, passing on his knowledge and expertise to future generations of teachers. Randy cares deeply about his colleagues and has always been a welcoming agent for our small, northern, rural school.

On behalf of all the people who have been influenced by this exceptional teacher and kind man, we want to thank Mr. Randy McVety for the wonderful memories. We congratulate Mr. McVety on a fabulous career and wish him all the best in his retirement.