Jun 05, 2013


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.

Support local
independant journalism by becoming a patron of the Frontenac News.