The Learn Lead Inspire award recognizes the students, staff members and volunteers who have made outstanding contributions to our school communities, aligning with the Board’s mission to build a culture of learning, well-being and belonging.
Lisa-Marie Monteiro and Janetta Rogers
Walter Gretzky Elementary School
Grand Erie schools are inclusive, welcoming places, thanks to staff members committed to understanding the learners we serve, and the diversity of backgrounds and experiences they bring to the community. At Walter Gretzky Elementary School, two educators have taken an exemplary lead in sharing this commitment with all learners. In recent years, Lisa-Marie Monteiro and Janetta Rogers have collaborated, planned and shared several initiatives and events centered around building opportunities to learn from each other. They’ve developed educational content for days of significance, brought in resources from the larger community, and supported students in furthering their own efforts to build a culture of learning, well-being and belonging. These engaging activities and educational events have helped create supportive spaces in which students and families see themselves reflected and have gone a long way in fostering a responsive, inclusive school community.
École Confédération Volunteers
It takes a village to learn, lead and inspire, and at École Confédération, an incredible group of volunteers has come together to support literacy learning in the school community. Joann Alho, Correen Kloostra, Monique Morrey, Mulki Noor, Isabelle Rourke, Matthew Sackrider and Amanda Woodare a dedicated group made up of parents/caregivers, grandparents, retired educators and community members making a positive impact each week, working with more than 70 students in kindergarten to Grade 8 to improve reading and writing skills in French and English. Each volunteer works with a smaller group in the learning commons, and the consistent, focused support over the months has made a lasting impact on learners’ confidence, academic achievement, and love of learning. This group of individuals selflessly dedicate their time each week, a commitment that makes a meaningful impact on students’ learning journeys.
Corey Mehlenbacher, Simcoe Composite School
In his role as a secondary teacher, Corey
Mehlenbacher exemplifies the transformative power of education. Whether in his
math and vocational classrooms or in the larger school community, he cultivates
a culture of high expectations, promoting student achievement through
measurable and meaningful methods. By fostering a sense of belonging and
supporting students’ social-emotional learning, he addresses their needs
holistically. A reflective learner himself, he adapts and evolves his teaching
practices to best serve his students. Through modelling what successful
strategies look like, he empowers his students to work through barriers and
challenges. He also prioritizes building strong connections between home and
school, inviting and fostering family involvement in students’ success. Mr.
Mehlenbacher’s dedication shapes futures, ignites passions and transforms his
students’ educational experiences, capturing the spirit of the Learn Lead
Inspire award.
