OPPORTUNITY AWAITS WITH EACH NEW SCHOOL YEAR
From the first day of kindergarten to high school graduation, students in the Greater Essex County District School Board are learning and earning valuable life lessons. It’s not 14 individual years, it’s one complete 14 year experience.
Thousands of young people are preparing for the first day of class in the 55 elementary schools and 15 secondary schools in the GECDSB. Students in grades 1 through 12 begin on September 5th. Kindergarten starts on September 11th.
As they get ready for the new year, high school seniors and Student Trustees Mikayla Bondy and Liam Bannon reflect on what they have gained from their public school education.
Bondy found an outlet for her interests in the performing arts and politics. At Lakeshore Discovery School, she served on the student council. Throughout her time at Belle River District High School, Bondy has been active in the student parliament. Last year, she was prime minister. She is eager to begin her new career as a Student Trustee this September.
“I’ve always really enjoyed being able to provide a voice for students,” Bondy says. One of her goals is to implement a student mental health committee. “I think that would have a great effect on the mental health stuff that is going on with teenagers these days.”
Noting that her school’s spirit is strong, Bondy says, “I think the teachers of our board and the administration do a great job giving everyone the chance to pursue what they want to” in academics, arts, sports and more.
“I love the staff at Belle River. They’re incredible. Whatever level you are at, they encourage you to do your best,” says Bondy. “I can thank my teachers for everything that I know.”
Bondy has been attending university auditions to study acting and voice next year. She is determined to glean all that she can in her final year in secondary school. Her favourite place to be is on the school stage, performing in musicals. “I work with people from grade 9 to 12; we’ve become a tightknit group,” she says. Joining the arts is “a good way to be integrated.”
As a grade eight pupil at Queen Victoria Public School, Bannon realized school can offer much more than the Three Rs when he joined other elementary students at a social justice forum at the University of Windsor. The gathering opened his eyes and “it opened me up to being a leader,” he remembers.
At Kennedy Collegiate Institute, Bannon has embraced his school’s philosophy: “Always seeking higher things.” He says, “When your brain is telling you you’re done, you’re only 40 per cent done. You can challenge yourself.” Whether the aim is to be a better academic, athlete or artist, with teachers’ support, “you end up tapping into resources and ideas you didn’t know you had.”
Last year, Bannon juggled grade 11 studies with his duties as Minister of Spirit, co-hosting events to foster school pride.
As a Student Trustee this September, he will participate in monthly meetings with the Board of Trustees as well as the Student Senate, formed of representatives of student councils from all schools. “We discuss issues or solutions that we have with the school system,” he says.
“The number one thing I’ve taken from school is time management,” says Bannon. He is learning the necessity of “a little less texting from time to time and a little more studying or thinking about how you’re going to tackle a certain subject or problem that has come up in your life. It’s all exercising your time management skills.”
Planning on becoming a nurse, Bannon believes that the Greater Essex County District School Board has provided him with an excellent academic foundation. Teachers, principals and support staff: “All these different resources are there, not only to improve your academic skills but your social skills and the life skills that you need.”
With the start of the new school year, opportunity awaits each student. It begins with registration. New this year is the Greater Essex County District School Board’s online preliminary registration for all grades. Parents and guardians are discovering this convenient feature and logging onto www.publicboard.ca/Parents/RegisteringYour-Child. They then contact the school secretary for an appointment to complete the registration.
To learn which GECDSB school their child may attend, parents and guardians can contact the Board office at 519-255-3200.
“All these different resources are there, not only to improve your academic skills but your social skills and the life skills that you need.”
Liam Bannon