2009-2010 SJK Annual Report - St. John's-Kilmarnock School

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still be highly successful in utilizing sound scientific methodology.” SJK continues to promote excellence in scientific enquiry via its annual Science Fair and coinciding Math Fair. The projects do much more than promote sound experimental methods and the exploration of new fanciful fonts on backboards. The experience of communicating ideas to science fair judges helps to promote our students’ social presentation skills, interactions with people, formal writing, research skills, proper citation and thinking on one’s feet. Mr. Hornsby has observed, “students tend to learn from judges and improve in subsequent judging rounds. It appears in the scores each year.” SJK continues to attract an impressive panel of judges for Science Fair, scientists from the three local universities, professional engineers, graduate students, alumni and involved parents. Behind the ready-made backboards and computerized graphics is the scientific rigour and excellence that sees SJK continually sending our well-equipped young scientists to Regional and Canada- Wide Science competitions. SJK’s Stephanie Chan: Helping Young Scientists Explore! Upper School student Stephanie Chan (pictured below at right) is excited about the potential to take the grassroots Science Expo to provincial and national levels. Following a trip to the 2009 Canada-Wide Science and Engineering Fair, Stephanie and several of the team that represented Waterloo-Wellington at Nationals decided to become ambassadors for science. In their first year, they organized an outreach science exposition evening aimed at inspiring students in grades 7-12 on the topics of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Students received first-hand accounts of SHAD, Waterloo Unlimited, Canada-Wide and International Science Fairs. This year, Science Expo will move to a full day conference with guest speakers and a panel discussion. Students will participate in interactive workshops on subjects such as how to come up with a science fair topic. Stephanie has enjoyed the opportunity to network with like-minded students. The Science Expo experience has opened her eyes to the International Science Fair and Sanofi-Aventis, a biotechnology competition. This year, Stephanie’s efforts will be on securing sponsorships from the community to ensure that Science Expo continues to flourish and promote exploration and innovation.
A Fond Farewell to Coach Dief Not a day goes by that Cheryl Diefenbacher doesn’t cast her thoughts back inside the gates of SJK and reflect on the role of the school in her life. Cheryl devoted twenty-three years to St. John’s-Kilmarnock School and watched her son Brent progress through the school and graduate, touched by the magical influence of the school’s teachers. Cheryl started as a part-time physical education teacher at the Elora location of the school following a maternity leave. Cheryl remembers teaching physical education gymless, running her female students along the natural trails of the Elora Gorge and skating at the local arena. Cheryl served many key roles in her SJK career. She was SJK’s first Director of Admissions in 1990 and later assisted the Upper School Director as Grade 9 &10 coordinator before becoming Head of Physical Education, bringing the opportunity to program wellness for the students, JK through grade 12. Later, she served two years as Middle School Director. Over the past four years, she guided our students toward post-secondary success as SJK’s Head of Guidance. By her estimation, Dief has coached some fifty sports teams in at least six sports. She led thirteen LiveFit classes, introducing the course to the school. Mrs. Dief is quick to identify the defining quality of SJK: its close student-teacher relationships which foster the unique family community that is so evident at the school. Dief praised SJK’s administration over the years for embracing the total wellness of its students, both within and outside of the classroom. “SJK is instrumental in developing the whole child and that makes a great platform for student growth.” Mrs. Dief is very grateful for the opportunities she had to walk among mentors – ‘giants’, she calls them. She is thankful for her opportunity to walk with giants, watch the giants, and be lifted on the shoulders of giants. In turn, Mrs. Dief did lots of motivational lifting herself. “It was the healthy relationships and watching kids grow and watching them grow into young healthy happy adults that energized me to get into their heads and hearts and watch them reach their academic potential in a great setting. My legacy is the relationships I have left behind. What I really loved about SJK was my ability to stay internal and to place myself in a position to always look for challenge; to always be in a position to learn and learn and learn. That’s what energized me about SJK.” After 23 years at SJK, Cheryl Diefenbacher has taken on a new challenge as Director of Student Services at Hillfield-Strathallan College in Hamilton.
Page 1 and 2: SJK Annual Report 2009-2010 SJK www
Page 4 and 5: Letter from the Head Mr. Southward
Page 6 and 7: Our 2010-2014 Strategic Plan: An Ed
Page 8 and 9: The Corporation of St. John’s-Kil
Page 10 and 11: Support for St. John’s-Kilmarnock
Page 12 and 13: Celebrate & Applaud Campaign 2010 O
Page 14 and 15: www.sjkschool.org Upcoming Alumni E
Page 16 and 17: SJK welcomes our newest group of al
Page 18 and 19: animals it fosters. Mr. Spackman he
Page 20 and 21: Congratulations to grade five stude
Page 22 and 23: With a special focus on internation
Page 24 and 25: also hosted the CIS Drama Festival
Page 26 and 27: e-staged at the Registry Theatre in
Page 28 and 29: a special event, each student in Gr
Page 32 and 33: Karen Baird Leads Sri Lankan Teache
Page 34 and 35: Outreach and Charitable Giving In 2
Page 36 and 37: Julie Mattell, Vice President and S
Page 38 and 39: WINTER TERM Senior Girls’ Volleyb
Page 40: St. John’s-Kilmarnock School Comi

2009-2010 SJK Annual Report - St. John's-Kilmarnock School

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