2008 - 2009 Annual Report - St. John's-Kilmarnock School

2009–2010 As
Letter from the
Head
I transition to SJK, I would first like to thank the SJK board of governors for the confidence
they have put in me as we aim to leverage the excellence and tradition of the school for the
future. Having worked in independent education within Canada and abroad for nearly 20 years, it
is a privilege to take on the headship of such a fine school as St. John’s-Kilmarnock. SJK sets the
bar high for its students and I will ensure that this bar remains high in all that we do.
This is a vibrant school community that is rooted in a clear mission of excellence in education
both in and outside the classroom. Ultimately what attracted me to SJK is that its vision and
mission provides not only for excellence in the classroom, but also a clear understanding that
learning does not stop at the classroom door. SJK not only offers an outstanding educational
experience but also a wealth of extracurricular activities, particularly in sports and the arts,
bringing learning to a new level. Although there are clear denominational roots at SJK, issues of
religion and spirituality are embraced at a broader level as we seek to better understand meaning
for ourselves and the global community.
Developing a positive school culture with meaningful programs is at the forefront of my vision. It
is core to every student’s experience at the school. We have the responsibility to ensure that
students embrace the opportunities, challenges and experiences that will enable them to take on
roles of leadership now and in the future.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Hornsby and the faculty and staff for their
leadership in 2008–09 in laying the groundwork for my transition. As we enter into the 2009–10
school year I look forward to working and meeting with the various SJK constituents as we focus
on the school’s strategic direction.
Norman Southward
Head of School
2009–10

2008 – 2009 To
Letter from the
Acting Head
be headmaster at SJK is a privilege not experienced by many and I have been fortunate to be one of
those souls. Whilst this mantle was temporary in nature, it gave me a wonderful opportunity to provide
leadership at a critical time in our history. The overwhelming success of this year is due to the
tremendous support that I received from all around me, from colleagues, students, board members,
parents and alumnae.
We not only opened in September with 420 students, well ahead of projections, but also received our
accreditation from CESI. In addition, the school underwent a Ministry of Education inspection, that
received a flawless report and evaluation.
Throughout the year, our teachers and students threw themselves into everything with tremendous
energy and enthusiasm, never letting up as one month rolled into another. The support and office
personnel were just as helpful, pitching in wholeheartedly to do all that we asked of them. Although this
was a transition year, we not only checked all sorts of things off the “to do” list, both in academics and
the business area of the school, but also continued to move the school forward.
On the financial front, Mr. Beacock, Assistant Head of School - Business and Finance, did an amazing
job of managing the business side of the school. His hard work ensured that we are in a solid financial
position with a surplus on the bottom line. As well, we are continuing to pay down debt.
One of the principal thrusts of the year was Trek Nepal 2009, led by Mr. Spackman and his wife, Judy.
The whole school got behind this venture and lent both their moral and financial support. Through a
host of activities, the student body raised over $30,000 to be used over the next few years to support
building projects, teacher training and salaries. This money will also be used to cover the costs of the
material needs of the schools that we support.
We were fortunate to be the recipient of a significant financial gift to the music program from the Bill
Harrison family. Mr. Harrison’s children are alumnae and his grandson is a current student. The impact
of his generosity was experienced by all at the ArtsAroundsUs evening as the fledgling band
accompanied the Kilmarnock Singers in one of their numbers.
Our students continue to shine, performing well at the provincial and national levels in academic
competitions for debating, science, mathematics and the arts. Even though we are a small school, our
varsity athletes continued to perform at the highest level and our arts program is growing from strength
to strength.
I look forward to working with our new Head of School and to provide for him the same support that
was so generously given to me.
Ian Hornsby
Acting Head of School
2008–09

2008–09
Board Report
2008–09 was a year of many successes as a Board and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each
board member for their selfless efforts in making SJK the best it can be. SJK continues to be a school full
of opportunities allowing our students to learn and succeed.
I’d like to make special mention and thank you to our retiring 2008-09 Board members Caroline
Champagne, Michael Annable, Michael Klein and Al Zeijlmaker for their dedication and commitment to the
ongoing success of the school. SJK is a better place because of your participation. Each one of you has
given countless hours of time, advice and wisdom and SJK is truly grateful.
The key goals for the Board in 2008-09 were focused on Leadership, Relationships, Performance
Measurement and Planning. The Board continued to develop and update long term plans and put
measurable benchmarks in place to track success.
It is with great pleasure that SJK announced the appointment of the new Head of School, Mr. Norman
Southward, in this Leadership role. Mr. Southward began his transition to SJK in July 2009 and brings with
him new ideas and a focus that will ensure the next few years are going to be exciting times for our school.
The Board continues to build strong supportive relationships within the SJK community and its many
constituents. With Board representatives from the Parents’ Association, Alumni Association and Faculty
Association, we are continuing to foster engagement within the entire SJK community. As well, Governors
continue to act as ambassadors for the school, externally and internally, to positively impact enrolment and
retention of mission appropriate students.
In the spring of 2009, SJK received our accreditation from CESI and the results stated that our school was a
nurturing, strong environment that needs to be built upon. As with all CESI reviews, there were
recommendations and suggestions made by the review team that will be responded to appropriately by
SJK. It is important to note that this accreditation reinforces that SJK truly gives students a world class
opportunity to learn and succeed.
Our key goals for the coming school year are focused on
planning, succession, effectiveness and measurement.
As part of this, the Board will undertake a review of our
current strategic plan to ensure it clearly defines SJK’s
future path. The Board will ensure a suitable communication
strategy is in place to advise the SJK community of key
strategies and objectives.
On behalf of the entire Board, it is a pleasure to serve our
school community. Together in this year’s annual report,
we celebrate the accomplishment of all our students,
past and present. They are truly remarkable individuals.
(From left to right)
Jeff Watson
Board Chair
2009
Back Row: Larry Johnston, Amin Visram, Joe Mattell, Treasurer,
Dale Mills, Norman Southward, Head of School, Tom Beacock, Assistant Head of
School, Business & Finance, Mary Frances Carter, Vice Chair
Front Row: Jackie Campbell, Jeff Watson, Chair, Canon Robert Hulse,
Massood Oroomchi, Katherine Gyles, Meg Beckel, University of Waterloo Rep.,
Guy Zink, David Singh, Alumni Rep.
Missing: Mari McAndrews, Parents’ Association Rep., Robert Spackman,
Staff/Faculty Rep., Scott Pollard, Secretary

The Corporation of St. John’s-Kilmarnock School
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
AS AT JUNE 30, 2009
Assets
Cash $ 661,103
Accounts receivable 838,025
Inventory 4,212
Prepaid expenses 63,486
Property, plant and equipment 7,541,730
Total Assets $ 9,108,556
Liabilities, Deferred Contributions and Net Assets
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 537,875
Prepaid fees 3,174,832
Placement fees currently payable 6,000
Current portion of debt 893,346
Current portion of obligation under capital lease 8,825
$ 4,620,878
Deferred Placement Fees $ 20,500
Long Term Debt 642,967
Obligation Under Capital Lease –
Deferred Capital Contributions 1,774,112
$ 7,058,457
Net Assets
Investment in capital assets $ 4,222,480
Unrestricted (2,172,381)
$ 2,050,099
Total Liabilities, Deferred Contributions and Net Assets $ 9,108,556
Long Term Debt 2000-2009
5,000,000
4,000,000
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,000,000
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

The Corporation of St. John’s-Kilmarnock School
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
YEAR-ENDED JUNE 30, 2009
Revenue
Tuition fees $ 7,101,386
Transportation 332,762
Other income 172,849
Contributions 74,447
Amortization of deferred contributions 64,209
$ 7,745,653
Operating Expenses
Cost of services $ 5,219,197
Administration 1,139,229
General 1,118,426
$ 7,476,852
Excess of Revenue Over Expenses From Operations $ 268,801
Other Income (Expenses)
Loss on disposal of asset (1,087)
Excess of Revenue Over Expenses $ 267,714
Use of Expenses
Invested in Learning
Admin and Development
Other
15%
3%
82%
92%
4%
2%
1%
1%
100%
70%
15%
15%
100%
15%
4% 1% 2%1%
15%
92%
70%

Donors
St. John’s-Kilmarnock School gratefully acknowledges and thanks the following:
Our Founders for Their Vision and Courage,
Our Students for Their Excellence and Hard Work
Our Teachers, Administrators and Staff for Their Leadership and Dedication, and
Our Donors for Their Guidance and Generosity
2008–09 Annual Giving
Major Gifts $ 151,036
Parents' Association Donations 88,312
Annual Giving 62,096
PA Gala 18,108
Other Giving 12,352
$ 331,904
45%
27%
19%
5%
4%
100%
Thank you to all our donors who participated in the fundraising activities throughout the school
in 2008-09. We thank you for your belief and dedication to St. John’s-Kilmarnock School.
19%
5%
27%
4%
45%

SJK gets “SMART” once again
Once again, SJK has been a recipient of a generous donation in 2008–09 in support of
SMART Board technology. The Parents’ Association, through their Gala event and other fundraising
initiatives, supported the installation of six additional SMART Boards to the School. This is very
exciting news for the faculty and students as it means taking education one step further.
In 2007–08 SJK was extremely pleased to receive a generous donation from a parent that
allowed the school to install thirteen SMART Boards. With the combined support of our generous
donor and the Parents’ Association, SJK will install a total of nineteen SMART Boards across all
three schools.
Thank you to these special friends of the school and for making an investment in the present
and future of St. John’s-Kilmarnock School. We appreciate your confidence and commitment.
Annual Fund
Support for St. John’s-Kilmarnock School, as demonstrated through annual giving, is one of
the key indicators of a healthy school. It makes an immediate impact on the lives of our
students today, and also benefits the students of tomorrow.
The Annual Fund is one way that members of the school community, whether they be parents,
past parents, alumni, or staff and faculty, can demonstrate their ongoing support. It is only
with this consistent support that we are able to provide the exceptional level of academic,
athletic and extracurricular programs that SJK is known for, and we are grateful for each gift.
Ways to Give
• Cash, cheque and VISA
• Stocks and securities
• Pledges paid in installments up to June 30, 2010
How to Give
Donate online: Visit www.canadahelps.org and search ‘SJK’
Donate by Phone: Call the SJK Advancement Office at 519-648-2183 ext. 21
Donate by Mail: Mail cheque (payable to St. John’s-Kilmarnock School)
to the Advancement Office, 2201 Shantz Station Road, Breslau, ON N0B 1M0
All donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for your generosity.

Thank You
Volunteers
Each year, alumni, parents, students, staff and friends give countless hours of
service to St. John’s-Kilmarnock School. Our thanks are extended to our volunteers
for their selfless commitment to the School, and for their shining example of what
can be accomplished through hard work, enthusiasm and cooperation.
It is with sincere appreciation that we say thank you for your dedication and for
playing such an important role in ensuring an enriched education for our students
of today and tomorrow.

Facts
Celebrate & Applaud
Campaign 2009
Music and Classroom Enhancement
Each July as we reflect upon on the past school year, it seems fitting to celebrate and applaud the
accomplishments at SJK. Our students continued to shine inside and out of the classroom, performing well
in competitions in debating, science, mathematics, varsity events and especially the music and the arts.
With success, comes growth and SJK has seen significant growth in many areas in the last few years
especially the music program. Music is a fundamental part of the school. The music program provides
all students with a well-rounded musical education starting in Junior Kindergarten. In September 2007,
SJK reintroduced the instrumental music program for Middle and Upper School students. This program
has grown significantly along side the already outstanding arts program offered to all students of all
grade levels.
On June 10th, the Board of Governors approved a modest expansion of the school building and
facilities. The primary focus of this build is to provide a custom built space for both the Choral and
Instrumental music programs of all three schools. At the same time, two additional school classrooms
will be constructed and be attached to the music room. These classrooms will provide SJK with the
much needed teaching space as we continue to grow.
• 4300+ sq. ft. total expansion
• Central location – available to all three schools
• 1700 sq. ft. custom built Music Room
– Space will house MIDI Lab stations (22)
– Instrument storage
• Two additional Lower School classrooms
• Hallway linking Lower School to Music Room and classrooms
The Celebrate and Applaud campaign is an incredible opportunity for families, past and present, to
enhance the experience of all students by giving them the best learning environment possible. The
school’s ability to grow and expand in the future will be based on the financial generosity of each and
every family member within the SJK community.
Please join others in the SJK community to help ignite the passion for learning for students today and
tomorrow. With your generous investment of $500, you will join other supporters on the Celebrate
and Applaud donor wall located outside of the music room. Your support will make a difference today
and tomorrow.
We encourage you to support the Celebrate and Applaud campaign. For donation information, please
contact the Advancement Office at 519-648-2183, ext. 21 or kjeffrey@sjkschool.org.
Thank you.

Leading the Way
Alumni Association—Letter from the President
Leadership has always been an issue of great importance at SJK. While we can hold many
interpretations of SJK’s vision, I believe it circulates around leadership and wanted to celebrate the
leadership we’ve seen over the past year within our school community, specifically our alumni.
It has been my absolute great pleasure to serve as Alumni Association President and to connect with
so many of you. It has been an exciting year where we have created and established a new strategic
vision for our alumni body, visit our Facebook group to see the plan, have established a direction for a
new advisory council, and are in the works of revamping the Flame newsletter. Ultimately, these are
all tools that will help shape our community, but the measure of our success will be with your
commitment to each other and the School.
My role is one of conversations; conversations with faculty, current and past parents, SJK’s governors
and leadership, and with all of you. It never ceases to amaze me what our alumni are accomplishing.
Whether its adventures in space, leading in Canada’s business communities, graduating from medical
school, serving at the UN, or being a first time mom; our alumni all over the world share a great sense
of personal leadership over their lives—many success habits rooted in the values of SJK. Social
networking tools have made it possible for us to better connect with each other than ever before. It is
my hope that we can grow our conversations as a community and celebrate our successes and that
we can continue to foster personal growth in each other and our community.
As a member of the SJK Board of Governors, I have been quite proud of how the school has solidified
its position in recessionary times. Our fiscal management is strong and school leadership is guiding
the School in the right direction. Over the past year Ian Hornsby has served as Acting Head of School
and on behalf of the entire SJK Alumni body, I want to extend the heartiest of congratulations and a
warm thank you for your leadership. The school is fortunate to have your leadership. It is also my
pleasure to again welcome Norman Southward to take the reins and lead SJK into the next chapter
of our history.
A few years back John Kelleher ’93 referred to SJK as a ‘leadership factory’ and now more than I ever
I believe this title to be fitting. I wish all of our alumni all the best as they continue to lead in their
communities, careers, and families all over the world.
Please do stay in touch!
David J. Singh ’03
SJK Alumni Association President
dsingh@sjkschool.org

www.sjkschool.org
Upcoming Alumni
Dinner Events
SJK’s Alumni Dinner Program is best described as evenings of friendship, good
cheer and fond memories. Each year, SJK faculty members and staff hit the road,
and host dinners with our alumni around Ontario. This year, we will visit London,
the Kitchener-Waterloo region, Kingston, Montreal, and Toronto. We hope you will
join us at a city near you.
Montreal: Friday, November 13, 2009
Kingston: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Kitchener-Waterloo Region: Saturday, December 19, 2009
Toronto: Thursday, February 4, 2010
London: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Watch your emails for details, or visit www.sjkschool.org for more information.

Class Notes
1980’s
Dave Bennett (1985)
Recently joined Equitable Life of
Canada as Senior Vice President &
Chief Financial Officer.
Adam CJ Checheltts (1989)
Bought my first sailboat ‘Dream Away’
in 2006; Married to Cassandra Jutting
in Dec 2007 (with my step daughter
Haley): Gwynneth Anne Checheltts
born May 2008: Will be posted to one
of the coasts come next year and well
get a BIGGER boat! Ready Aye Ready!
1990’s
Kathryn Walker (1990)
I am currently completing medical
school and getting ready to apply for
residency in the fall. My daughter,
Morgan, is turning 8 this summer. How
time flies! I am getting married in the fall,
which makes this a pretty busy time.
Vashesh Maharaj (1991)
Family: Two kids – daughter Nalini and
son Ravi. Education: Professional
Accountant – Certified General
Accountant (2003) H.B.Comm –
Laurentian U Work: Superintendent of
Business and Treasurer (aka Chief
Financial Officer) of Waterloo Catholic
District School Board
Mandy Serpa (nee Hodge) (1992)
Boys, boys, boys! We now have two
boys who keep us very busy! Who said
boys are easier than girls?? Still
teaching locally, and would love to get
together with old chums!
Marrissa Liu-Glaister (1993)
Marissa is working as a management
consultant in the pharmaceutical and
biotech space, after taking time to do
her MBA down in London. She is
happy to be back in town near her
family after living in Chicago for the
past year. Marissa is happily married
to her husband Greg.
Raymond Sze (1995)
I have been living in Vancouver for the
last 11 years now, and married for
almost 4 years. I am currently a Senior
Consultant / Director, Operations for
WPCG a recruitment Consulting firm
here in the Lower Mainland and after a
10 year hiatus in tennis, I have returned
to the courts and have been playing
competitively for the last year and half.
Andrew Erjavec (1995)
After working in Whistler as a
Chiropractor; I opened my own
Chiropractic and Wellness Clinic in
Langley in the fall of 2006. I currently
have a registered massage therapist
and an acupuncturist on staff. I'm the
chiropractor for many members of the
West Coast Contortion and Acrobatics
Club and the Langley Judo Club. I'm
also in competitive judo in my spare
time working towards my black belt
and an assistant instructor at the local
judo club.
Tanya Wortman (1997)
Tanya passed away on Tuesday,
November 10, 2009 as a result of an
accident at her home. Condolences
have been extended to the family on
behalf of SJK. Our thoughts and
prayers are with them at this time.
Carina Eriksson (1998)
Opening a film production company in
Los Angeles called Spirit Tree
Entertainment under the guidance of
Bill Wallen, former Senior Vice
President, Creative Director Strategic
Marketing Worldwide for Sony Pictures
Entertainment (Columbia /Tristar
Motion Picture Group) and current
President/CEO of Wallen Design Inc. A
kids adventure film called "Joonies" is
the company's flagship project which
will hopefully reach theaters in 2011.
Chelsea Gabel (1998)
I am currently in the process of
completing my Ph.D. in Political Science
and Public Policy at McMaster University
focusing on Aboriginal Health. I moved
from Ottawa, Ontario several years ago
after having worked as a researcher and
policy analyst for Health Canada and the
Assembly of First Nations. I am currently
living in Burlington, Ontario and love
spending time with my 4 year old Great
Dane, Parker.

David Hornsby (1999)
After 3 years of Ph.D. studies in
Politics and International Relations at
the University of Cambridge, UK, I am
looking forward to submitting my
thesis in the fall. Next steps will be
Johannesburg, South Africa to Lecture
in International Relations at the
University of the Witwatersrand.
2000’s
Melanie Neufeld
(nee McClenaghan) (2001)
Purchased a home in Waterloo in
August 2007. Married Rainer Neufeld
April 19, 2008. YAY! Currently working
at Economical Insurance as a personal
lines underwriter since October 2007.
James Skutezky (2001)
Graduated with Bachelor of Engineering
from Technical University in Bergen.
Married Silje Albrigtsen on June 20th,
2009 in Norway. Reaffirmed wedding
vows in Tadoussac, Quebec July 25th,
2009. Doing lots of cycling, climbing
and skiing in the mountains of
western Norway.
Ashley Mansfield (2001)
Well... let's see... it's been a while! I
finished up my undergrad at U. of
Guelph in 2007 in Human
Kinetics/English. Last year I went to
UWO for teachers' college, and it was a
pretty amazing/fun year. This year I'm
teaching in Peel at Hillcrest P.S. - grade
5. It was a busy fall, but so far so good.
Mackie Hilborn (2003)
Honors Business Marketing Degree
from Brock University (2008) Loaned
representative for United Way of
Cambridge and North Dumfries.
Helped raise $2.6 million for the city of
Cambridge. In 2008 initiated a city wide
Restaurant Challenge in Cambridge,
raised $10 000 for UW, plan on making
it an annual charitable event.
Currently working as the Marketing
and Sales Coordinator for ATS
Automation Tooling Systems. Travelled
(business) to New York, Los Angeles,
Chicago and San Francisco. (2009)
Jamil Shamji (2003)
In law school in Oklahoma, just
finished first year of three.
Kendra Martin (nee Howard) (2004)
Kendra is working at McArthur &
Company Publishers in Toronto as a
production coordinator. She was
married to high school boyfriend Jared
Martin on June 20, 2009.
Matthew Campbell (2004)
Graduated Western with an Honors
Specialization in Geography.
Completed two full length records that
sold internationally. Currently a private
pilot and working towards
a commercial pilots license.
Lee Vosburgh (2004)
Just completed four years at the
Ontario College of Art and graduated
with distinction. I'm now working at
New Inc. a bustling design firm
downtown Toronto. I love living in the
city and getting started with my career
as a designer.
Lisa Jackson (2005)
After SJK, I attended and recently
graduated from the Health
Administration program. I decided to
return this year to Conestoga for the
OTA/PTA (Occupational Therapist
Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant)
program and I am going into my final
year of the program. I am hoping to work
in Toronto at a rehabilitation hospital.
Cathy Chen (2008)
I just finished my 5th year program
at SJK.
David Drolet (2008)
I am studying Math and Business at
the University of Western Ontario.

Graduating Class of 2009
St. John’s-Kilmarnock School’s students, parents and teachers gathered in the Chapel
of St. Margaret and St. John on June 19 to celebrate the school’s 38th Closing Day
and Prize Day Ceremony. Of the forty-four graduates in the Class of 2009, thirty-two
met the requirements to be Ontario Scholars. SJK continues to set high standards and
has earned a reputation as a leading academic institution. We offer an outstanding
university acceptance rate, with 98% of graduates gaining entrance to their university
of first choice.
SJK Student Awarded
Millennium Scholarship
Congratulations to Julia Kochuk, who is the recipient of a Canadian Millennium Provincial
Excellence Award. As a winner of this award, Miss Kochuk will receive $20,500 to go
toward her four years of study at the University of Victoria, beginning in September 2009.
This award seeks to “recognize leaders of today and tomorrow and emphasize the
importance of supporting their contributions to our country’s future—they are investments
in the development of exceptional individuals who will have long, productive careers and
whose accomplishments will benefit Canada as a whole.”
Miss Kochuk’s application detailed her many creative and generous contributions to
SJK and her local community, while also revealing the excellence that she has achieved
in the classroom.
SJK’s community wishes Julia all the best in her post-secondary studies in Victoria, and
we all look forward to hearing about her many future accomplishments.

SJK welcomes our newest group of
Alumni and we wish them well as
this accomplished group leaves SJK
to pursue their next steps in life.
Congratulations Class of 2009!
Meghan Barber*
Management & Organizational Studies |
Huron University College
Emma Barr*
Theatre | Randolph Academy of the
Performing Arts, NYC
Nathan Barratt*
Real Estate and Housing | University of Guelph
Katherine Bennett*
Media Information Technology |
University of Western Ontario
Nils Blackwell*
Knowledge Integration | University of Waterloo
Yu-Han (Cathy) Chen**
Science & Psychology | York University
Kentaro Chiba*
GAP year in Japan
Connor Crumplen*
Management & Organizational Studies |
University of Western Ontario
Melissa Davies*
Science & Business | University of Waterloo
Giulia De Lorenzis
Health Sciences |
University of Western Ontario
Mark Fackoury*
Economics | Wilfrid Laurier
Michael Furlong*
Media Information Technology | University of
Western Ontario
Danielle Greenway*
Criminology | Carleton University
Kaitlyn Greenway
Human Kinetics | St. Francis-Xavier University
Philip Greenway
Sociology & Business | Carleton University
Kait Harth**
Communications Program |
Simon Fraser University
Soren Heins
Joining SJK’s 5th Year Program
Jonathan Hiff
Business | Acadia University
Ryan Hunt
Political Science & Philosophy |
Huron University College
Jenna Jouppi*
Math and Business | University of Waterloo
Emily Kirby*
Media & Communications | Concordia University
Julia Kochuk*
Writing | University of Victoria
Rossana Lam*
Health Sciences | University of Toronto
Elliot Lane
Business | Acadia University
Catherine Liddell*
Honours Arts | Queen’s University
Wei-Chieh (Stanley) Lien**
Sciences | University of Taiwan
Emma Mann
GAP year to pursue Equestrian riding
Alexander Mantle
Kinesiology | Lakehead University
Janet Matic*
Drama, Film & Theatre | Brock University
* denotes Ontario Scholars * denotes Fifth Year Enrichment and Study Program
James Maxwell
Joining SJK's 5th Year Program
Alexandra Miller**
Arts Honours | Wilfrid Laurier
Jessica Milligan*
Social Science | University of Western Ontario
Parker Mott*
Film & History | Queen’s University
Luke Nicholson*
Mineral Engineering | University of Toronto
Rebecca Pointon*
Business of Commerce | St. Mary’s University
Aimée Puthon*
Social Science | Huron University College
Thomas Rivers*
Outdoor Recreation Program |
Lakehead University
I-Chu (Zoe) Su**
Life Sciences | University of Toronto
Pei-Chuan (Peggy) Tsai
Fashion Design and Marketing
Matthew Ward*
Kinesiology & Sports Medicine | Dalhousie
Jessica Wilson*
Visial Arts | Brock University
Katherine Wilson
Mass Communications & Media |
McMaster University
Scott Young*
Veterinary Medicine | University of Guelph
Janet Zanin*
Life Sciences | McMaster University

Alumni Profiles
Mark Dejmek '89
Canada In Space
It is now just after three in the morning and
far in the distance, I see what seem to be
streetlights. I’m in a taxi on a dimly-lit
stretch of road, lined with a dense set of
green pruned trees, in an unfamiliar city. I
am in a country where they drive on the left,
have a world-acknowledged passion for
advanced electronic devices, and design
many of the world’s most reliable
automotive vehicles. I have spent the last
three hours in a space station mission
control room, working with Canadian Space
Agency Astronaut, Bob Thirsk, who was
launched into space from Kazakhstan about
a month ago, and who will be living and
working there for another five. This is,
without a doubt, the international and
intercultural intersection between human
space flight and cutting-edge research in
space science.
I arrived in Japan about nine hours ago,
after leaving my family and the confines of
my home on the south-shore of Montreal.
My fifteen hour journey to the other side of
the planet was complete with research
teleconferences, the synthesis of large
amounts of technical and scientific
documentation, and was peppered with
unforeseen circumstances just to keep
things exciting, as if they weren’t enough
already. I slept through the bus ride out of
Tokyo and arrived into the city of Tsukuba,
home of the Tsukuba Space Center. This is
where the Japanese train astronauts and
command and control their space research
laboratory, the newest and largest element
of the International Space Station (ISS)
Program. In 2008, Canada’s robotic arm was
used to permanently install it there.
Within an hour of arriving to my hotel room,
my colleague Matsumoto-san asks whether
I am tired from my trip. I smile and ask him
what he has in mind. He informs me that
Bob Thirsk, or Bob-san as he’s known
around here, will begin the last phase in the
assembly of a Japanese research
experiment on the ISS in less than two
hours. Bob has been assembling the
apparatus over the past two days and the
Japanese have been planning and
developing it over the past fifteen years. The
experiment is one of many to be operated
on the Japanese Fluid Physics Experiment
Facility, just one of dozens of world-class
research racks installed in the orbiting
space laboratory. I am whisked away from
the hotel and join the Japanese team “onconsole”
just in time for the daily planning
conference, the fifteen minute space-toground
communication between the space
expedition crew members and ground
controllers from Huntsville, Houston,
Montreal, Cologne, Moscow, and Tsukuba.
The integrated efficiency with which
real-time ISS communications occurs,
transcending time zones, languages,
nations, and cultures, is impressive and
inspiring. I think back to how I suggest,
on the odd occasion, to incorporate such
elements into my routine life with my wife
and other family members, and a big grin
overcomes my face. Over the years, I have
learned that the emotion and descriptive
nature of poetry and language expression
is most enjoyed and best kept to love and
relationships. I quickly come back to the
dry but efficient world of space operations,
just as exciting nonetheless. Bob-san
reports down to our Japanese colleagues
and, over the next two and a half hours,
he completes his tasks and makes two
collaborating scientific nations proud. Both
Canada and Japan are now prepared to
continue the study of fluids in the free-fall
environment of low earth orbit, and this
experiment is providing important data
related to advanced research in
semiconductor production. Matsumoto-san,
the scientific coordinator of the fluid rack,
and I exchange congratulatory remarks on
another first in a long line of Space Station
research successes.
I have come to Japan to attend two
international science team meetings related
to Canada’s participation in fluid
experiments. Space science is a fascinating
and interdisciplinary area of world-wide
research that includes space astronomy,
planetary exploration, and both space life
and physical sciences. The role of gravity
and the harsh space environment on the
human body, and on physical and chemical
processes important in industry, is as the
heart of the last two scientific disciplines.
They form a vast majority of experiments
found on the ISS orbiting laboratory, the
largest and most complex spacecraft ever
built. Some say that developing and
maintaining the space laboratory is the
easier part of the international endeavour.
Even more challenging may be to broadly
apply the scientific and technical knowledge
gained there to the tangible and sustained
benefit of Canadians and humanity. This will
take some time to accomplish and will
certainly necessitate the same
determination and cooperation amongst
nations as was required to get the lab and
its six person crew there in the first place.
At the core of space life and physical
science programs world-wide is the push to
advance scientific knowledge in areas such
as bone demineralization, muscle
degradation, human balance and
coordination, as well as material
solidification and processes, fluid physics
and fluid behaviour, combustion and energy
production, and protein crystal structure.
Each one of these research areas has the
potential to impact our daily lives in
measurable ways. The long-term objective
of such research is to ultimately delay the
symptoms and onset of osteoporosis, the
degradation of muscle function, and
changes over time to control our ability in
coordinating functional body activities. It is
also to develop new metal alloys and
increase the efficiency of semiconductor
production, to use less energy in heating our
homes and in energy production, and to
develop new drugs to counter serious

disease worldwide. It is acknowledged by
many organizations, as well as the general
public, that we need to reduce the time
between scientific discovery and benefits to
citizens. Many people are working on this
challenge.
In the meantime, research continues to
advance. In support of these long-term
objectives, Canada has an important role to
play. Across the nation, we have world-class
scientists and engineers who are involved in
preparing for and operating Canadianrelated
space missions on the ISS. These
are talented individuals who are dedicated
to mission planning, to problem-solving an
experiment when it doesn’t work in space,
who control the experiment as it collects
gigabytes of data streaming down to earth,
who analyze data and make exciting new
discoveries, who develop new mathematical
equations that make their way into highschool
and university text books, and who
apply the rigors of the scientific process to
publish their work in outstanding peerreviewed
scientific journals. These people
are in Canada and, like their international
counterparts, work with their agency
colleagues to achieve success under unique
and challenging circumstances.
The people that make up the fabric of
human space flight are also a dedicated and
hard-working group of professionals,
motivated by among other things, scientific
and technical excellence, a unique sense of
adventure, and a thirst for exploration and
discovery. They are found all around the
world, from the top of the Himalayas to the
deepest parts of our oceans; IMAX movie
productions have a great visual and
emotional way of including us in these
adventures. There are thousands of others
that work behind the scenes in support of
those on the screen: communications
officers, support staff, lawyers, educators,
international relations staff, government
ministers and aids, doctors, psychologists,
accountants, and students, all of which are
required to make the Space Station Program
run smoothly across nations. Of course,
there are inefficiencies in any international
organization. However, even the strongest
critics have agreed that working together in
partnership achieves greater strides than
the sum of individual efforts. I am reminded
of the success of Olympic hockey teams
and business management case studies in
which this is applied to great success.
There’s also something to be said about the
excitement and wonder of space and how it
inspires and motivates people across
generations, political boundaries, and
cultures. A few years ago, I spent a short
time in Africa teaching primary and high
school children about aviation and space, in
“schools” that sometimes had nothing more
than a few grown trees in a circle as a
classroom. The students were, simply put,
just as excited about new knowledge and
just as talented at answering questions as I
know our own children and young students
are. The allure of human space exploration
and space science was perhaps my greatest
motivation to study science and engineering
over the years, and I continue to see it
equally inspire the next generation to do the
same. On a related point, one can certainly
make the case that great teachers are able
to identify and nurture the natural talent of a
student, independent of their surroundings.
Many of us who work in space exploration
have personal stories that underscore how
fortuitous we were to have such people
teach us math, science, and of course, the
humanities; and this, independent of how
we were brought up.
Last month, I had the privilege of assisting
in the launch attempt of the Space Shuttle
from Cape Canaveral, with Julie Payette as
a crew member. I was in the company of
many other Canadians, including our two
new Astronaut recruits, and will miss the
unmistakable crackling sound the main
engines produce when the spacecraft lifts
off to deliver a second Canadian and
another Japanese element to the ISS. Once
again, Canadian technology will be used to
install it. It is certainly an exciting year for
Canada in space: two Canadians will be
onboard the ISS for the first time; a host of
Canadian-related science experiments in
fluids, materials, visual perception, and
plant biology will be operated; Canada’s
Dextre robotic operations team will be
conducting the most complicated space
tasks to date; and the first Canadian space
tourist will be launched to join the ISS crew
for almost two weeks.
With all this activity, I invite you to get
involved by learning more about Canada’s
Expedition to the ISS at www.asc-csa.gc.ca.
You can keep fit by accepting Bob’s running
challenge and by capturing activities in your
daily lives through photography, and sharing
them with Bob throughout his expedition.
We should all be very proud of Canada’s
achievements in space, from being the third
nation in space with the launch of Alouette-
1, to the development of the next generation
earth observation satellites, Radarsat
Constellation. Many of us working in this
field are sincerely privileged as being part of
the team.
As the taxi pulls in to my Tsukuba hotel
entrance, I am reminded that it’s three in
the morning and I have meetings to attend
in a few hours. As my head touches the
pillow, I know it’s going to be yet another
memorable trip, working with outstanding
colleagues and achieving what most people
view as extraordinary. I think of how regular
this day is for me and quickly hear my
wife’s voice “You’re living your dream,
Marcus. You’re living your dream”.
Marcus-san (Mark) Dejmek is Canada’s
Program Scientist in Space Physical
Sciences. He works at the Canadian Space
Agency in St-Hubert, Quebec and is but one
member of the Canadian team supporting
the C1 Expedition on the ISS in 2009.

Alumni Profiles
Katrina Schaman ‘01
A Whole New Mind from SJK
Katrina Schaman (Class of ‘01) loves art, technology, and combining the two together with her
role as a Web Developer and Digital Illustrator. She is launching into the creative realm of web
development and digital illustration with a foundation in traditional art and the values of SJK. She
really does epitomize the thesis of Dan Pink’s book A Whole New Mind, where he advocates the
creation of leaders through left and right brain action. Katrina understands the technical aspects
(the left side), but is also able to think creatively (the right side) through art to help her clients
reach innovative end results.
Life after SJK
After graduation in 2001, Katrina continued her education at Queen’s University, completing a
Bachelor of Fine Arts. This unique program was one of the few in Canada that had a heavy
emphasis on applied art, which meant spending a lot more time in the studio rather than in
lecture halls. A true artist, she just wanted to create! It was at Queen’s were she began to cross
into the digital realm and enjoyed it so much that she decided to enroll in Sheridan College’s one
year post-grad program in Web Development and Digital Media. Not wanting to get a ‘typical job
as a coder,’ Katrina opted for the more creative route as a freelance developer. She now lives in
Toronto and serves small businesses, developing websites and digital media.
Values from SJK
Katrina spent twelve years at the school and has many fond memories of life at SJK. “SJK
allowed us to be who we wanted to be. There were no cliques and we had strong support from
our teachers.” Katrina remembers the many trips she took with SJK, time on the field hockey
pitch, art class with Ms. MacDonald, and sneaking down for dips in the pond more times than she
should have! When she made the transition to university, she remembers it being a lot easier for
her than for her classmates from other high schools. “SJK set us up extremely well for university
by teaching us how to manage our workload, make time for friends, and balance work and life.”
Her future goals
As Katrina launches her career, she is excited for what may come. On the near horizon, she is
looking forward to partnering up with a few other like-minded techno-artists to start their own
company. In the long run, she is excited to explore the possibilities of illustrating children’s books
and finding ways to integrate social media components. She is becoming more and more
interested in the marketing and business development side of social and digital media, and is
excited to explore it further.

Parents’ Association
Report
Mission Statement: to promote school spirit, to further and strengthen good relations
among faculty, staff, students and friends of the school, and to provide students with
the extra amenities and resources that complement and enhance our outstanding
academic program.
Each year, the SJK Parents’ Association (PA) plays a vital role in the fabric of the school community,
and this year is no exception. The PA accomplished many tasks due to the commitment of so many
parents, faculty and staff volunteers. The PA’s tremendous success is due to the dedication and
commitment of our many volunteers.
The Parents’ Association supported and organized many events and programs during the 2008–09
academic year to promote school spirit and help bring the SJK community together. The PA hosts a
number of fundraising initiatives that provide support for expanded school resources and
sponsorship for many events. The main source of revenue for the PA continues to be from the hot
lunch program, annual gala event, used uniform sales, and memento sales.
Over the course of the 2008–09, the PA donated over $88,000 to the school, to be used for a
number of expanded resources which included: Middle School playground equipment, library
resources, Lower School reading resources and music program, visual art program lighting display
and storage, JK math and language games, French lending library resources, Middle School math
projects, SMART Board technology and the PA endowment fund, to name only a few. As well the PA
supports many SJK school events throughout the year such as: various tournament entry fees for
SJK athletes attending tournaments at SJK and other host schools, athletic banquet, graduation
dinner, Science Fair, Environment Day, French Culture Day, MS Track and Field Day, Lower, Middle
and Upper School drama and musical productions, and the schoolwide ArtsAroundsUs.
The PA hosts various events during the school year including: opening day reception, New Parent
Welcoming Coffee, Annual Christmas Lunch, Volunteer Appreciation Lunch, schoolwide Ice Cream
Day, reception for Founders’ Day, and receptions for all three schools’ carol services and Prize Day.
Each year with the Upper School Student Council, the PA hosts Eaglemania a schoolwide spirit day.
The word is synonymous with fun competition and intense school spirit. The theme of the 2008–09
event was a “Wet ’n Wild Beach Bash.” With clear skies, plenty of volunteers, water-themed games
and the standard inflatable obstacle course, Eaglemania was a great success once again.
The Parents’ Association hosted a premier social event, Casino Royale, on October 25, 2008 and
the school gym was transformed into a lively casino. This event’s emphasis was on promoting good
spirit and friendship and a lively evening it was. There were many attractive silent and live auction
items. The event raised over $18,000 to support SMART Board technology for the school.
SJK is fortunate to have so many dedicated supporters and the PA could not accomplish these
tasks without the overwhelming commitment of so many volunteers. Thank you for your enthusiasm
and for playing such an important role in ensuring an enriched education for our students of today
and tomorrow.
Mari N. McAndrews
Parents’ Association President
2008–09

Lower School Director
Mrs. Mary Perrett
Lower School Report
One of the main objectives of the Lower School is to foster in our students a love of learning. Special
days and events, which enhance the classroom learning, are often the highlights of the year. Starting
at 8:05am and ending at 5:15pm, the Lower School halls, classrooms, playground, fields, and gym
resound with young voices engaged in their activities.
In 2008-09, the students showed how caring they were through their ongoing support of the Students’
Council’s lead initiative to raise funds for the Thakani School in Nepal. This initiative tied in well with
the International Baccalaureate's Community Theme of “Sharing Our Humanity”. As a result of the
Students’ Council's very successful "buy a brick" campaign, an additional classroom will be added to
the Thakani School, with the bricks inscribed with the donors' names.
From an academic perspective, our students were involved in a diverse array of learning opportunities.
For example, in November, the students were risk-takers as they took up the challenge to speak only
French and engage in French-related activities for the entire day. Congratulations were extended to
the grade five students, for their successful PYP Exhibition inquires into inventions from ancient
civilizations, their impacts on today's society, and the students' prediction for these inventions in the
future. Their findings and actions were communicated to the entire school community in a variety of
creative and informative ways.
Many of the students have unique talents, which were shared with their peers in the classrooms, on
the sports fields and during Chapel. As social learners, two students had starring roles in Lower
School this year. Rachel Tadross, in grade five was this year's lucky student who became the "Lower
School Director for the Day". She very successfully took over the reins of the Lower School and
provided students with a dress-down day, scavenger hunt, and extended recess. This resulted in an
easy day for Mrs. Perrett! A future and most capable leader was born.
One particularly special presentation was given by Abby Lennox, in grade three, on the War Amps.
She demonstrated courage as she shared her experiences with the Lower and Middle Schools.
The busy 2008-09 year provided everyone with unique opportunities for learning, both in and out of
the classroom. Based on the excitement of the students as they arrived at school and their reluctance
to leave at the end of the day, the Lower School is certainly achieving its goal of fostering in each
student a love of learning.

Middle School Director
Ms. Carey Gallagher
Middle School Report
2008–09 will be forever marked as a pivotal year in the history of the Middle School. Blessed
with the donation of four SMART Boards and the refurbishment of our portable computer carts with
twenty-two new Acers, our students had cutting edge technology at their fingertips. Faculty were able
to deliver lessons in ways that engaged students, addressed various learning styles, and created
opportunities for experiential education. Rounding out the revitalized technology program was an
amazing foray into the world of programming and design with The Directors’ Cut, a mobile media lab
that allowed our students to create cartoon features, Claymation productions, and music videos.
September saw the revival of the Middle School Choir, christened The Chalmers Singers, that swelled
to a record number of members. Middle School renewed ties with the National Middle School
Association, Junior Achievement, and the Norval Outdoor Education Centre for our Team Building Day.
2008–09 saw the beginning of our REAL Education movement in Middle School. Focusing on four key
areas; Relationships, Experience, Achievement, and Life Skills, REAL captures the essence of the SJK
Middle School journey and allows us to more specifically define our program in accordance with what is
best for adolescents, the skills that are important in the 21st century, and the portrait of an SJK graduate.
As a further show of our commitment to providing experiential education to our students, we joined
Young Square of the Americas, an organization that infuses international understanding, democracy,
environmental responsibility, adventure, leadership, and service into all aspects of our curriculum.
Community and environment were two areas that Middle School students worked very hard this year
to serve. Each class committed to a minimum of ten hours of community service devoted to a charity
or charities of their choice. A Think Green! Think Clean! action plan was developed to raise awareness
in a way that would enable us to make better choices within our four walls for the environment.
Student participation and leadership was at an all time high this year. Science Fair, math contests,
Geography Challenge, Science Olympics, Student Council, Drama Club, Remembrance Day, MS Writing
Contest, Chapel Leads, MS Speech Competition, Terry Fox Run, Pink Day for Breast Cancer Awareness,
French Day, COOL Conferences, Scholastic Book Fair, MS Track & Field Day, Pond Study, and several
varsity events were just a few of the things that kept our kids involved. We are very proud of the
accomplishments of all of our students and they have indeed left their mark this year.
Keeping it REAL in Middle School!

Upper School Director
Mrs. Maureen Buchanan
Upper School Report
2008-09 was another busy and successful year in the Upper School. Academically, two new
programs were added. Instrumental music was expanded to grade ten after the successful
initiation of the program in grade nine last year. The inaugural year of our grade nine Technological
Studies was very successful. Three new AP courses were submitted and accredited in Canadian
History, Computer Studies and Visual Arts. Many of our Upper School students enhanced their
learning experience at SJK with participation in programs including SHAD Valley, Encounters With
Canada, Model UN, and Waterloo Unlimited. In addition, one of our students represented SJK and
the Waterloo Wellington Region at the Canada Wide Science Fair in Winnipeg.
Travel continued to be an integral part of the SJK programs. The grade ten students ventured to
the Frost Centre near Dorset for a week in the fall and another in the winter to complete a credit
course in Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecology. Our grade nine students travelled to our nation’s
capital for a week in the spring to complete the second half of their technology credit. Our
seniors enjoyed the same week exploring the history and culture of Boston.
This past year marked many milestones in the Upper School athletic program. Cross-country
was included in the fall sports offered to Upper School students and the rowing program was
expanded to include a Men’s Four Team. The field hockey, snowboarding, wrestling, and track
programs all qualified athletes to compete in their respective OFSAA tournaments bringing home
a number of provincial medals including a third consecutive gold medal for the Ladies’ Field
Hockey team. Many other teams qualified for championship rounds in their leagues bringing
home many CISSA medals for their efforts.
The Arts program at SJK continued to thrive. Our student actors put on a wonderfully comedic
production of Noises Off. The Kilmarnock Singers participated in the CIS Music Festival and the
KW Secondary School Choral Festival. The highlight of the spring term was the annual
ArtsAroundsUs evening that included music, drama and visual artwork performed and created by
our students.

teacher feature Je
Head of Languages & ESL
Mme Suzanne Schnarr
suis, tu es, nous sommes…I am, you are, we are all
better off for the time we spent in Mme Schnarr’s class. It
was a time rippled with French verbs, the adventures of
Tin-Tin, the infamous “Schnarrburger” and a strict (almost
indoctrinated) respect for the French language. Even more
so, we can all remember the care and attention Mme.
Schnarr poured into her class.
This past November Mme Schnarr’s contributions to SJK
were celebrated as she was presented with the Silver
Eagle Award. This is one of SJK’s highest honours and
goes to a member of the community who has gone above
and beyond the ‘call of duty’ for the betterment of the
community. In specific, she was highlighted for her
success in creating and stewarding SJK’s international
program including: exchanges, ESL programs, and
international recruitment. After 26 years of teaching—and
no sight on retirement yet— we wanted to celebrate Mme
Schnarr’s contribution as she has taught so many students
over the years.
Mme Schnarr’s career has spanned all of SJK’s campus.
She has taught in portables, warehouses, village houses,
out of the classrooms, from the French-cart, and made a
classroom of the world for so many students with
countless trips. It all began with a phone call from Walter
Langford to join the faculty as the only female teacher at
St. John’s with campuses in Elora and Waterloo. In those
days, she remembers teaching in Elora in the morning and
having to drive to the Waterloo campus over her lunch
hour. Over the years she has taught French at every grade
in Lower, Middle, and Upper School. She has been an art
teacher and stewarded the ESL program at SJK.
In speaking with many of you, it is not the hours spent in
the classroom we remember most, but rather the
countless trips we took in our time at SJK. Just recently,
Mme Schnarr returned from her 27th trip with SJK
students. She has toured students throughout Canada and
the world and raised our culture awareness. Perhaps you
remember the Quebec Exchange, France Exchange,
escapades through Europe, or one of the many other
exchanges organized by Mme Schnarr. Was it the train
trip, your host-family, an unexpected meal, or the
satisfaction of expanding your language skills fully
immersed? We all have fond memories of these trips, as
this form of experiential education is what brings the
lessons and values of SJK to life. As SJK looks to achieve
its motto “To stir into Flame, the Gift of God”, our students
must establish their cultural capital in order to be true
global citizens. Mme Schnarr’s work at SJK, in and out of
the classroom, has provided hundreds of SJK’s students
with these gifts. What a tremendous impact she has had.
On-campus has been no time for Mme. Schnarr to remain
idle and over the years she has contributed in many areas
of campus life. She fondly remembers sewing costumes
for every school play and seeing the program grow in
number of cast-members, staging, and overall theatre
complexity over the years. On the pitch, she has coached
field hockey, fencing, and soccer. Our alumni program
would be nearly non-existent if it weren’t for her
dedication over the years to record email addresses,
organize University dinners, and remain a constant to our
alumni as the school reaches out to us.
Survey after survey, conversation after conversation, one
truth consistently rings through: SJK’s success and
nurturing culture is a direct result of our faculty and staff.
Mme Schnarr is a testament to this, but what has kept her
so committed to this school? Her response: the kids. In the
most candid part of our interview, Mme Schnarr radiated a
sincere passion for teaching; seeking to help kids ‘get it.’
She is proud to say that she has never given up on a child
trying to learn. She has been consistently strict in pushing
students beyond their comfort zone with the aim to instill
accountability, self-discipline, and the enormous sense of
self-worth that comes with the accomplishment of a
difficult task. And let’s be honest, French grammar is no
easy system to comprehend, let alone master. “I love this
school,” she remarked with an all-knowing, motherly
twinkle in her eye.
Over the years, Mme Schnarr has held many titles: Head
of French, Head of ESL, French Teacher, Coach, mother,
wife, mentor, travel guide, and fundraiser are just a few.
After 26 years, a Masters of Language, a Masters of
Linguist, and countless teaching accreditations, Mme
Schnarr has no short-term plans of retirement. “I’ll work
until I lose my passion for teaching, for kids, and the
school.” While both her and husband, Mike, could have
retired two years ago, they have continued to lead at SJK.
What a testament to their passions and the strength of the
SJK community to retain such talent.
We are lucky to have such a cultural leader within our
community. Mme Schnarr, thank you for all that you have
and are continuing to give to our community. You truly
have stirred into flame the gift of God. Felicitations!
I’m sure if we all took some time, we could reflect on our
personal experiences in her class and the life lessons we
took away. I know Mme Schnarr would love to hear where
those lessons have taken you! Feel free to reach out to her
at sschnarr@sjkschool.org.

Arts Report
The Visual Arts program is a dynamic and multi-disciplinary department directed by internationally
and nationally recognized sculptor Catherine Paleczny. The students are encouraged to work in
many mediums including, but not limited to: clay sculpture, printmaking, two-dimensional design,
life drawing, new media and mixed media. We are pleased to offer advanced placement courses in
two-dimensional and three-dimensional design. Through gallery and studio visits, the students are
exposed to a variety of artists and techniques. The year culminates with a show that is curated and
installed by the students.
The 2008–09 school year saw SJK's Upper School drama take on what was quite possibly its
greatest challenge to date in terms of our major production. Noises Off is a technically complex
farce that places extraordinary demands on the cast in terms of timing and pacing. When some
cast members saw a poorly produced amateur version of the play early in the school year, they
found it hard to believe that the play could be riotously funny and equally fun to produce. And yet it
was. Most challenging, from a production point of view, was the design and construction of a twolevel
set built on a revolving stage that rotated 180 degrees, twice, during the production. This
would not have been possible without the partnership arrangement we created with the King
Street Theatre Centre. After attempting for several years to work with this theatre, it was a great
experience to have access to such a wonderful facility and to the kind of technical expertise that
made the construction aspects of Noises Off possible. Sadly, SJK's production proved to be the
very last at the King Street Theatre Centre, which closed due to financial difficulty. We are hopeful,
however, that we will be able to continue our relationship with this theatre in its new incarnation
as the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts.
In addition to our major February production, senior drama students took part in the Conference of
Independent Schools' Drama Festival, held in late April at Bayview Glen. Their one-act play was
very well received by both audience and adjudicator. This play, along with a second one-act play
produced by the class, was also presented at our annual ArtsAroundsUs evening in May.
Drama classes attended a variety of professional productions throughout the year, from Stratford
to Shaw, and from local groups such as the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Theatre to Soulpepper in
Toronto. A touring production in the Commedia Dell’Arte style also visited the school in the fall,
providing students who study this form of improvised Italian renaissance drama in class with a
unique opportunity to see it performed live. These kinds of enrichment activities round out and
enrich the challenging drama program offered here at SJK.
There are many talented writers at SJK and many of our young writers participated in the Elora
Writers’ Festival and our Writer in Residence Program. Every Thursday evening, a dedicated crew
of students displayed their talents in the “Poem Repair Shop.” Look for this entertaining radio
show to continue on Wednesday evenings in 2009–10.

Music Report
This year, SJK music included vocal, choral, Orff, instrumental, and MIDI training.
The Lower School music program enjoyed a varied and exciting year. The Primary choir performed
at the Christmas carol service in December, the Kiwanis Music Festival in April, and the Canadian
celebration, “Roots and Branches”, in June.
The Junior choir sang at the Guelph Storm home opener in September, Founders’ Day in November,
the Christmas carol service, the Kiwanis Music Festival in April, as well as performing at two
Seniors’ homes in Kitchener (December and June). They also shared their music at Prize Day and
had enjoyed a fun afternoon seeing High School Musical in St. Jacob’s. The Junior choir played an
important role in our final all-Canadian “Roots and Branches” celebration at the end of the year.
The Grade Four and Five classes each received gold placements in the Guelph Kiwanis Festival in
early April, and the Grade Five class received a monetary award.
The Lower School’s final celebration week of music included an art specialist who worked with
each individual class; and two native visitors who shared their experiences and culture with all
classes and orchestrated a final full-school enormous drumming and dancing circle out on the field
by the chapel. The week was capped off by all children participating in "Roots and Branches", with
performances by both choirs, all classes, and individual singers. All the people in attendance shared
music and movement in our final song, Build a Bridge.
Middle School music students in grades six, seven and eight learned to play a band instrument,
worked on theory and composition in the MIDI lab, and trained their voices to sing as a group. As a
special event, each student in grade seven made a short instrumental recording on his or her
instrument. These recordings were heard by parents at Celebration of Our Learning. Grade eight
students focused on performing a musical for the Middle School community in May 2009. Students
of 8A performed The Best Little Theatre in Town, and students of 8B performed The Return of the
Glass Slipper.
In 2008–09, the Chalmers Singers were formed. These thirty-six Middle School students gained
entrance to the choir through invitation or by successful audition. They performed at Friday
evensongs, Remembrance Day, Founders’ Day, Middle School carol service, Celebration of Our
Learning, Prize Day, and at Kiwanis where they achieved a gold standing.
The number of students taking music in Upper School was a record in 2008–09. The four grade
nine students and ten grade ten students combined to make SJK's first band. These students
performed at the Upper School carol service, with the choir at Kiwanis, and at Prize Day. While the
focus of the class was band, these students also created compositions in the MIDI lab, which they
sang as the school’s new Disklavier played their MIDI-created accompaniment.
The Kilmarnock Singers performed at various events, including Friday evensongs, Founders’ Day,
Remembrance Day, Upper School carol service, the Conference of Independent Schools’ Music
Festival (CISMF), the Waterloo Region High School Choral Festival (WRHSCF), Eucharists, Kiwanis,
ArtsAroundsUs, and at the Upper School Prize Day. The choir achieved a gold standard at Kiwanis,
and had a weekend away in Toronto for the CISMF.

Varsity 2008–09
Fall
Soccer
Sr. Boys Soccer
GP:17 W:7 L:8 T:2
Participated in CAIS tournament @ Trinity
College School , Oct. 17-19th. Finished 1st in
CISAA league and hosted CISAA
Championship tournament Nov. 1st. Lost to
Pickering College in semi-final sudden death
penalty kicks.
Jr. Boys Soccer
GP:11 W:9 L:2 T:0
Defeated Albert College to win CISAA
Championship – CISAA GOLD MEDALLISTS
U13 Boys Soccer
GP:16 W:7 L:6 T:3
Participated in CAIS tournament @ Crescent
and Sterling Hall Schools, Oct. 23-25th.
Finished 1st in CISAA league and hosted
CISAA Championship tournament Nov. 1st.
Lost to Upper Canada Prep 3-0 in
championship final. CISAA SILVER
MEDALLISTS
U10 Boys Soccer
GP:5 W:2 L:3 T:0
This team travelled to The Country Day School
and Bayview Glen for games, and hosted
friendlies against Springfield Prep to cap off
the season.
Volleyball
Sr. Boys Volleyball
GP:8 W:4 L: 4 T:0
Lost in CISAA semi-final to #1 seed and
eventual tournament champions, Pickering
College.
Basketball
Sr. Girls Basketball
GP:11 W:10 L:1 T:0
Defeated Albert College to win first ever CISAA
Championship – CISAA GOLD MEDALLISTS
Jr. Girls Basketball
GP:7 W:1 L:6 T:0
Lost to Toronto Montessori School in
CISAA 6 @ 3 play-off game
Field Hockey
Sr. Div 1 Field Hockey
GP:37 W:34 L:1 T:2
Defeated Appleby College to win CISAA
Championship – CISAA GOLD MEDALLISTS
Defeated Notre Dame to win third consecutive
OFSAA Championship – OFSAA GOLD
MEDALLISTS
Sr. Div 2 Field Hockey
GP:18 W:8 L:10 T:0
Lost 2-0 to Hillfield in CISAA Championship
final – CISAA SILVER MEDALLISTS
U14 Field Hockey
GP:10 W: 8 L:1 T:1
Finished season on top of the CISAA league.
Lost to Ridley 2-1 in sudden victory overtime
in CISAA Championship final.
CISAA SILVER MEDALLISTS
Cross Country
Sr. Cross Country
The team participated in invitational meets in
Guelph and Waterloo, as well as at the CISAA
Championship @ Trinity College in Port Hope.
Individual CISAA Championship results:
K. Weigensberg (38th), J. Paquin-Felske
(40th), K. Craig (7th), C. Buchanan (10th), E.
Whitehall (12th)
Jr. Cross Country
The team participated in meets at SJK, St.
Andrew’s College, Hillfield and Heart Lake, as
well as at the CISAA Championship at Trinity
College School, in Port Hope. Many great
personal achievements were celebrated
throughout the season.
Tennis Club
This group travelled to the Royal City Tennis
Club, in Guelph, on several Wednesdays
throughout the term. They worked on
developing their tennis skills, playing games
such as “the wall”, “up the river, down the
river”, rallying and playing some matches.
Mountain Bike Club
This group of athletes enjoyed rides at Albion
Hills, Homer Watson Park, Hardwood Hills and
Puslinch, as well as on our own pump track.
Congratulations to Sr. Girls Field
Hockey OFSAA GOLD MEDALLISTS.
Third consecutive year

Winter
Basketball
Sr. Boys Basketball
GP:7 W:4 L:3 T:0
Hosted 6 @ 3 play-off game vs. Rosseau Lake
College, defeating Rosseau 69-52
CISAA Championship Sat. Mar. 7th @
Pickering College. Lost close semi-final game
to 2nd place York School 50-58
Jr. Boys Basketball
GP:8 W:3 L:5 T:0
CISAA 6 @ 3 play-off game @ Albert College:
Albert College 48, SJK 41
U14 Boys Basketball
GP:8 W:5 L: 3 T:0
Hosted Trinity College for 5 @ 4 play-off game
Tues. Mar. 3rd – Defeated Trinity 44-42
CISAA Championship Sat. Mar. 7th @ Bishop
Strachan School. Lost semi final vs 1st place
Greenwood College 35-51
Volleyball
Sr. Girls Volleyball
GP:9 W:8 L:1 T:0
Hosted 6 @ 3 CISAA play-off game vs.
Trafalgar-Castle, defeating Traf 3-0 (25-15,
25-7, 25-17)
CISAA Championship Sat. Mar. 7th @
Pickering College. Won semi-final vs 2nd
place Bayview Glen (21-25, 25-23, 25-15,
25-20); lost final v Pickering College (17-25,
13-25, 15-25).
CISAA SILVER MEDALLISTS
Jr. Girls Volleyball
GP:14 W:10 L:4 T:0
SJK won semi-final vs St. Mildred's
(25-19, 20-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-9);
Won championship final vs Country Day
School (25-21, 25-23,25-20)
CISAA GOLD MEDALLISTS
U14 Girls Volleyball
GP:8 W:3 L:5 T:0
Hosted 5 @ 4 play-off game Tues. Mar. 3rd vs
Trinity College, defeating Trinity College 2-1
(25-7, 20-25, 25-10)
CISAA championship Fri. Mar. 6th @
Greenwood College. Lost semi-final vs 1st
place Greenwood College (7-25, 8-25)
US Wrestling
4 meets + OFSAA
M. Young, S. Young , J. Maxwell , Alex Mantle
all qualified for OFSAA (March 5-6) in
Brampton
CONGRATULATIONS to Scott Young –
OFSAA BRONZE MEDALLIST
Snowboarding
2 meets + OFSAA
Mackenzie Carter represented SJK and the
CISAA @ OFSAA Wed. Mar. 4th – came home
with OFSAA gold in U20 men’s alpine G.S.
CONGRATULATIONS, MACKENZIE!
OFSAA GOLD MEDALLIST
Wrestling
Middle School Wrestling
1 tournament
Matmen Youth Tournament: Feb 28th @ St.
Benedict’s, Cambridge - SILVER: J. Viana;
BRONZE: D. Crumplen; FOURTH: T. Turnbull;
SIXTH: A. D'Angelo. Ontario Youth Wrestling
Festival (Thunder Bay) – Overall Team –
SILVER; T. Turnbull – SILVER, J. Viana, L.
Roberts - BRONZE
Lower School Wrestling
1 tournament
Matmen Youth Tournament: Feb 28th @ St.
Benedict’s, Cambridge - GOLD:L. Walraven, J.
Ireland, M. Amer-Forester, J. Hammill, A.
Lennox; SILVER: R. Van Eerton; BRONZE: J.
Rhydderh, N. Epp; FOURTH: J. Heitzner, C.
Floras, O. Phillips, T. Furst

Varsity ...continued
Spring
Soccer
Sr. Girls Soccer
GP: 8 W: 6 L: 2 T: 0
CISAA BRONZE MEDALLISTS
Jr. Girls Soccer
GP: 7 W: 3 L: 2 T: 2
CISAA SILVER MEDALLISTS
U14 Girls Soccer
GP: 5 W: 0 L: 5 T: 0
This very young team, made up of gr. 6 and 7
students, showed tremendous courage, as
they faced older, bigger and more
experienced opponents throughout the
season. They made great strides, both
individually and as a team, and managed to
net 2 beautiful goals, in their game against
Hawthorn School. Congratulations, Ladies!
Rugby
Sr. Boys Rugby
GP: 5 W: 3 L: 2 T: 0
The rugby men put up a valiant fight, but
conceded a very close semi-final game to
Crestwood Prep, on Wednesday, May 20th.
Final score: CPC 10, SJK 8. Congratulations on
an outstanding season of rugby.
CISAA SILVER MEDALLISTS
U14 Boys Rugby
GP: 4 W: 0 L: 4 T: 0
This was SJK’s first U14 boys’ rugby team in
several years. The team made some
impressive progress over the course of the
very short spring season, under the expert
guidance of coaches Cunningham and
Paleczny, qualifying for the play-offs. They
have built a very solid rugby foundation upon
which the program may continue to grow in
future years.
Badminton
1st Badminton
The badminton team wrapped up their
season, on Wednesday, May 20th, with the
CISAA Championships @ Humber College. All
SJK competitors played very well, earning the
opportunity to play, on average, 4 matches
over the course of the day. Congratulations on
such a strong finish to the season!
U16 Badminton
This team was small in numbers, but huge in
heart. They fought tenaciously at every outing,
making great individual gains over the course
of the season. Play wrapped up with the
CISAA Championship, on Wednesday, May
20th, @ Humber College, where all SJK
competitors played several strong matches.
U14 Badminton
At the CISAA championship, on Wednesday,
May 20th @ Upper Canada College, both Tyler
Watson (2nd Singles - silver) and Todd
Brecher (3rd Singles - bronze) came away
with medals. Congratulations on a great
season!
Track & Field
Jr. Track & Field
Many individual personal bests have been
earned over the course of the season. The
CISAA championship was held on
Wednesday, May 20th @ York University.
Sr. Track
This team had great success at the recent
CISAA league championship meet, held at York
University. Several individuals have qualified for
the Metro Regionals, May 25 and 26th @ U of
T. CISAA results: C. Buchanan - 3rd 400 m; K.
Weigensberg - 1st 300 m hurdles, 1st long
jump, 4th 100 m hurdles; J. Kochuk - 4th
400m, 4th long jump; E. Kirby - 3rd long jump;
M. Barber - 5th 3000m; midget girls relay team
(C. Buchanan, E. Colter, H. Chaplin, L. Ricciatti)...
all have qualified for Metro Regional
Championships, Mon May 25th and Tues May
26th @ Varsity Stadium,Toronto. GOOD LUCK!
Kirk Weigensberg – 13/24 @ OFSAA: midget
boys 100m hurdles; Silver medallist midget
boys 300m hurdles
Mountain Bike Club
This hearty group enjoyed rides at Guelph
Lake, Grand Valley, The Hydro Club, Puslinch,
and Dundas Valley Conservation Area.
Rowing Team
In 2008-09, SJK had both a women’s crew
(double) and a men’s crew (coxed 4). The
women’s crew of Jess Wilson and Aimee
Puthon competed in Welland this past
weekend, in the 2nd High School Invitational
Regatta of the season, hosted by the South
Niagara Rowing Club, finishing 24th out of 24
crews in the Senior Women Doubles category.
The men’s crew (Ken McAndrews, Joel
Wilson, Andy Wilson, Greg Rogers, Mike
McLaren) participated in their first regatta on
June 5-6, as they competed in the prestigious
Canadian Schoolboys’ Highschool Invitational.

Special Applause!
“ ”
Music is what feelings sound like
~ author unknown
This very exciting news for the SJK community will allow us to take musical education one step
further. Music is a life-long journey and feeds our souls.
SJK is pleased to announce a generous gift to the music program in 2008–09. This significant
gift, in excess of $100,000, comes from a current family, which has been part of the school
community since 1984. The Harrison family enrolled both of their children with the school in the
mid 1980's, and their grandson is a current Upper School student. Their support of the music
program will allow SJK to provide a well-rounded musical education to all of our students.
This gift has enabled the purchase of a brand new disklavier piano, as displayed at the front of
the chancel. As well, SJK will be purchasing a number of additional brass instruments and
completing the MIDI lab with a total of twenty-two stations.
Please join SJK in applauding the W.J. Harrison family for making an investment in the school
for both current and future students. We truly appreciate their confidence and commitment.
“ My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the
world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require.
”
~ Edward Elgar

Community Service
The acts of volunteerism, teamwork, and philanthropy are important elements of our
vibrant and healthy community.
Students at St. John's-Kilmarnock actively participate in and contribute to life in the communities
that surround the school and in countries around the world. Students of all ages participate in a
variety of community service projects each year, raising thousands of dollars and volunteering
their time in support of community projects and programs. These programs include, but are not limited
to, seasonal clothing and food drives, international relief, cancer research, hospice and shelter support
and much more.
Congratulations to all our students for giving back to our local, national and global communities.
Breast Cancer Society of Canada
Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank
Canadian Blood Services
Children’s Wish Foundation
Christmas Child Program—shoebox program
Free the Children
Foster Parents Plan
Grand River Conservation Foundation
Grand River Hospital
Guelph Food Bank
Guelph Humane Society
Hoops for Heart
Jessica’s Footprint
Terry Fox Run
KidsAbility
Kitchener-Waterloo Women’s Crisis Service
(Anselma House)
KW Food Bank
KW Humane Society
KW Literary Council
Mission Nepal 2009
Onward Willow—Better Beginnings, Better Futures
Scholastic Reads
Terry Fox Foundation
World Vision
Wyndham House
It has become an annual tradition at St. John’s-Kilmarnock School to gather the students from
Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 and encourage them to lace up their shoes, bring in pledge
sheets, and run to help find a cure for cancer.
On Friday, October 3, 2008, the entire SJK community participated in the Terry Fox
Run/Duathlon. Thank you to the entire SJK community for its support. As a school, we raised
over $12,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation. In the past four years, SJK has committed over
$45,000 to help find a cure for cancer.
Congratulations to all who participated in the run/duathlon and raised money for the Terry Fox
Foundation. Your hard work and generosity will play a huge role in saving lives and in continuing
the legacy of the great Terry Fox.

Youth and Philanthropy Initiative
St. John’s-Kilmarnock School is one of 200 schools from across Canada that has been selected to
participate in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI). As part of the Grade ten civics course, SJK students
become involved in this very exciting project in order to learn the fundamentals of philanthropy and how
charitable organizations function.
YPI is funded by the Toskan Casale Foundation, an organization that has committed to donating one million
dollars annually to Canadian charities. The students are asked to visit, research, and report on a local
grassroots social service charity. They then present their findings to their classmates and to a panel of
judges in hopes of earning a $5000 grant for their charity.
SJK students did a tremendous job of preparing presentations that advocated for a number of deserving
charities. A panel of eight judges comprised of both students and teachers awarded top marks to Evelyn
Barber, Jenny Eensild, Michael McLaren and Greg Rogers. Their charity, Onward Willow—Better
Beginnings, Better Futures, was awarded the YPI grant of $5000. Onward Willow provides a variety of
different supports and programs that encourage the healthy development of young children and strengthen
families and communities in the Willow Road area of Guelph.
Congratulations to Evelyn, Jenny, Michael and Greg for making a difference in the lives of so many who
are struggling.
Trek Nepal 2009
Over the 2009 March Break, a group of twenty adventurous trekkers, led by Rob Spackman, his wife
Judy Halpern, Ian Hornsby, and Liisa Kukk, spent ten days intensely trekking in the Lower Himalayas.
During their journey, this team from SJK delivered seventy book packs to schools along the trail and
in Kathmandu. They also delivered funds donated by the generosity of the SJK community to the
Dhauleshowary Primary School in Thakani so that the school could construct a new building to house
two more classrooms. The students also helped to clean up Yangrima, a school that was shut down
seven years ago by the Maoist rebels. Here, the trekkers spent time removing thorny vines and broken
glass from the classrooms and common areas.
Over the years, the SJK community has played a significant role in Nepal. Our commitment to the region
has assisted with persuading the local community councils so that they place more emphasis on
education. The village of Thakani has become a centre of the district
where teachers can come for professional development. Families have
begun to move back to the area in order to send their children to these
well-respected schools.
This year, the fundraising efforts were successful beyond our widest
dreams, as they topped out at $30,000. Thank you to all the SJK
families who provided such tremendous financial support to the
people of Nepal. The SJK community is truly an inspiration.

On April 30, 2009, grand persons were invited to have lunch with their
special Lower School student followed by visits to classrooms to take
part in the learning. This well-attended event highlighted the changes
that have taken place in education over the years. How pleased and
proud the students were to show off their school!

Excellence in Education
An opportunity of a lifetime exists at
St. John's-Kilmarnock School.
For more information concerning admission at St. John’s-Kilmarnock
School, please contact the Admissions Office at 519-648-2183 or admissions@sjkschool.org.

St. John’s-Kilmarnock School
2201 Shantz Station Road,
Breslau, Ontario N0B 1M0
519-648-2183
www.sjkschool.org
Coming Events 2009–10
November Friday, November 6, 2009 Open House – 9:00 a.m.–12 noon
Saturday, November 7, 2009 Graduation Dinner at Westmount
Sunday, November 8, 2009 Founders’ Day Service,
St. George’s Anglican Church, Guelph
Friday, November 13, 2009 Alumni Dinner – Montreal
Thursday, November 19, 2009 Alumni Dinner – Kingston
December Friday, December 4, 2009 Upper School Carol Service – 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 Middle School Carol Service – 4:00 p.m.
Friday, December 11, 2009 Lower School Carol Service – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 19, 2009 Alumni Pub Night – Guelph
January Thursday, January 21, 2010 Open House – 6:00–8:00 p.m.
February Thursday, February 4, 2010 Alumni Dinner – Toronto
February 25, 26, 27, 2010 Upper School Play
March March 5, 6, 2010 Lower School Play
Monday, March 8, 2010 Math and Science Fair
Thursday, March 11, 2010 Open House – 9:00 a.m.–12 noon
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Alumni Dinner – London
April Friday, April 30, 2010 Open House – 9:00 a.m.–12 noon
May Thursday, May 13, 2010 Open House – 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 13, 2010 Grade 5 Exhibitions
Thursday, May 20, 2010 Spring Fling – 3:30–6:00 p.m.
June Friday, June 18, 2010 Lower School Prize Day – 9:00 a.m.
Middle School Prize Day – 11:00 a.m.
Upper School Prize Day – 2:00 p.m.
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