WITH HER PRINCIPALS.
Principals past and present celebrate the 25th anniversay of Monsignor Michael O’Leary School on Sept. 29: (from left) Paul Follis, Audrey Hamilton, Elsie Leskew, Janet Carswell, office administrator 1988 to present, Barb Roche, Mike Kennedy and John Morris.
Photo by Bev McMullen
BRACEBRIDGE - “We journey together” were the words on the guest registry at Monsignor Michael O’Leary Catholic School on Saturday, Sept. 29.
On its 25th anniversary the Tamarack Trail school opened its doors to about 150 people — past and present staff and families.
“It was going down memory lane of our journey together over the last 25 years,” said office administrator Janet Carswell, who has been with the school almost the whole time.
“I missed the first year,” she said.
Current principal Paul Follis was there for the first year, but was moved around for the following decades, only to come home to take the principal’s chair this year.
The majority of the staff members have been with the school for more than a decade, according to Carswell.
There were speeches, followed by a barbecue and an open house, during which time visitors viewed a number of pictures from the school’s past.
Simcoe-Muskoka Catholic District School Board trustee Carol Corriveau-Truchon said the event celebrated the school’s contributions to numerous generations of students. Her own family also has a special connection to the school.
“My oldest child started there in 1994 and my youngest is in Grade 8 now,” she said. “I’ve had four kids go through the school. The teaching staff is really caring and understanding, and really help the kids develop academically, but as well socially and spiritually.”
This year there are 279 students at the school drawn from the Bracebridge area including Vankoughnet and Muskoka Lakes township.