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The Lewis Link

David Lewis Public School Trustee: Manna Wong

Area Superintendent: Louie Papathanasakis

Vice-Principal: Sam Niarchos

JUNE 2018

As always, it gives me the greatest of pleasure to author the last newsletter of the 2017-18

school year. Once again, it has been a wonderful year of new experiences and many successes.

Each year, I am amazed at the commitment, the capabilities and the skills that are reflected each

and every day by your children as they learn at our fine school. They willingly risk take and

welcome challenges. They form strong personal relationships with others and they show

compassion and empathy for those in turmoil or crisis. They support others and value

relationships. They embrace new experiences while honouring diversity. They are motivated,

competitive and always ready for a challenge. It is an honour to lead at our fine school with the

support of our fabulous staff and your children.

The summer is the time for families to relocate before another school year begins in

September. It is with sadness that we wish our graduates and any families that are moving

success and happiness wherever you go. Take our best wishes and warm memories of the David

Lewis community with you. You will be missed!

Teachers, like students move on for many different reasons. This year we will be saying

goodbye to very special people.

Ms. Leona Li and Mr. Jeff Fox have been at David Lewis for the past year. Ms. Li has

taught Grade 1 / 2 in Room 104 and Mr. Fox has been teaching Grade 5 / 6 in Portable 4. Both

Ms. Li and Mr. Fox have been a wonderful addition to our staff this year and they will be missed

as they move on to other career opportunities next year. We thank them for their contributions

this year and we wish them the best of luck.

Ms. Jenny Zhang teaching Grade 6 in Room 202 this year is leaving us once again for a

different teaching experience next year. She will be assuming a position at G.B. Little teaching

Grade 4 / 5 and we will miss her computer expertise and her love for coaching, especially

Volleyball. Ms. Zhang, you attended David Lewis as a student and it was a thrill to hire you

back here as a teacher. It is our hope that you will take fond memories of our school with you!

All the best as you grow at your craft.

PRINCIPAL’S

MESSAGE

By Karen Peach

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Mrs. Meera Balamugunthan will be leaving us next year to spend a year at home with her

husband and her two boys. Mrs. Balamugunthan has been at David Lewis for 15 years teaching

in the Intermediate and in the Junior Divisions and her love for teaching and her commitment to

life at Lewis cannot be overstated. She has worked tirelessly championing the needs of all

students instilling a love for learning through discussion, inquiry, technology, risk taking and

collaboration. Her rich legacy especially her Intermediate Multicultural Day which is still held

and celebrated each year in November as well as her personal commitment through the Eco Club

to reduce our carbon footprint will not be forgotten and we will celebrate her return to David

Lewis in September 2019. Enjoy your year off with your family.

After 17 years at David Lewis, it is with many memories that Mr. Mike Ferrer is moving

on to Westwood Middle School much closer to his home where he will be teaching full time

physical education. Mr. Ferrer has taught Reading Recovery, Grade 4 / 5 and Primary/Junior

Physical Education at David Lewis over his career at our school. He has been actively involved

coaching Cross Country, Basketball and Track & Field and has instilled a strong training and

skill regimen in all of his students over many years. Committed to a healthy body and regular

exercise, Mr. Ferrer could always be counted on to support the physical well-being of students

and staff while modelling the benefits of keeping fit. It is our hope that you leave David Lewis

with many wonderful memories as you move on to this new teaching experience. Your

commitments, your skills and your loyalty will be missed.

Mr. Henderson, our music man for the past 14 years who has brought us the love of

music is retiring effective June, 2018 and it is with mixed emotions that we celebrate the

retirement of this very talented man. Mr. Henderson has always been committed to every

student in our school but has especially enjoyed the relationships that he has built with the Junior

and Intermediate students. Not even early morning practices or special performances at night

could diminish this man’s love for music and his students. Fred’s interests and talents stretched

for beyond the boundaries of our school as he was active for years in our family of schools and

was treated with the greatest of respect by his secondary colleagues for his musical talents and

his commitment to educate the whole child. Fred is planning to relocate to his cottage property

in Bancroft and reconnect with his family while enjoying the world of nature around him. Fred,

you have been a loyal staff member to all of us at David Lewis, students and staff alike and while

you will be missed, we wish you a well-deserved and healthy retirement.

Last but certainly not least, we say goodbye to Mr. Niarchos as he leaves us to relocate to

Pleasant Public School as the new Vice Principal. Mr. Niarchos came to David Lewis five years

ago to assume a Grade 6 teaching job after the closing of Brooks Road. After four years as a

Junior Division teacher and Chairperson, he assumed the position of V.P. in September 2017. It

is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Mr. Niarchos. He has done a fabulous job as Vice

Principal over the past year at our school whose primary concern was always to keep everyone

safe and happy. Mr. Niarchos, you will be missed by the students, parents and staff at David

Lewis. It is our hope that you will take wonderful memories of your time here to your new

school. Thank you for your contributions to the students and to the life at our school. You will

be an amazing Principal in the future when you get your own school.

With the good byes said, it is time to say thank you to our Council Chair, Mrs. Janaki

Thiyagarajan and our Co-Chair, Mr. Samuel Ko. Your active involvement in our school has

been so important in so many ways as we worked towards shared school/community goals! We

will look forward to setting new goals in the 2018-2019 school year.

From all of us at David Lewis, have a safe and wonderful summer!

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Manna Wong’s Art Day

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Play Day on June 18th

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Kindergarten Play Day June 20th

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Eco Club News 2018-19 Once again, our Eco team will be collecting textiles for the month of September.

Same as last time, we will be collecting unwanted clothings, shoes, handbags,

bedsheets etc. in good condition. So start collecting these items over the summer

and be prepared to bring them in over the second and third week of September.

Thank you for your support!

Enjoy your summer break!

School starts again on

Tuesday, September 4th

, 2018