The Citizen, 2006-06-01, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2006.
Mrs. Laurie retires after 31 years in education
confident in themselves and there
will be a place for them when they
grow up," she said.
When Mrs. Laurie graduates at the
end of June, she will continue
working with a number of Huron
County organizations - including the
Blyth Festival Singers, the Huron-
Bruce NDP riding association and
the Varna United Church.
In the fall she and her husband
plan to travel to Europe.
"It's been really nice to end here,"
she said in her office at the school.
Moving on
Wilhelmina Laurie, at top, the one-time principal of Blyth
Public School, now principal of Colborne is retiring after 31
years in education. (Signal Star photo)
By Mark Nonkes curriculum delivery when I had
"I received my master's degree in
Goderich Signal-Star really small children," Laurie
remarked.
When her children started to enter
their teenage years, Laurie decided it
was time for a change of location.
She was tranferred to Hullett school
and then to Blyth Public School.
At that time she was elected as one
of the last presidents of the Huron
Federation of Women Teachers.
While involved in that organization,
Laurie became politically active
with the teacher's union. Those,
Laurie reminded, were the days of
Premier Mike Harris.
"I had to organize a lot of those
protests," she said.
• Laurie was named the vice-
principal of McCrae Public School
after leaving Blyth and then later re-
assigned- to. Exeter Public School,
with-a short stint in Clinton Public
School.
In 1999, Laurie was named the
principal of Blyth Public School
where she taught primary and Grade
7 and 8 phys ed.
"I've got kids working all over the
world that I taught," Laurie
commented.
Finally,. in 2001, she was re-
assigned to Colborne Central, where
she has remained as principal and
gym teacher for the last five-years.
"We've come a long way as a
school," she said. "There's been a lot
of growth."
Aside from the daily duties as
principal, Laurie's routine includes
90 jumping jacks and 30 push-ups
that are a daily requirement when
she teaches physical education.
With each graduation, Laurie said,
there's a sense of accomplishment.
"I hope they feel comfortable and
Fuzzy find
It's all about finding those unique items at yard sales and
Tori Hinschberger came up with a real conversation piece
as she searched out items in Brussels on Saturday. It was
a great day for the annual village yard sale with sunny skies
and season,,:ble temperatures. (Vicky Bremner photo)
So long pencils, so long books, so
long teacher's...
This summer, Mrs. Laurie is
saying so long too.
After 31 years as an educator in
Huron County schools, the principal
of Colborne Central Public School
will bid farewell to a lifetime of
shaping young minds in the
classroom this summer.
"I'm finally graduating,"
Wilhelmina•Laurie said with a laugh
last week.
Colborne school is inviting the
community to celebrate Mrs.
Laurie's accomplishments in
education with an afternoon tea this
Sunday, June 4, from 2 to 5 p.m.
"The school community, parents,
students, colleagues past and
present, family and friends are
welcome to join us for refreshments,
to share memories and to wish Mrs.
Laurie well as she moves on to a new
chapter in her life," said Barb Allen,
a Colborne teacher.
As a fresh-faced graduate of
Laurentian University in 1975,
Laurie entered the world of teaching
armed with a degree in bilingualism.
Although .she says she was
qualified to teach high school, when
interviewed by an elementary school
she was blown-away by the Frerich
sk Its of the students.
That fall, she began teaching
Grade 1 to 8 French at Huron
centennial in Brucefield.
"That's where I met my husband,"
Laurie said.
In the years that followed, Laurie
and her husband taught side by side
in Huron Centennial. During that
time, she says, she was involved in
enrichment programs, building new
French curriculum and piloting new
French programs. In the classroom,
she introduced hundreds of the
world en francais, teaching students
the verb differences between nous
and vows; and the colours noir and
rouge.
Meanwhile, at their home near
Varna, the Lauricsl. Id five children
o. •
fiottitcoming
67 Stavtiage
•I'...1.4441•0°14.411.7•44•Iimile°11C:3 • •
John and Julie Harrison
are pleased to announce
the forthcoming marriage
of their daughter
Katherine Harrison
to
Joshua Wilson
son of .
Edward and Terri Caissie
of Mississauga.
Wedding to take place in
Brussels on July 8, 2006.
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Call Katherine Kaszas, Artistic Director
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