Manor Park School staff recognized for contributions
By Susan Steele
The start of a new school year is undoubtedly being met with feelings of both hope and uncertainty. Like you, I am very thankful that the majority of eligible Ottawans have chosen to become fully vaccinated prior to the September reopening of schools. This fact, in itself, gives us good reason to remain hopeful for a smoother year ahead.
Last year was challenging for all of us—students, parents, teachers, support staff and administrators alike. However, now is an opportune time to stop and remember some of the really positive things that took place and to highlight exciting news from Manor Park School.
Firstly, I can’t tell you how blessed the Manor Park School community felt by the phenomenal support provided by the Parish of Saint Columba Church (thank you, Diana Poitras, for being the facilitator).
Grocery cards and food donations from the church as well as from many generous Manor Park residents helped to keep our students and their families nourished during the most trying of times. Prepared meals were also shared with some of our neediest families every Thursday throughout the year thanks to Josh Cassidy, the Food For Thought Cafe and the Red Cross.
To all the parents out there, we can’t express deeply enough how much your ongoing support towards the teaching team meant to us. I know that I don’t just speak for myself when I say that it was often your understanding and encouraging words at the end of a long day that helped us to regroup and renew our efforts for the day ahead. Thank you!
Finally, it is my great pleasure to share a wonderful Manor Park School celebration with you. This spring, two of our very own, Tammy Moffatt and Marnie Patterson were recognized with Ottawa Carleton District School Board Director’s Citation Awards.
“The Director’s Citation Award recognizes outstanding and significant staff contributions to the District and its students, over an extended period of time, showing a level of imagination, enthusiasm, and professionalism that constitutes a worthy model for others. It is intended to be a recognition of staff, by their colleagues, honouring those who are in the midst of their careers.”
I hope you will enjoy reading about the many accomplishments of both Tammy and Marnie. Manor Park School could not be prouder.
Thank you for all you continue to do to make Manor Park the fantastic school that it is!
Affectionately called “Miss Tammy”, Tammy Moffatt wears many hats at Manor Park Public School. While she is officially the school librarian, she also obtains grants, spearheads improvement projects, forms lasting community partnerships, and keeps school spaces organized.
Tammy’s colleagues say she has a “magical” ability to connect with each student, feed their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and guide them in their quest for knowledge. Staff applaud her proactivity in researching books that celebrate diversity, identity, and culture so that every child sees themselves represented within the school library.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Tammy created an accessible library website, initiated virtual story-time (a highlight for teachers and students!), distributed technology, and developed a “mobile library” program to help students continue borrowing books.
Tammy is admired and appreciated by all, and her vision and positive attitude have been transformative to her school community.
As principal of Manor Park Public School, Marnie Patterson truly embodies imagination, enthusiasm and professionalism. She is always searching for creative and innovative ways to support student success!
In each of her assignments, which have included RAISE (an index used to allocate funds where most needed and help mitigate the effects of socioeconomic or demographic barriers to
learning), French Immersion, and multi-track schools, Marnie has led key initiatives that foster student achievement and well-being.
Marnie has deep respect for her colleagues and supports career-long learning, empowering them to try new instructional strategies, work more collaboratively, and think differently.
She also applies these objectives to herself, which is evident in her self-directed learning on Dr. David Tranter’s “The Third Path”. She even worked with Dr. Tranter and co-developed professional learning sessions for staff and Principals, and has engaged central staff at all levels to share the improvements in student learning she has observed at her school. She is an innovative thinker and an excellent mentor to her peers!