Scotiabank South Mountain generously agreed to match all proceeds raised from Community Living Dundas County’s annual Ladies Night Out on October 13th. CLDC’s Debbie Boardman, Marlene Lewis, and Amber Rothwell accepted a cheque for $4,924 on October 28th from Karen Thompson, Branch Manager along with the Scotiabank ladies who volunteered at the event.
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Karen Bryan, new vice principal at Seaway District High School, was able to come to Iroquois in July, getting to know many of the school’s teaching and support staff and learning how the grades 7-12 school works.
That opportunity has gone a long way towards making her feel comfortable and welcome at SDHS as the 2011-12 term begins.
“Students have been very welcoming, creating a friendly atmosphere,” vice principal Bryan said. “And the staff here is wonderful, student focussed and student centred. Since I arrived, I’ve also had a lot of communications with parents, and I am very pleased with the level of parental involvement at Seaway.”
Mother of three boys, Bryan, who shares administrative duties with Seaway principal Terry Gardiner, enjoys the idea that she is working in a multi-generational high school.
“Many of the parents of our children have also gone to Seaway, and many have played on school teams and worked on projects with the school. As a result the school is a vital part of this entire community.”
A graduate of General Vanier in Cornwall, with an honours degree from Queen’s University and teacher training from the University of Toronto, Bryan began her career with UCDSB, prior to 2004, in the (no longer) capital region.
“I worked with teachers from grades 7-12 on instructional practice and curriculum design in all subject areas. In 2006, this job moved to the board level where I began working with all board members in the areas of literacy and numeracy mandates. The focus was on classroom instruction and success initiatives.”
After 2007, she served as a learning resource coach at St. Lawrence and C.C.V.S. “We worked with teachers in helping students meet I.E.P. requirements by examining learning mod-ifications. We essentially trained teachers to go back to their classrooms and carry on what they learned.”
Before her involvement in these fields, Bryan served as a classroom teacher in Toronto and at North Dundas District High School, in the fields of mathematics and physical education.
“I always wanted to be a teacher,” Bryan said. “I think it was the influence of some of the awesome teachers I had growing up. I think I experienced early on examples of what a good teacher can be in a child’s life.”
Some time spent teaching at R-O, a kindergarten to grade 12 school, has, Bryan feels, prepared her for the combination of intermediate and high school.
She is getting a feel for the needs and priorities of Seaway. But there are some programs she hopes may be introduced at the school down the line.
“I would like to introduce after school programs, especially for grades 7-9, which combine a literacy and numeracy component, but also offer fitness and nutrition experiences for the students. Many kids wouldn’t mind staying after school for interesting programs they could benefit from.”
She senses a good feeling at Seaway built on strong connections between 7-9 teachers spanning programs and procedures. “I want to keep both high school and intermediate panels working together.
We are working with teachers as ‘instructional leaders’, not as ‘managers’, which is a board wide initiative. I am an authority figure in the school, but I am also a teacher. I see a lot of willingness in this staff to collaborate in this approach.”
Bryan strongly feels that public education must be maintained as accessible to all children. Every child can learn and brings skills to the table. “We must value all the paths our children choose whether they choose to go on to higher education, or to learn in the world of work. Each path must be valued equally.”
The Iroquois Matilda Lions Club is hosting Iroquois' 1812 Commemoration event to be held on the 9th of November 2013.
Four historic plaques will be located on the Point overlooking the Iroquois Lock.
A dedication ceremony and memorial service will be conducted in the morning.
The SD&G Highlanders will be represented and participate in the ceremonies as well as re-enactors from New York State, Ontario and Quebec.
In the afternoon a re-enactment of the 7th of November 1813 skirmish will take place in the same park.
Displays from various organizations and individuals can be viewed that day in the Iroquois Civic Centre.
One of the organizers of the event, Howard Kirkby, provided a brief history of the of the armed conflicts that took place 1812-1814.
“Following the US declaration of war against Great Britain on the 18th of June 1812, a number of military engagements were pursued,” said Kirby in a media release. “What is not so widely known is that on two occasions, Point Iroquois and environs witnessed notable armed conflict.”
September 16, 1812 an Ogdensburg force was assembled and captured all but one of the families living on Tousaint Island, in an effort to ambush a British convoy.
A Mohawk, who was not captured, under fire, canoed to the Canadian riverbank to warn the convoy of the pending ambush, which the Canadian/British force attached to the convoy was able to thwart.
In this skirmish, one American was killed and six were wounded, while the British/Canadian force had one killed and several wounded.
November 7, 1813, a force of 10,000 Americans received orders to proceed down the St. Lawrence River, effecting the destruction of all enemy fortifications, and to link up with forces at Lac St. Louis before proceeding to attack an capture Montreal.
While feigning an attack on Kingston, the American commander continued with a flotilla to Ogdensburg. From there, an advance scouting party was engaged in a skirmish by the Dundas Militia that forced the Americans to set up camp at Iroquois Point until November 9.
The skirmish at Point Iroquois resulted in the death of one American soldier and, perhaps significantly, delayed the enemy’s advance long enough for the Canadian militias to assemble near Captain Crysler’s farm and join Morrison’s forces in effecting a victorious battle plan on the 11th of November.
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