EMSB_Express05_Fall07.qxd - English Montreal School Board

Top Principal 

Page 2 

New EMSB 

Council 

Page 3 

Public School 

Education Month 

Pages 4 & 5 

EMSB Quiz 

Win Prizes 

Page 6 

Golf Scholarship 

Winners 

Page 8 

www.emsb.qc.ca for a comprehensive look at EMSB schools and services log on! 

All The Way With the Impact 

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR 

Angela Mancini 

Montreal Impact captain Mauro Biello is given a warm greeting 

by students at Gardenview Elementary School. 

EMSB Impact Night: 

Wednesday June 4 vs. Miami 

The EMSB and the Montreal 

Impact have renewed their partner - 

ship for 2008. 

Over the winter, the Banque 

Nationale All the Way with the 

Impact (Jusqu’au bout avec l’Impact) 

campaign promoted the importance 

of persevering in school. Gardenview 

Elementary School in St. Laurent 

was the site of the official kickoff, 

with a number of players and 

president Joey Saputo on hand. Club 

ambassador Lloyd Barker followed 

this up with visits to Dante in 

St. Léonard, Edinburgh in Montreal 

West, Nesbitt in Rosemount, Royal 

Vale in N.D.G., Perspectives in St. 

Michel, LaurenHill in St. Laurent, 

Lester B. Pearson High School in 

Montreal North and Options II in 

Ville Émard. 

Tickets will soon be available for 

the third annual EMSB Night. This 

will take place on Wednesday, June 4 

(7:30 p.m.) at the brand new state-ofthe-art 

Saputo Stadium (next to 

Olympic Stadium) when the Impact 

host Miami FC. Students, their 

families and staff will be able to 

reserve their seats via order forms 

which are being delivered to schools 

for the special price of $5. If anyone 

would like a block of tickets to sell, 

please call 514-483-7200, ext. 7245. 

The Impact will once again hold a 

special ceremony before the game, 

highlighting some of the most 

outstanding students, and bursaries 

will be awarded to those with the 

highest academic standings. These 

bursaries are named in honour of 

the late Tony Licursi, the long-time 

Impact statistician who died two 

years ago. Mr. Licursi was a member 

of the EMSB’s James Lyng High School 

Alumni Association. 

On June 27 the EMSB’s fifth annual 

Golf Scholarship Tournament will 

take place at Saint Raphaël Golf Club 

in Île Bizard, for which Mr. Saputo is 

returning as honourary chair. See 

page 8 for more details. 

PHOTO BY PEPE 

It is an honour and a 

pleasure to serve as the 

chair of the English 

Montreal School Board 

(EMSB), and I am pleased 

to have this opportunity 

to share some of my own 

personal thoughts with 

you and to provide you 

with some insight into 

the work that we have 

been engaged in as your 

Council of Commission - 

ers since our mandate 

began in November. 

The EMSB has much to be proud of. 

Our second language instruction is 

second to none, our graduation rate 

is high, our schools are safe, and we 

sponsor many worthwhile events 

such as the Career and Science Fairs. 

Our elementary and high schools offer 

a diverse range of programs that seek 

to meet the needs of all of our 

students. At the secondary level, 

there are many specialty options 

ranging from CEGEP preparatory 

programs to those with an emphasis 

on music, fine arts, dance and sports. 

Our adult and vocational centers 

are thriving as well. We are truly 

living up to our motto 

“Today’s Choice … 

Tomorrow’s Success!” 

While I am very proud 

of what the EMSB 

has accomplished in 

its brief existence, I am 

not complacent. As such, 

I am always interested to 

know more about current 

research and proven 

education practices as 

these allow me to gain 

further insight into our 

current reality as well as to aspire 

for the future. 

I recently read an article published 

by the Office of the Superintendent 

of Public Instruction in Washington; 

and I would like to share the essence 

of the article with you. They review - 

ed 20 recent research studies to be 

able to itemize the key characteristics 

of high performing schools. In con - 

clusion, they determined that ALL of 

these schools had: 

• A Clear and Shared Focus 

Everyone knows where s/he is 

going and why; and understands 

his/her role. 

Continued on page 7 – please see ‘Mancini’ 

Paul Gérin-Lajoie à Léonardo Da Vinci 

Paul Gérin-Lajoie, 

avocat canadien, phi - 

lanthrope, ancien mem - 

bre de l’Assemblée 

Nationale et ancien 

ministre, s’est adressé 

aux élèves de l’école 

primaire Leonardo Da 

Vinci. En 1977, il a 

établi la Fondation 

Paul Gérin-Lajoie, une 

organisation qui a con - 

tribué à l’éducation de 

base des enfants des pays les plus pauvres en sus de sensibiliser les élèves 

des écoles primaires du Canada à cette œuvre. « Il a été si content que les 

élèves de 3 e et de 6 e année aient préparé une courte vidéo le remerciant 

pour son excellent travail » a déclaré la directrice Phyllis D’Amato Marinelli. 

«Cette bande vidéo a été présentée lors d’une soirée honorant les grands 

montréalais et il a voulu venir visiter notre école et lancer la dictée PLG.»

Page 2 EMSB Express Vol. 10 Nº 2 Spring 2008 

www.emsb.qc.ca 

APPOINTMENTS 

AND RETIREMENTS 

There have been some new in-school 

administrative appointments at the 

EMSB recently. Two principals – 

Françoise Barlier (Dunrae Gardens) and 

Walter Lyng (St. Brendan) – are retiring. 

Newly appointed principals are Darlene 

Kehyayan (Cedarcrest 

to Dunrae Gardens), 

Sylvie Serchuk (viceprincipal 

of Galileo 

Adult Centre to St. 

Brendan) and Terry 

Bell (vice-principal of 

Sylvie Serchuk 

Rosemount Tech - 

nology Centre to 

Cedarcrest). Two teachers have moved 

to the ranks of vice-principal: Danica 

Lewington (John F. Kennedy to RTC) and 

Daniela Lattanzio (Dalkeith to Galileo 

Adult Centre) … About 170 people 

attended the annual retirees' dinner at 

the Omni Mont-Royal Hotel in 

downtown Montreal. The evening 

honoured 96 retiring employees of the 

EMSB who worked as educators, 

administrators, professionals and 

support staff, and whose combined 

years of service to the Board added up 

to 2,848 years. EMSB commissioners, 

along with the senior administrators 

from each region, Adult Education 

and Vocational Services, Pedagogical 

Services, Student Services and the 

General Directorate presented each 

retiree with a special thank-you gift of 

a framed handcrafted silk embroidered 

painting that are produced in the 

Jiangsu province, which is located in 

eastern China. One of the longest 

serving employees honoured that 

evening was Ann Marie Burnett, a 

former teacher at Edward Murphy 

School who served with the Board 

for 43 years. 

EMSB EXPRESS 

Produced by the Communications 

and Marketing Services Division of 

the English Montreal School Board 

6000 Fielding Avenue 

Montreal (Quebec) 

H3X 1T4 

Phone: (514) 483-7200, ext. 7245 

Fax: (514) 483-7213 

E-mail: express@emsb.qc.ca 

Web site: www.emsb.qc.ca 

Editor 

Michael J. Cohen 

Communications & 

Marketing Specialist, EMSB 

Copy Editor 

Stuart Nulman 

Translation 

Aline Zerounian 

EMSB Photos 

Michael J. Cohen 

Legal Deposit 

Bibliothèque Nationale 

du Québec 

National Library of Canada 

ISSN 1488-416X 

Layout and design 

Pon©tu@t!on GRAFIX Inc. 

www.ponctuation.com 

DISTINCTION 

Thirty-three exceptional leaders 

in education from across the country 

were chosen as Canada’s Outstanding 

Principals for 2008. Only two Quebecers 

made the list: the EMSB’s Ivana 

Colatriano of Willingdon Elementary 

School in N.D.G. and 

James Aitken from 

the Lester B. Pearson 

School Board’s 

Ivana Colatriano 

MacDonald High 

School in Ste. Anne de 

Bellevue. An initia - 

tive of The Learning 

Partnership, a national not-for-profit 

organization dedicated to championing 

a strong public education system in 

Canada, Canada’s Outstanding Principals 

program honours the extraordinary 

contributions of dynamic education 

leaders in publicly funded schools. 

Principals, who have made a mea - 

surable difference in the lives of 

their students and their own local 

communities and help ensure that 

Canada’s young people continue to 

receive a quality education, have been 

selected from across the country for the 

prestigious honour. “I must admit that 

when I heard the news I was absolutely 

thrilled,” says Ms. Colatriano. “I could 

not stop smiling.” For more details see 

the press release section on the EMSB 

website at www.emsb.qc.ca and the 

media clippings section as well… 

Artemis Maravei, 

principal of Bancroft 

Elementary School on 

the Plateau, was the 

guest speaker at a 

gala reception held by 

the Montreal YMCA 

to commemorate the 

20th anniversary of 

its Peace Medal, which is awarded 

every year to adults, youths and groups 

who are recognized as peacemakers in 

the community. Ms. Maravei herself 

was a recipient of the YMCA Peace 

Medal in 1997 for her efforts in 

developing “Hands Up,” a project that 

advocates a hands-on approach to 

raising awareness of children’s rights, 

which was done in collaboration with 

Bancroft School and the Montreal 

YMCA, and is still being used today 

TRIBUTE 

EMSB Turning 10 

On July 1 the English Montreal School Board – and all other public boards 

in the province - will turn 10 years old. The EMSB has established a 

10 th anniversary committee, co-chaired by Assistant Director of Human 

Resources Connie Primiano and Region 1 Director Marzia Michielli. 

Special activities will be happening throughout the 2008-2009 academic year. 

The next edition of this newspaper, to be published in September, 

will look back on the EMSB’s first decade of existence. 

Artemis Maravei 

On October 12, 1907, the corner - 

stone of Roslyn School was laid. One 

hundred years later, on October 11, 

2007, stones of a different nature were 

laid. As part of a fundraising campaign 

to improve the playground and build a 

new play structure, donations made by 

parents and friends of Roslyn School 

to the Playground Improvement Fund 

have been recognized by stepping 

stone engraved with their family 

names. These stepping stones will form 

a path winding through in the newly 

rebuilt area…L’école secondaire Laurier 

Macdonald de Saint-Léonard a inauguré 

officiellement son Centre d’appren - 

tissage communautaire (CAC) lors d’une 

réception à laquelle assistaient des 

élèves, des administrateurs de la 

CSEM, des écoles secondaires Laurier 

Macdonald et John Paul I et des 

membres de la communauté anglo - 

phone de Saint-Léonard. Laurier 

Macdonald, ainsi que l’école secondaire 

James Lyng de Saint-Henri, font partie 

des 23 écoles du Québec qui offrent un 

Centre d’apprentissage communautaire. 

Le Centre a été nommé en mémoire de 

Linda C. Moro, ancienne programmeur 

à John Paul I et Laurier Macdonald, 

Linda C. Moro 

qui était reconnue pour son implication 

communautaire intensive et qui a 

planifié un grand nombre de levées 

de fonds dans les deux écoles. Le Centre 

d’apprentissage communautaire en - 

tretiendra un partenariat entre l’école 

et la communauté anglophone de 

Saint-Léonard en offrent une vaste 

gamme de programmes et de services, 

REGION 1 

Tuesday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. 

Laurier Macdonald High School 

7355 Viau, St. Léonard 

dont des leçons de conduite et de 

cuisine, d’art, un programme de 

soutien à l’alphabétisation, un club 

de tricot, un programme d’aide aux 

devoirs et de popote roulante. Le 

Centre dispose aussi d’équipement 

pour visioconférences avec d’autres 

CAC du Québec … Holy Cross Elemen - 

tary School in St. Laurent dedicated 

its library in the 

memory of former 

principal Francine 

Jarret Imhoff, who 

passed away re - 

cently. Sadly, she had 

fallen ill soon after 

Francine Jarret 

Imhoff 

HONOURING 

VOLUNTEERS 

Jamie Orchard and Luciano Pipia 

her retirement in 

July 2006. 

Global TV Anchor Jamie Orchard 

and noted broadcaster Luciano Pipia 

will be the emcees of the annual 

Volunteer Appreciation Evening on 

Wed. April 30 at Baron Royal in 

St. Léonard. It is being held during 

National Volunteer Week. Time and 

space will not allow the EMSB to 

honour all of its nearly 1,500 volunteers 

in person. Therefore, only those 

individuals who have volunteered for 

more than five years will attend the 

reception, representing some 500 

people. However, several thousand 

copies of a commemorative program 

book will be distributed to each school. 

ATTENTION PARENTS OF A CHILD(REN) IN 

EMSB SCHOOLS, PRE-SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS 

If You Could Have The Ideal Kind of School – 

Primary or Secondary – What Would That Be? 

The EMSB Committee on Focus Schools 

Wants to Hear from You! 

As parents, you may have recognized particular talents in your children 

and wish them to be challenged by an appropriate Focus program 

such as fine arts, performing arts, sports or something else 

in addition to prescribed studies. 

Presentations will be heard at a meeting in your region. 

Please join us at 7:00 p.m. for light refreshments. 

REGION 2 

Monday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. 

Dunrae Gardens 

235 Dunrae, Town of Mount Royal 

REGION 3 

Tuesday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. 

Hampstead School 

83 Thurlow, Hampstead

www.emsb.qc.ca Spring 2008 EMSB Express Vol. 10 Nº 2 Page 3 

DATES TO 

REMEMBER 

EMSB Commissioners 

Les commissaires de la CSEM 

March 29 to 

April 4, 2008 

Adult Learner’s Week 

April 22, 2008 

Earth Day 

April 25 and 26, 2008 

Junior Robotics Competition 

Mother Theresa Elementary School 

April 30, 2008 

Administrative 

Assistants/Secretary’s Day 

EMSB Volunteer Appreciation 

Evening 

Le Baron Royal, St. Léonard 

May 1, 2008 

National Teachers Day 

May 3, 2008 

EMSB Chorale 

Spring Concert 

Oscar Peterson Hall 

(7141 Sherbrooke Street West) 

Loyola Campus, Concordia University 

7:30 p.m. Tickets: $10 for adults and 

$5 for students and seniors. 

Info: 514-483-7200, ext. 7234 

May 7, 2008 

EMSB Brainwaves Gala 

Leonardo Da Vinci Centre, St. Léonard 

Tickets are $25 

Info: 514-494-6931, 514-483-7200 

ext. 5365 or 514-352-6730 

May 13, 2008 

National Denim Day 

May 15, 2008 

International Day of Families 

June 23, 2008 

Last Day of Classes 

Board Meetings 

The EMSB council of commissioners 

meet in public once a month. These 

sessions begin at 7:30 p.m. and are 

held in the Laurence Patterson 

Conference Room of the 

administration building at 6000 

Fielding Avenue. Everyone is 

welcome to attend. Please note that 

occasionally during the year special 

meetings are called. Parents are 

urged to bookmark the EMSB 

website (www.emsb.qc.ca) to 

access Board meeting agendas and 

to be advised about special meetings. 

To register for question period please 

call 483-7200, ext. 7264. The remaining 

meetings scheduled for this academic 

year are as follows: 

April 23, 2008 

May 28, 2008 

June 18, 2008 

Electoral Division / Circonscription 19 

(Rosemount – 

Hochelaga 

Maisonneuve – 

Le Plateau) 

ANGELA MANCINI 

Chair 

Présidente 

Member, Executive Committee 

Membre, Comité exécutif 


(Montréal North) 

SYLVIA LO BIANCO 

Vice-Chair 

Vice-présidente 


(Rivière-des-Prairies) 

ROSA CERRELLI 

Chair, Executive Committee 

Présidente, Comité exécutif 


(Côte-Saint-Luc) 

SYD WISE 

Vice-Chair, Executive 

Committee 

Vice-président, Comité exécutif 


(Saint-Léonard) 

DOMINIC 

SPIRIDIGLIOZZI 

Immediate Past Chair 

Président sortant 


(Montreal West) 

JOSEPH LALLA 


(N.D.G.) 

ALBERT PEREZ 


(Hampstead – 

Côte-Saint-Luc) 

MARVIN 

HELFENBAUM 

Member / Membre, Comité 

de gestion de la taxe scolaire 

de l'île de Montréal 


(N.D.G. – Saint Henri 

– Ville Émard) 

ANNE WILLIAMS 


(Saint Henri – 

Pointe Saint Charles 

– Westmount – 

Downtown) 

RICHARD LALONDE 


(Westmount – N.D.G.) 

GINETTE SAUVÉ- 

FRANKEL 

Representative, Quebec English 

School Boards Association 

Représentante, Association 

des commissions scolaires 

anglophones du Québec 


(Côte-des-Neiges – 

Snowdon – 

Outremont) 

ELLIE ISRAEL 

Vice-Chair, Finance and 

Legislative Committee 

Vice-présidente, des affaires 

financières et législatives 


(Mount-Royal – 

Saint-Laurent) 

LIZ LEAMAN 


(Saint-Laurent) 

BERNIE PRAW 

Chair, Education and 

Facilities Committee 

Président, Comité des 

affaires pédagogiques 

et des services éducatifs 


(Saint-Laurent – 

Cartierville) 

JAMES KROMIDA 

Chair, Finance and 

Legislative Committee 

Président, Comité des affaires 

financières et législatives 


(Ahuntsic) 

JOSEPH PETRAGLIA 


(Downtown – 

Park Extension – 

Le Plateau) 

JULIEN FELDMAN 


(Saint-Michel – 

Villeray) 

ROCCO BARBIERI 



FRANK VERRILLO 

Vice-Chair, Education and 

Facilities Committee 

Vice-président, Comité des 

affaires pédagogiques 

et services éducatifs 



Représentant, Association des commissions scolaire 

anglophone de Montréal 


(Rosemount) 

AGOSTINO 

CANNAVINO 

Alternate / Substitut, Comité 

de gestion de la taxe scolaire 

de l’île de Montréal 



FRANK DI CESARE 

Chair, Adult Education 

and Vocational Services 

Advisory Committee 

Président, Comité consultatif 

de l’éducation des adultes et 

de la formation professionnelle 


(Anjou – 

Pointe-aux-Trembles 

– Montreal East) 

TED DONNINI 



Représentant, Association 

des commissions scolaires 

anglophones du Québec 


(Rivière-des-Prairies) 

PATRICIA LATTANZIO 

Vice-Chair, Adult Education 

and Vocational Services 

Advisory Committee 

Vice-présidente, Comité 

consulatif de L'éducation des 

adultes et de la formation 

professionnelle 

Parent Commissioners / 

Représentants de parents 

ANNE WADE 

VIKY KELLER 

For complete details on which committees commissioners sit on, 

please go to www.emsb.qc.ca 

Commissioner photos taken by Lawrence Clemen 

www.lawrenceclemen.com



Second public school Educa 

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) held its second annual Public School 

Education Month in January. Under the theme Following In Their Footsteps, the 

campaign encouraged prominent graduates to return to visit their neighbourhood 

schools to talk to students about the role public school education played in leading 

them to their present-day success. These individuals now serve as outstanding 

role models, as do many other prominent Québecers having or having had a link 

with area public schools or vocational centres. 

Five Montreal-area school boards – three French and two English – once again 

embarked upon a unique collaborative activity aimed at increasing public 

awareness of the successes in neighbourhood public schools. Like the EMSB, the 

Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB), the Commission scolaire de Montréal 

(CSDM), the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys (CSMB) and the Commission 

scolaire Pointe-de-l’Île (CSPI), engaged in such programming as well. The EMSB 

also ran a special promotion campaign in January which included radio and 

television commercials, billboards near the Decarie Expressway and newspaper 

advertisements. 

There were many notable highlights in the EMSB campaign: 

ROCKLAND 

CENTRE KIOSK 

This year the EMSB had its 

first ever information kiosk at 

a popular shopping mall. 

Representatives, including 

staff and students, from five 

elementary schools - Carlyle, 

Dunrae Gardens, John Caboto, 

Sinclair Laird and Coronationas 

well as John F. Kennedy 

High School and John F. 

Kennedy Business Centre 

showcased their programs at 

Rockland Centre in T.M.R. 

HAMPSTEAD 

Dr. Gerald Fried, Professor of Surgery and Adair Chair of Surgical Education, 

McGill University and the Steinberg-Bernstein Chair of Minimally Invasive Surgery 

and Innovation at the McGill 

University Health Centre, 

returned to Hampstead 

Elementary School where he 

last attended in 1963. He 

credited the school with his 

decision to pursue a career as 

a doctor. “In Grade 5 I had to 

do a class project and I 

decided to do it on cancer,” he 

told an inspired gym full of 

students. “I called the director 

Dr. Gerald Fried is thanked for his visit by 

Principal Marcia Kennedy Gaul and some students. 

The team from Sinclair Laird Elementary School 

sets up their display at Rockland Centre. 

of cancer research at McGill 

University and he actually 

agreed to meet me for a half 

hour. At that time I learned how cigarettes caused cancer. It was that day that 

changed my life and I decided to become a doctor. Once I got into medical school, 

I opted for a career as a surgeon.” Asked how many surgeries he has performed, 

Dr. Fried estimated it at more than 25,000.” What was his most difficult surgical 

procedure? “There was a a young man of 22 who weighed 700 pounds,” he said. 

“He was so big we could not put him in the x-ray machine. We could not get the 

I.V. in and when he was placed on the operating table it broke. It was a very sad 

situation. We felt for this man.” 

GARDENVIEW 

Internet guru and former Just For Laughs Festival CEO Andy Nulman returned 

to his old school, Gardenview in St. Laurent. Nulman is now the president of 

Airborne Entertain - 

ment, which provides 

mobile content for 

major North American 

wireless carriers and a 

growing number of 

international service 

providers. Airborne 

was established in 

2000. Five years later, 

Nulman and his 

Andy Nulman gets a warm welcome from students. 

co-founder Garner 

Bornstein sold the 

company to Cybird Co. 

Ltd. of Japan for $110 

million. Part of the deal meant that they stayed on to run the operation. Nulman 

mesmerized students with his secrets to success. He began by inviting a student 

to the front to interview him and then moderate a question and answer period. 

“To this day I still remain close to the people I went to school with at Gardenview 

36 years ago,” Nulman said. “In fact every five years some of us get together either 

here, in Toronto or Montreal. This year we are doing so in Las Vegas.” Asked what 

his ambition was at that time, Nulman confessed, “I actually wanted to be a 

garbage man. I saw these guys hanging on the back of trucks like cowboys 

throwing bags into the vehicle. It looked like so much fun.” 

PARKDALE 

Montreal Gazette 

Publisher Alan Allnutt 

returned to Parkdale 

Elementary School in St. 

Laurent where he began as 

a student in 1957. Asked 

what a publisher does, 

Mr. Allnutt noted that all 

department heads report 

to him. This includes 

the editor-in-chief and 

the director of advertising 

sales – two very important 

positions. Did Parkdale 

change your life? “I lived on 

St. Germain Street half a block away from this school,” he said. “Parkdale definitely 

set me on the right track. I was taught how to look things up and ask questions.” 

Jed Kahane is thanked by Vice- 

Principal Tina Spiridigliozzi and 

students Asha Haywood (left) and 

Hannah Trineer Roberts. 

Commissioner James Kromida, Spiritual Community 

Animator Mary Poullas, Alan Allnutt, Principal Jackie Webb 

and students Bianca Vanier, Nisha Patel, Mathieu Provost 

and Syed Moaaz Bukhari. Provost is holding 

Mr. Allnutt’s old class photo. 

ROSLYN 

CTV National News correspondent Jed 

Kahane returned to his former elementary 

school, Roslyn in Westmount. He had just 

stepped off a plane from New Brunswick where 

he was assigned to cover the aftermath of the 

tragic mini-van crash that killed seven students 

from the Bathurst High School basketball team. 

He described the process of getting called at 

home and told to head to New Brunswick 

immediately, part of the job that is not foreign 

to him. Mr. Kahane brought a DVD containing


tion Month at the EMSB 

some past stories he covered. This included the situation in New Orleans after 

Hurricane Katrina. That sparked a lot of questions from students. Concerning 

Roslyn he said: “I learned how to speak French at this school and that is a language 

I have to speak every day in my job.” 

ROYAL VALE 

CTV Montreal News anchor Mutsumi Takahashi returned to the same N.D.G. 

building where she attended high school. At the time it housed West Hill High 

School. Today it is the home of Royal Vale. Ms. Takahashi joined CTV, then known 

as CFCF, as a reporter in 1982 and moved to the anchor desk in 1986. She provided 

the more than 400 students in the auditorium with a lot of behind the scenes 

information on what is 

involved in preparing a 

newscast and confessed 

that even though she 

is on television every 

night, public speaking is 

something that does not 

come easy to her. “When 

I do the newscast it is 

in an empty room with 

cameras,” she says. “When 

I was here in high school 

I remember being too 

shy to even ask questions 

Students get a chance to meet Mutsumi Takahashi. in class.” 

WILLINGDON 

Ely Bonder, a video 

editor at CTV for the 

past 28 years, returned 

to his old school of 

Willingdon to further 

promote his personal 

goal of empowering 

young people in the TV 

medium. He has won 

awards for his work, 

played a key role at one 

Ely Bonder (back row middle) had students in awe. 

time in the establish - 

ment of YTV and initiated Youth eMage Jeunesse Inc. (www.emage.ca), which 

strives to provide youth access to entrepreneurship through broadcasting. When 

asked what he remembered most about his days at Willingdon he said, “I don’t 

remember particular incidents but I am overcome with a sense of wellbeing when 

I walk these halls.” 

JOHN F. KENNEDY 

CBC Television news 

commentator Marianna 

Simeone returned to John 

F. Kennedy High School 

in St. Michel. She was 

joined by CBC Radio One 

Daybreak host Mike 

Finnerty, who attended 

public school in London, 

Ontario. “I feel very 

emotional coming back 

here 30 years after 

graduating,” said Ms. 

Simeone, who was 

presented with a framed 

copy of her graduation 

book photo. She stressed 

how important it is to 

Commissioner Rocco Barbieri, Principal Joseph Mara, Marianna 

Simeone, Mike Finnerty and students Jessica Di Lazzaro 

(student vice-president) and Johnny Sabatelli (student president). 

pursue a post secondary education, noting she herself took some time off after 

CEGEP. “But then something terrible happened,” she said. “My father died very 

suddenly. I was 20 years old and not in school. My entire world was crumbling. 

Then I remembered what my dad always told me. That was to get an education 

because nobody can take that away from you. So I enrolled at Concordia, took an 

honours in Italian and a major in German. I completed that degree and ended up 

getting a job with the Italian Chamber of Commerce, latterly as director. From 

there I got into media. None of this would have happened without a post secondary 

education.” Mr. Finnerty, who took over the Daybreak show in December 2006, 

was asked whether students who go to private school have a better chance in 

the job market than those from the public system. “Not at all,” he insisted. “I got 

to work for BBC in London, England for 10 years. I am now hosting a morning 

radio show in a big city like Montreal. And I went to public school.” 

JAMES LYNG 

CTV Montreal 

Director of News and 

Public Affairs Mike 

Piperni, Concordia 

Stingers men’s hockey 

team head coach Kevin 

Figsby and Deborah 

Cross from the Montreal 

Children’s Hospital 

returned together to 

James Lyng High School 

in St. Henri. Mr. Piperni 

noted that when he 

attended the school 

mathematics was one 

of his weakest courses. 

Through hard work he never gave up and succeeded. Today he administers a large 

budget at CTV. He also spoke about how his experience at James Lyng, working 

on the school newspaper, helped pave the way for his present-day career. Mr. 

Figsby, who is also the president of the James Lyng Alumni Association, said that 

a turning point for him at a school was actually one day when he was asked to 

move chairs around the building in preparation for a sock hop. One teacher saw 

him directing other students what to do and recommended that he run for student 

body president. He did so the following year and won. He said that he always 

had a passion for hockey, playing the game throughout his youth and moving on 

to coaching part-time when he got a job in the financial world. While he earned 

a very good salary as a financial advisor and stock broker the job did not make 

him happy. Ten years ago he took as significant paycut to coach Concordia fulltime. 

He calls it a dream job. “I feel like I am retired, “he said, adding, “I learned 

more about Life at James Lyng than I ever imagined. I also learned more about 

myself,which was probably even more valuable.” Ms. Cross noted that she went 

to the school there were more than 2,000 students, compared to 290 today. “Thirty 

five years ago I sat here and said that I did not know what I wanted to do with 

my life,” she said. “You know what, I still don’t. It took me 17 years to get 

my Bachelors of Commerce Degree and I was 47 when I got my MBA. My message 

to you is that one never stops learning.” Ms. Cross worked at McGill University 

for 18 years as the Administrative Director of Student Health Services. She is 

presently the manager of the Ambulatory Intensive Care Unit at the Montreal 

Children's Hospital. While at Student Health she was also the coordinator of 

the eating disorder unit as well as the university representative for the Alcohol 

Policy Committee. 

CARLYLE 

Carlyle Elementary 

School in T.M.R. welcomed 

back standup comedian 

Heidi Foss and software 

engineer Michael Delis. 

Ms. Foss has combined 

her background in theatre 

with her unusually 

sardonic perception of 

everyday life to become a 

standout presence on the 

North American comedy 

scene. In addition to 

screenwriting and story 

editing for shows on HBO, 

FOX, PBS and YTV, she 

won a Canadian Comedy 

Principal Luigi Santamaria, Kevin Figsby, Mike Piperni, 

Deborah Cross and students Marco Brown, Melanie Blumer, 

Samantha Hyman-Roberts 

Principal Itrad Ahmad, Michael Delis, Heidi Foss, Community 

Spiritual Animator Puynung Choy and students. 

Award for being part of the staff writing team on CBC's hit series This Hour Has 

Twenty Two Minutes. She recently won a new development deal with CBC 

Television. Delis is a development and project manager at SAP and is also a training 

coordinator and instructor at PMI Montreal. Foss told the students a story about 

the one day there was a power failure at home. “My father started to use my text 

books to start the fireplace,” she recalled. “And then he tossed my math homework 

in as well. That was certainly a good excuse to tell my teachers why I had not 

done my homework.” 

Interested in seeing 

student photos? 

Log on to www.emsb.qc.ca and go to the Press Room



Adult Special Needs Students focus 

on Holocaust Remembrance 

By Clarise Samuels 

Special Needs Correspondent 

The Montreal Holocaust Memorial 

Museum presented a panel discussion 

recently to mark the International 

Day of Commemoration for victims 

of the Holocaust. This date is also 

significant because it is the anniversary 

of the liberation of the Auschwitz 

death camp. 

Among the panelists was Gail 

Bernstein, a special education teacher 

at the EMSB’s Galileo Adult Centre. 

Her class caters to adults aged 22 

through 40, with an emphasis on social 

integration. Academic subjects at 

Galileo focus on serving everyday living 

needs, such as language arts, money 

management, cooking, computers, fine 

arts, and travel training. The school's 

daily breakfast program is run entirely 

by the students. Every Friday a special 

meal is prepared, and the proceeds are 

used to order groceries, to go out to 

eat, or purchase needed utensils for 

the kitchen. Outings occur throughout 

the year. 

Ms. Bernstein found that her 

students took a profound interest 

in Holocaust history, in particular, 

the story of Hana Brady, a young 

Czechoslovakian Jew who died at 

Auschwitz in 1944. The girl’s suitcase 

STUDENT CONTEST 

Win 

Prizes 

from 

Started in 1987, The Bentley Group 

(www.shopbentley.com) is a chain of 

retail stores operating throughout 

Canada. It currently has more than 550 

stores which retails luggage, wallets, 

purses, backpacks and related acces - 

sories under various banners. These 

banners include Bentley, Access, 

Xcetera, Inglot, Collacutt, Jovin, Porters, 

Unic and Evex. Bentley also has a 

corporate sales department which sells 

a wide array of special gift items which 

are popular with schools in particular. 

Bentley is the official sponsor of this 

edition of the EMSB Express Newspaper 

Congratulations to the following 

students who each won $50 gift 

certificates from Steve’s Music Store (51 

St-Antoine St. W) for participating in the 

fall EMSB Express Student Quiz Contest: 

Josie Angelicola (Laurier Macdonald 

High School), Gianfranco Comita 

(Leonardo Da Vinci School), Stefano 

Proietti (Our Lady of Pompei School), 

Sara Jalenti (Leonardo Da Vinci School) 

and John Kaczkowski (Rosemount 

Technology Centre). The contest 

appeared in the fall 2007 edition of the 

EMSB Express newspaper, and featured 

five questions, in which the answers 

appeared in that edition of the Express, 

as well as on the EMSB website. Steve's 

Students and staff from the Galileo Adult Centre at the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre. 

was left behind with her name written 

on it, and the small valise was 

exhibited in 2000 at a Holocaust 

education centre in Japan. The Japanese 

educators there did research on Hana, 

and their investigation led them to 

Hana’s older brother, George Brady of 

Toronto, who survived the Holocaust 

as a labourer. 

The resulting book, Hana’s Suitcase, 

has become an international phe - 

nomenon, much like The Diary of 

Student Quiz. Students are encouraged 

to complete and cut out the entry form 

below. Bring it to your school office 

and request that it be sent directly 

via internal mail to the Administration 

Building (Room 109). Those who fill 

out the answers correctly will be 

eligible for some fantastic bags, 

knapsacks and lunch boxes provided 

courtesy of Bentley and sales re - 

presentative Joel Barbarush, who can 

be reached at 514-341-9333, ext. 345 or 

joel.barbarush@shopbentley.com for 

all your school souvenir or gift needs. 

Music Store opened its doors in Montreal 

on May 15, 1965 with one storefront. 

Today, the Montreal store has expanded 

to nine sections, encompassing a city 

block in size. In the intervening years, 

Steve's has expanded to locations in 

Toronto and Ottawa. Today, Steve's has 

evolved into a world renowned store 

and a major force in the Canadian music 

industry. Steve's caters to all your 

musical needs: acoustic, electric and 

bass guitarists, drummers and 

percussionists, keyboard players, 

pianists, brass and wind players, 

composers, public address systems, 

rentals and sheet music. Go to 

www.stevesmusic.com. 

Anne Frank. Ms. Berstein’s students 

were deeply affected by Hana’s story. 

“Hana’s Suitcase brought some of 

our students to tears,” she noted. 

There were some painful parallels to 

be made between the victims of 

the Holocaust and Ms. Bernstein's 

special needs students. “The Jews were 

labelled, grouped, isolated, and had 

difficulty finding work,” she explained. 

“It became evident to my students that 

they, too, were a group that would have 

STUDENT CONTEST 

ENTRY FORM 

been targeted during the Holocaust.” 

Jocelyn Goerner, an English teacher 

at Ratihente High School in the 

Mohawk community of Kanesatake, 

remembered her students on the day 

they heard the testimony of a 

Holocaust survivor. “The room was 

silent, and they listened intently to 

every word that was said.” 

Two of the panelists were Holocaust 

survivors Jean Kutscher and Paul 

Herczeg, who told their stories of 

losing close family members during 

the Holocaust. Kutscher's parents and 

older brother were deported from 

Paris, France to Auschwitz. Kutscher 

found refuge for his younger sister 

with Christian friends and survived 

by joining French Zone Libre. Herczeg, 

a teenager who lived in a suburb 

of Budapest at the time of the de - 

portation, lost his mother at Auschwitz. 

Herczeg later was transferred to 

Dachau, where his father died, but 

Herczeg and his sister survived 

the Holocaust. 

Herczeg spoke of his sense of good 

fortune when he arrived as a refugee 

at Canada's Pier 21 after the Holocaust. 

“The message taken up regarding 

genocide is ‘never again’ but, un - 

fortunately, the world has not yet 

learned this lesson,” Herczeg noted sadly. 

ON THE WEB 

More and more students, staff, 

parents, media and members of 

the community at large are 

logging on to the EMSB website 

at www.emsb.qc.ca for up to 

date information. The monthly 

Fielding Focus newsletter provides 

a nice overview of what is 

happening at the school and 

board level. You can download the 

most recent annual report from 

the press room section, read press 

releases, see photos of school and 

centre events and get valuable tips 

in the parent information section. 

If you have suggestions on how 

we can improve the site, send an 

email to express@emsb.qc.ca. 

CLUE: The answers to these 

questions can be easily found by 

looking through stories in this 

newspaper and on the EMSB 

website (www.emsb.qc.ca). 

1. Which team will the Montreal Impact play on EMSB Night 

Wednesday, June 4? 

___________________________________________________________ 

2. On which date will the EMSB turn 10? 

___________________________________________________________ 

3. When did Public School Education Month occur? 

___________________________________________________________ 

4. Who is the honourary chair of the EMSB Golf Scholarship Tournament? 

___________________________________________________________ 

5. Who is the vice-chair of the EMSB? 

___________________________________________________________ 

NAME : _____________________________________________________ 

SCHOOL : ___________________________________________________ 

E-MAIL ADDRESS : ____________________________________________ 

Bring your entry form to your school office and request that it be sent directly 

via internal mail to the Administration Building (Room 109).


PHOTO: MARCIE RICHSTONE 

Today’s Choice, 

Tomorrow’s Success 

Corporate Sponsors Assist 

EMSB Campaign 


For the third year in a row 

the EMSB embarked upon a 

special advertising campaign 

for kindergarten registration 

week, with the help of a num - 

ber of corporate sponsors. 

A photo shoot for the 

campaign took place at the 

EMSB Administration Build - 

ing. The children featured 

are (left to right): Alexandra 

Cohen, Marlevi Cornwall 

Mark and Maïa Lachance. 

Noted photographer Marcie 

Richstone, a specialist in 

dealing with children, over - 

saw the shoot. 

Advertisements appeared In 

The TV Times, The Gazette, 

Montreal Families Magazine 

and a number of community newspapers. There were also separate 

broadcast campaigns on Q92, 940 Montreal and Global Television and 

two billboards were placed over the Decarie Expressway. 

The EMSB wishes to thank the following corporate sponsors: 

• Capital Catering/Madisons New York Grill and Bar 

Steve Tsatas – www.madisonsny.com 

• R T & Tony Electrique Inc 

• J. Kromida Chartered Accountant 

• Eco System, Genivar and Regulvar 

• Brio Professional Services 

• Les Construction Bélair-Nova 

• Dennis Kounadis (Kounados Perreault) 

FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL 

Antonio Lacroce 

The Future of 

School Boards 

The EMSB is the largest English 

school board in the province of Quebec, 

providing services to over 37,000 

students including the pre-school, 

elementary, secondary, adult and 

vocational levels. 

On a day to day basis, there is 

synergistic interaction between the 

school administrators and central office 

personnel. The thrust of the Board’s 

interventions are carried out with a 

value added mentality and act as a 

filter to the many policies that emanate 

from the Ministry of Education, Leisure 

and Sports (MELS). 

Schools are more multicultural than 

ever and our school board has a long 

history of welcoming culturally diverse 

members of the Quebec society. The 

EMSB recognizes and values the 

diversity of its community and aims 

to provide all students with the 

opportunity to develop their talents 

and achieve their personal best 

within a caring, safe and inclusive 

learning community. 

Our respect for diversity is reflected 

in our policies regarding reasonable 

accommodation issues. Our inclusive 

model for special needs students, our 

drop out prevention and the retention 

of at risk students programs represent 

a multifaceted approach to student 

success based on the cooperation and 

collaboration of all partners. 

To attain this goal, the EMSB uses 

resources effectively and innovatively 

to help schools and centres focus on 

the mission of instruction, socialization 

and qualification; thereby encouraging 

life-long learning and critical thinking. 

Our mission fosters the development 

of educated and responsible people 

Lafontaine Liberal MNA Tony Tomassi 

and Antonio Lacroce visit one of two new 

classrooms the provincial government 

funded at East Hill Elementary School 

in Rivière des Prairies. 

who will assume their position as 

active members of a global and 

democratic society. We graduate 

bilingual and bi-literate students, 

adding to the richness of Quebec. 

Following last November’s school 

board elections, the Minister of 

Education, Leisure and Sports called 

upon all of the province’s public 

boards to present briefs of the future 

of school boards in the province. 

Here at the EMSB, Management 

and commissioners worked with 

the Quebec English School Boards 

Association. 

Having served as a teacher, 

principal, regional director, human 

resources director, deputy director 

general and now director general 

at this Board and its predecessor 

body, I can attest to the important 

role public schools play in our society. 

Can improvements be made? Of 

course! I commend members of 

our administration and council of 

commissioners who combined on 

creating a very constructive brief 

dealing with the future of school 

boards in the province. It is now in the 

hands of the Minister and I welcome 

you to review it on our website at 

www.emsb.qc.ca. 

Continued from page 1 – ‘Mancini’ 

• High Standards and Expectations for 

All Students 

All students can learn, and obstacles 

are not seen as insurmountable. 

• Effective School Leadership 

Direction is needed at both the 

school and school board levels. 

• High Levels of Collaboration and 

Communication 

All team members, including parents 

and members of the community, 

help to identify problems and work 

on solutions. 

• Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment 

All three must be aligned with the 

expected competencies to be 

developed. 

• Frequent Monitoring of Learning and 

Teaching 

Students who need help should be 

identified, and many opportunities 

for student success should be created. 

• Focused Professional Development 

Professional development should be 

aligned with the shared vision and 

expected outcomes. 

• Supportive Learning Environment 

The school must be a safe, civil, 

healthy and intellectually stimulating 

learning environment where stu - 

dents should feel respected, connect - 

ed with the staff and are engaged 

in learning. 

• High Level of Family and Community 

Involvement 

Everyone has a responsibility to 

contribute to the education of 

students, and parents, businesses, 

social service agencies, community 

centers and universities play a 

vital role. 

Much of what was identified seems 

like common sense, and yet we know 

that creating a truly effective school is 

no easy task. There is much to consider. 

The article also begs the question: 

if these factors contribute to the 

effectiveness of an individual school, 

could these same characteristics not be 

used to define a successful school 

board? I believe that many could be, 

and I will keep these nine factors in 

mind in my work as Board Chair. 

Since our election in November, the 

Council of Commissioners has been 

working diligently to develop a shared 

vision - at the heart of which is student 

success. In this early phase of our 

mandate, we are working to identify 

our primary goals, prioritize our 

initiatives and develop creative and 

sustainable projects. We are currently 

dealing with the most urgent repairs 

and improvements to our school 

buildings. One of our established 

goals is student safety; hence, we are 

The official inauguration ceremony for the new $2.5 million Royal West Academy 

Gymnasium project in Montreal West was held recently. Pictured at the ribbon cutting 

ceremony (left to right): Principal Mary Reynolds, Montreal West Mayor Campbell Stuart, 

EMSB Director General Antonio Lacroce, Vice-Chair Sylvia Lo Bianco, Chair Angela 

Mancini, student Anna Rotman, former commissioner John Simms, Liberal MNA Russell 

Copeman, Margaret Wada of the Royal West Academy Foundation, Vice-Principal Tony 

Pita and Commissioner Joseph Lalla. 

working to ensure that our schools 

remain a safe and secure environment 

for our children. 

I am very proud of our public 

education system, myself being a 

product thereof; and now my own 

children attend EMSB schools. I have 

been a commissioner since the in - 

ception of the EMSB 10 years ago. I got 

involved in school board governance 

because I believe in giving back to a 

system that served me so well. 

The Council strives to help promote 

excellence in education for another 

generation of children. We work to 

ensure that our schools are a safe and 

warm environment where our students 

are engaged in meaningful learning 

such that they will become successful 

confident citizens of the world. 

I, like all of the elected commission - 

ers, welcome your feedback. Our 

contact information is available on the 

EMSB website. Please feel free to 

contact us to share your thoughts, 

concerns or questions. We look 

forward to developing future 

partnerships with you.

Outstanding High School Students 

Awarded Scholarships 

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) recently distributed 40 cash scholarships of $500 each to students from 

the graduating class of 2007. These scholarships were funded from the proceeds of the third EMSB Scholarship Golf 

Tournament, held in Lachute in June, 2006. Beneficiaries from the most recent tournament, which took place last 

June, will be chosen at the end of the current academic year. Scholarships were awarded to high school students who 

are continuing their studies in a post-secondary educational program. The students also received free all-in-one 

printers courtesy of Dell. 


The scholarships were divided into two categories: 

Category I scholarships were presented to students who have demonstrated high academic achievement, as well as involvement in school life 

activities such as leadership, volunteerism, student council, school sports and representing the school in different events. 

Leah Rose Feldman 

F.A.C.E School 

Downtown 

Sueba Dauda 

James Lyng Adult Centre 

St. Henri 

Sheldon Wright 


St. Henri 

Elizabeth Lemme 


St. Henri 

Kassandra Lapointe 

John F. Kennedy High 

School, St. Michel 

Nadia Daly 

LaurenHill Academy 

St. Laurent 

Vanessa Cianciarelli 


St. Laurent 

Alexandra Black 


St. Laurent 

Elliot Enns 

Laurier Macdonald High 

School, St. Léonard 

Vanessa Gatti 

Lester B. Pearson High 

School, Montreal North 

Gianni Montanaro 

Lester B. Pearson High 

School, Montreal North 

Robert Ravensbergen 

M.I.N.D. High School 

The Plateau 

Alexia Castelli 

Marymount Academy 

N.D.G 

D'Arcy Le Blanc 

Options II High School 

Ville Émard 

Vanessa Sicuso 

Perspectives II High 

School, St. Michel 

Preedman Rajaratnam 

Rosemount High School 

Roberto Manzo 


Cassandra Freitas 

Royal Vale School 

N.D.G 

James Vacarro 

Royal West Academy 

Montreal West 

Rachel Prudhomme 



Pickinson Adams 

St. Laurent Adult Centre 

Ting-Jia Lorigiano 

Vincent Massey Collegiate 

Rosemount 

Category II scholarships were awarded to students who have persevered in the face of various challenges. 

Samuel Cardin 

Westmount High School 

Michelle Orsini 


Ogbit-Tesfu Ogbit 

James Lyng Adult Centre 

St. Henri 

Dipta Nath Chowdhury 


St. Henri 

Amanda Tulli 


St. Henri 

Reason Chartier 

M.I.N.D. High School 

The Plateau 

Tushar Khan 

Marymount Academy 

N.D.G. 

Brittany Leut 

Options II High School 

Ville Émard 

Katrina Tarondo 


CindyWu 


Dejah Roulston-Wild 

Royal Vale School 

N.D.G. 

Sean Remz 



Kevin Poupart 



Michel Wong 

St. Laurent Adult Centre 

Ly Chhorvy 

St. Pius X Adult Centre 

Ahuntsic 

Alyssa Brandone 

Vincent Massey Collegiate 

Rosemount 

Ariel Grischkan 


Cassandra Clayman 


Photos by Howard Kay 

The EMSB will hold its fifth annual Golf Scholarship Tournament at the Saint Raphaël Golf Club in Île Bizard. 

The honourary chair is Joey Saputo, president of the Montreal Impact soccer club. 

To book a foursome call 514-483-7200 ext. 7434 or email dmendicino@emsb.qc.ca. 

“I have a plan to save 

10 YEARS 

” 

SAVE THE EARTH. AND A FEW BUCKS, TOO. 

Emma and Ghislaine 

Willingdon Elementary School 

EVENING NEWS 

6.00pm 

Cable 3 • Illico 8 • UHF 46

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