It was nice that there was a bit of autumn weather last week as it reminded those of us who weren’t ready for “back-to-school” that it was time to start thinking about trying on the blazer and seeing if the gym shoes still fit.

We have been busy at the schools getting ready for the 2014-15 school year. Last summer, we renovated a couple of classrooms and the front gardens at TEAM School and this year, it was Mentor College’s turn to have some construction noise. The Primary Campus and about two-thirds of the Main Campus have a new roof and next week, the parking lots at those locations will be getting spruced up and ready for you to drop-and-drive starting on September 3rd.

There will be another “before school starts” email update next week before we get started on the new school year. There is still a bit of summertime left, so get outside and enjoy it while the weather stays warm!

Chris Starkey
Administrative Principal
Mentor College/TEAM School

I was interested to hear from a few of you after my musings on “the last day of school” last week that your children actually were not looking forward to last Friday because they were going to miss school, their teachers and their friends over the summer. And from the litres of tears shed at the end of the Grade 8 graduation dance, it seems as the end of the Mentor/TEAM school year was more bitter than sweet for the Class of 2014. I don’t know what these families do when it comes time for the grand finale of their backyard fireworks show on Canada Day…do the kids throw a bucket of water on the burning schoolhouse?!?

On Tuesday, we said a final good-bye to our Grade 12 graduates of Mentor/TSS as they celebrated their prom. They were not as melancholy as the kindergarten students about the end of the school year as they are all looking forward to the next chapter in their academic lives and the independence of post-secondary student life. For oldtimers like me, though, it was sad to see the last of some long-time students who are coming from families of three (or more) students. Brianna is the last of the three Ananthans to graduate from the school and her family has been a huge supporter of the school for many years; Dad gives us a ringing endorsement in our promotional video and Mom has been at every Marauder volleyball, soccer and rugby game I can remember. Not to be outdone, the Begna, Bogoje, Marchioni and Santelli families are sending their second (or third!) “babies” off to university in September. And finally, there are five (by my count) families who will have one less body in the van to school next year as one of the Boyds, Harringtons, Iabonis, Sharps and Whytes starts a family tradition for their brothers and sisters to follow.

So whether you have one child with us or a whole vanful, I hope that this summer will be a relaxing one for you and your family and that we will see you once again in September. On behalf of Mr. Philbrook, Mr. Macdonald, the principals and staff, I thank you for giving us the privilege of working with your children and with you, the parents, this past school year and hope that this summer will provide you with many memorable moments with your family.

Chris Starkey
Administrative Principal
Mentor College/TEAM School

Rock legend Alice Cooper was asked “What are the greatest three minutes in your life so far?” Cooper gave two answers and his second answer was “the last three minutes of the last day of school.” He compared that time period to a fuse slowly burning and said to himself, “If I can capture those three minutes in a song, it’s going to be big”. This was the inspiration for his first hit single, “School’s Out For Summer”. It is still listed as one of the most popular rock songs of all-time and (if you believe everything you read on the internet) still a popular song at graduation dances and proms!

As a student, I don’t remember every “last day of school” but I do know that I didn’t want every year to end as quickly as it did. I knew my family was moving to the big city of Windsor after my Grade 4 year, so that was the first year that I found to be bittersweet. Even though I was in a small, rural school for Grade 8, my classmates ended up being at three different high schools so that day (along with graduation night) was both exciting and sad. Grade 13 (yes, I am THAT old) was an even more interesting experience as every graduate acted like we couldn’t wait to get out of high school but we were secretly wishing they could be seniors forever.

Our own students will no doubt feel the same way on their last day of school. The Grade 4s at the Primary Campus (some of whom have only known one school building in their six-year academic career) will parade through the hallways to the applause of the rest of the student body, staff and parents. Our TEAM and Mentor Grade 8 graduates know that while most of them stay for high school, tomorrow’s graduation night will be the last time they will all be together (or as the song goes: “Out for summer, Out ’til fall”. Our Grade 12 students, most of whom have already accepted a spot in post-secondary education, are just like me back in 1985; they are saying to themselves that they are “so done with high school” but there is a wish that they could make it last a bit longer. Mr. Whyte and I were in the Main Campus parking lot yesterday one hour after the last examination thinking that a group of Grade 12s might need some “supervising” but in reality, they were just standing around soaking up the last day of their high school career and joking with their friends that they should stay one more year…

I know we will see many parents at the academic assemblies for our JK to Grade 7 students tomorrow and that we will see parents, siblings and extended families of our Grade 8 graduates tomorrow night but if we don’t get the opportunity, I would like to thank you on behalf of the staff, the principals, Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Philbrook for the privilege of working with your children this year. Whether 2014-2015 was your 1st year at the school, your 14th or somewhere in-between, we thank you for your trust and hope that we met your expectations…and then surpassed them.

Chris Starkey
Administrative Principal
Mentor College/TEAM School