Madeleine Barrette
Students and staff at PACC VOC are wishing a fond farewell to our cherished guidance counsellor, Madeleine Barrette.
Madeleine has shared her expertise and provided academic and personal support to students at PACC since 1997. She wears many hats- everything from recruiting at career fairs and open houses to greeting new student groups and also helping graduates transition into new academic and professional spaces. Madeleine has been an invaluable resource to our centre for many years; she has contributed to many committees, acted as Master of Ceremonies at graduation and a plethora of duties too numerous to detail.
And always with a smile! Madeline’s sunny face and kind demeanor have always warmed hearts and the halls at PACC and she will be greatly missed in 2022 and beyond. Madeleine has ventured far afield during her many adventures but she has always returned in the fall to tell us all about them- this time Madeleine is leaving us behind to move on into life’s next adventure- retirement! It is sad for those of us left behind but we wish her all the best in this next phase and we know she will spread good will wherever she goes.
Sheila Showers
Happy Retirement Mrs. Showers!
After nearly two decades managing St. Anthony’s daycare service, Sheila Showers will retire in January 2022
For the past 20 + years, Sheila Showers, or Mrs. Showers as the students call her, has played an important role in developing and managing daycare services, first at Westpark and then at St. Anthony’s. The service offers childcare early mornings before school starts, after school, and on pedagogical days.
“Some children arrive as early as 7 a.m. and leave as late as 6 p.m. because their parents need to travel out of the West-Island to get to work. We supervise during lunch and offer activities during ped days, so we really get to know each child and follow them throughout their elementary years,” explains Sheila.
As many parents know, daycares have become an integral part of parents’ elementary years at the LBPSB.
Over the past two decades, with Sheila at the helm, creativity was definitely at the forefront of daycare activities. From cooking and baking to painting and robotics, her team always goes above and beyond to offer as much original programming as possible.
“A few years ago, we got the students involved in knitting and the next thing I knew, they were making scarves and hats. They wore them so proudly!”
She says she’s worked for amazing principals over the years, making her administrative tasks much more enjoyable.
Perhaps one of the most rewarding aspects of her career was knowing that parents trust her and her team with what’s most precious to them: their children. “When parents tell me that they appreciate what we do for their children and thank us for ensuring that they’re happy and safe, that is extremely gratifying.”
When a parent asks her what the after-school daycare schedule is for the next month because their child doesn’t want to miss out on fun, that’s also extremely gratifying. “Some parents organize their child’s schedule based on the programming we offer because their child doesn’t want to miss an activity. That is certainly the biggest complement, knowing that students are happy with us.”
While she will miss walking the halls of St. Anthony, she is ready for the next exciting chapter. “I have four beautiful grand-children that I can’t wait to play with. But don’t worry, Mrs. Showers will definitely be back at St. Anthony’s to volunteer.”
