“Some people just leave an impact on you. Their kindness and warmth makes you feel special and gives you a much needed boost in an otherwise hectic day. Here at Monsignor Leo Cleary School, we are blessed to have Theresa Lockhart, an incredible person who truly makes a difference in our school and community. She is the first face people see when they walk into our school; she is the first voice people hear when they call. She greets you with a big, warm smile and can often be heard engrossed in light-hearted conversations with parents, staff members and the students. Her laughter echoes down the halls, creating an inviting space for anyone to enter. The parents absolutely adore her and are so very thankful that she came to our school two years ago.

She is never too busy to help, and she goes above and beyond the responsibilities that she has been assigned. She is quick to get back to you to answer any question that you have. She genuinely cares for the children at our school and forms an undeniable bond with them. Ask your students if you can have a volunteer to run an errand to Mrs. Lockhart and you will quickly find yourself in a tricky situation: how do you choose one student amongst 20 hands. Everyone jumps at the chance to visit our adoring secretary.

Her impact goes far beyond the office doors. She looks for opportunities to enrich the faith of our students as a volunteer on our Faith Committee. She helps to organize our school food drive, school masses and even hosts a daily rosary club for students who want pray the rosary with her. She is committed to the message of Jesus and actively engages them in his Kingdom.

For these reasons and many more, I am nominating Mrs. Lockhart for the “Everyday Hero Award.”

“I am nominating Jennifer for the PVNCCDSB Everyday Hero Award because she embodies so many of the qualities that make for an amazing librarian, and learning commons specialist. Jen is competent, knowledgeable, and joyous in her interactions with students. Whether it is solving complicated technical problems, recommending students new reading material, or improving our learning commons space, Jen always demonstrates an unwavering commitment to student success and well being. I could think of few education workers who are more deserving of this award.

Jen contributes to her school community by co-creating an environment of trust, care, and respect with each teacher and student she works with. She is leader in three of our schools most popular and well attended extracurricular clubs; the St. Stephens Anime Club, Games and Chess club, and White Pine Reading Club. Jen is a go-to person for fixing student tech problems, and can always be seen signing out learning materials such as Chromebooks and calculators with a warm, genuine smile. Jen is also known to solve staff tech problems in a timely manner, and work towards a solution no matter what problems she has been tasked with.

Jen contributes to the success of all her students by supporting them in an equitable and inclusive way. In her role as a learning commons specialist at St. Stephen C.S.S. Jen supports students’ success by ensuring their tech problems are dealt with in an effective manner. She also provides some of the best reading recommendations around, even allowing a few titles from her personal collection to students in need. In an extracurricular capacity, Jen is a staff leader for one of our schools two weekly Dungeons and Dragons groups, and co-organizer of at least 4 charity video game and chess tournaments – this year alone! On top of this, Jen would most certainly be called a friend to all by anyone who knows her.”

“Tessa DeSouza has devoted most of her teaching career as a SERT at St. Anne CES. She is a dedicated staff member who has helped so many students to overcome their challenges with reading and self regulation over the years. Tessa does this through her relationships as well as her dedication to our school as a whole. When her colleagues or students need support, Tessa is always one of the first ones to help. Her collaborative approach and her problem solving skills are appreciated by her colleagues. She is an energetic person who motivates people around her. She maintains a positive attitude when things get tough and has a growth mindset. Tessa is the foundation of our school, having been at St. Anne for 25 years. Tessa is an Everyday Hero in our school who serves students and allows them to reach their full potential, despite their learning challenges or medical condition.”