The Red Apple Award
| The Red Apple Award is given by the Director of Education Ron Ferguson to individuals that stand out for their deeply-rooted dedication to our school board’s top priority – our students. Their day-to-day impact on those around them branches far & wide, planting seeds of inspiration for us all. |
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Congratulations to our 2024 Red Apple Award recipients:
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Leanne Huffman, Teacher at South Crosby Public School School, is the Special Education Teacher at South Crosby and runs the Power Up 2 classroom at the school, also known as “superhero headquarters”. Her class has been actively involved in growing food and supporting local food banks. She is doing heroic work with her students to ensure they are successful.
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Sylvia McAllister, Financial Assistant/Office Administrator for Gananoque Schools, has worked for the UCDSB for over 60 years and is now in retirement. She’s not only getting the award for the six-decade dedication to students, but the fact that through the years she was incredibly welcoming and caring and was the heart of the school. She even got to witness former students’ grandchildren walk through the doors. She’s positively impacted the lives of countless students over her career.
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Jennifer Perry, Superintendent of Special Education and Student Wellness, was instrumental in launching the Power Up Program in 2018. What she has done for students with special needs and for our Power Up classrooms since the launch of the program is remarkable and has helped so many students. Jen leads with her heart and always puts kids first.
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Rory Renwick, Grade 6 Student at Russell Public School, is the first student to win this award. She is an award recipient for the compassion, courage, and leadership she demonstrated during a bus accident this past April.Following the collision, Rory sprang into action to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of others on the bus were met. She provided comfort and assurance to the younger students while they waited for first responders, and she continued to help until everyone was safely off the bus.
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Blake Seward and Mason Black, Teachers at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Insitute, have been doing project-based learning and real-world learning at SFDCI before it was a board focus. They are currently assisting in consultant roles for the UCDSB Real-World Learning team, focused on the work around the Hill 70 project and We Were Here Showcase. Their dedication and leadership has moved the work forward in so many schools and introduced students to history lessons like none they’ve ever experienced.
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Silvia Speck, Principal of Avonmore Public School, is retiring this year after dedicating 29 years to public education, most recently as the Principal of Avonmore Elementary School. She has mentored countless administrators, is widely-known and respected across the UCDSB, and has shown a deep dedication to her students. In retirement, she’s going on to become a therapist and continue to help people.
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