The Upper Canada District School Board recently honored several educators from Rockland Public School for achieving major milestones since joining the board.
Jennifer Rowberry, vice-principal at Rockland Public, has been with the school for four years. She was recently recognized for her 20-year career with the UCDSB.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years,” Rowberry said in an interview with The Vision. “I’ve always been interested in education. I had a lot of different ideas of what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be when I was younger, but I always gravitated towards teaching.”
Rowberry started her teaching career in 2000 outside of Canada, teaching in Mexico, China, and Colombia. Her first job in Canada was with the UCDSB, and she has been with the board ever since.
“The most fulfilling part of this job has been seeing the kids move forward and meeting or surpassing their goals,” she said. “Every student is on their own learning journey, and it’s so gratifying to be a part of it.”
Sarah Donaldson, a kindergarten teacher at Rockland Public, was also recently recognized for reaching her 20-year milestone with the UCDSB.
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I love watching kids discover something new and seeing that light in their eyes when they’ve figured something out or learned a new skill.”
Donaldson started teaching in Scarborough in 2003 and has taught at several schools within the board. She has been with Rockland Public since 2004.
“Twenty years seems so long, but our job is always changing; new faces and families, the curriculum, so it feels brand new and like a fresh start each year,” Donaldson added. “The most fulfilling part of my job is when students come to us for help—whether it’s with a new skill, finding a friend, or seeking comfort. It means we’ve built a connection with our students and with our community that I hope will last a lifetime.”
Both Rowberry and Donaldson said it’s always touching when former students they taught 20 years ago come back to catch up while dropping off their own children at Rockland Public.
“It’s special when they choose your school and trust their children with you,” said Donaldson. “It means that we built trust with them when they were students, and now, they want their own kids to have that same relationship.”
Also honored by the UCDSB for their years of service at Rockland Public were Ani Lalonde (20 years), Mme Ivanski (15 years), and Ms. Crone (five years following retirement).
