Maggie Moments

Maggi Moments celebrates and recognizes our AbEd Duo, Ms. Hall and Mrs. Poetsch!  

The indigenous team, Ms. Hall and Mrs. Poetsch have done so much for students. They go above and beyond to make people included and supported. One student reflects, “As I sit down and express my gratitude, the students at Princess Margaret are filled with sense of appreciation and warmth for the profound impact the indigenous team had on the students.” They ensure that we have genuine connections to the school and that we are cared for.

Moreover, this amazing duo lead the charge in promoting cultural awareness in our school. They achieve this through a variety of displays inside and outside the cultural room, by painting the front steps of our school orange to raise awareness, organizing the events like the Indigenous Grad, and so much more!

Every late start they come a little bit earlier to make waffles for everyone who wants one, everything they do is out of kindness in their heart. We truly appreciate everything they do for the school and students. Their small gestures of kindness speak volumes about their kindness and compassion.

If anyone needed help with anything they would go above and beyond to try to help and speak up on their behalf. They are honest, kind, and have a great sense of humour.

Thank you hardly seems enough for the dedication and passion they bring to the school, the unwavering commitment to education and the students is truly inspiring. Their patience and understanding have made a significant difference to the students at Princess Margaret.

On April 19, 2024, Maggie Moments celebrates and recognizes Evan!   

In our Princess Margaret community, Evan consistently greets all staff with a positive salutation, while sincerely asking questions about their family and activities. During our morning announcements, Evan impresses us with his knowledge of professional and local sports, researching and memorizing facts to share with all of us.

The motto for Maggie is AIR: Accountability, Integrity, and Respect. Evan embodies all these values. At just 2 years old, Evan’s family discovered he had a brain tumor that was leading to the gradual loss of his vision. This marked the beginning of a unique life journey for him.

Evan, a very determined young man, faces challenges with perseverance and kindness. He has participated in 3 Braille Challenges, including a recent one in Vancouver. He has also engaged in various activities such as cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and he even recently tried sit skiing at Big White. Joining our Maggie Golf Team this year, Evan completed his first 18 holes of golf last Monday, which included driving his ball over the water and on to the green on a par 3. His excitement is contagious. Also, his respect and gratitude for the employees of the golf course was so genuine, as he ensured he thanked every employee he spoke to. Evan’s willingness to embrace new opportunities in such a positive manner, despite challenges, is truly inspiring.

Beyond his achievements, Evan also hosts a podcast on CFUZ radio station to raise awareness about blindness and promote respectful treatment of blind individuals. Additionally, every year, he volunteers at McDonald’s on McHappy Day, to give back to the Ronald McDonald House, which supports families during medical appointments.

Evan’s character shines through his caring, thoughtful, and respectful nature. Despite facing daily challenges, he approaches life with grace and a constant smile. His ability to navigate through the world and explore life’s opportunities is an inspiration to everyone around him.

Maggie Moments recognizes Brooklyn. 

Brooklyn's journey is a testament to resilience and determination. She is very helpful around the school and has shown a lot of gratitude when being helped.  Brooklyn’s growth from grade 6 demonstrates her perseverance and maturity over the years. In her current pursuit of a culinary education, she has shown remarkable initiative to achieve her future goals.

A story that highlights Brooklyn’s thoughtfulness occurred during the Europe trip in a little town called Chartres, in France, students stumbled across cool vintage stores that they were exploring and shopping in. Among them, one student bought a unique t-shirt that they loved. Later, another student, impressed by the shirt, approached the owner of the shirt, and asked if they could buy it from them. Feeling perhaps pressured, the owner reluctantly sold the shirt. Brooklyn, attentive to the situation, noticed the seller’s disappointment. Taking it upon herself to fix the situation, Brooklyn remembered a store carrying the identical shirt. With a thoughtful gesture of kindness, Brookly went back to the store and purchased the shirt for the student, using her own initiative and money, to make someone else smile. This act speaks volumes of her thoughtfulness and ability to navigate social dynamics.  

Brooklyn’s journey stands as a testament to resilience and determination to pursue her goals. The future is bright for Brooklynn, we are looking forward to seeing how things go for her at her new adventures.

A huge thank you to Stuart Bisch for his work with our Indigenous students and their grad photos.

Maggie Moments celebrates Sophie!   

Sophie’s recognition is well-deserved, highlighting not only her acts of service, but also her positive, kind attitude and respectful nature. In Leadership, Sophie has taken on countless roles and initiatives. Whether she is planning, organizing, and leading something, or just showing up to support her peers, you can always count on Sophie to put her whole heart into everything she does.

She is also incredibly reliable, and she has proven again and again that you can count on her to make good choices, think of other people’s feelings, and get the job done. For example, Sophie worked with a small crew to plan, organize, and design the Haunted Carnival which ran at the same time as our Haunted House this year. Sophie made sure that the carnival was a welcoming, safe, and enjoyable place for families to spend time while they waited for their Haunted Tour. Not only did she spend a lot of her own time planning it – she also stayed for around 12 hours on opening day to set up and run the carnival with a lot of other amazing people.

Outside of school, Sophie approaches new people, ideas, or opportunities with respect and care. Whether she is working at her job at the Regency Retirement Resort, or volunteering with elders at the Trinity Care Centre, Sophie is invested in making her community a better place by sharing her time and efforts with others. For these reasons, Sophie is a great embodiment of accountability, integrity, and respect and her ability to treat everyone with kindness and patience is truly admirable!

(Picture is an art piece Sophie made)

Our next recognition for Maggie Moments is Mr. MacDonald!  

Mr. MacDonald makes a concerted effort to create an environment that builds community within our school. It takes significant dedication; being able to create an activity that connects nearly every member of our community is something very special. This year, Mr. MacDonald has developed a special activity that you may have come across on your travels. After buying several plastic ducks, Mr. MacDonald put them in special locations throughout the school. Students and staff have been able to find little ducks hiding in all sorts of locations around the school. Mr. MacDonald's actions have created a special activity that has made it a fun activity for each of us to participate in.

Additionally, Mr. MacDonald exemplifies versatility and adaptability within the Princess Margaret community. His expertise in baking benefits many of our culinary students, while his exceptional dodgeball and chess skills are also quite remarkable. We are grateful for his active involvement and ability to foster connections among both our staff and students.

Maggie Moments Recognition for March 23

During our celebration of kindness week, we were delighted to extend our appreciation to one of the most compassionate individuals at Princess Margaret – Ms. Julie Nienaber. Ms. Nienaber radiates warmth and kindness at our breakfast counter every morning, greeting and serving everyone with her sunny and friendly demeanor. Her warm and caring personality is so inviting that even students who don't need breakfast stop by just to bask in her sunshine.

Beyond her role at the breakfast counter, Ms. Nienaber actively supports students in their community jobs. It is evident that she truly cares for each student she collaborates with, consistently engaging with them as she guides them through their activities.

Moreover, Ms. Nienaber regularly engages in spontaneous acts of kindness for her fellow Mustangs. Whether she is checking on staff and students to ensure they are having a good day, purchasing a favourite tea for a younger student awaiting a bus transfer, or bringing in dog treats for our Maggie dog guests, she consistently goes out of her way to make us feel seen and appreciated. We are sincerely thankful to have Ms. Nienaber’s authentic kindness enhancing our school community!

For our second Maggie Moments recognition, we celebrate Andrei. 

Andrei, a student known for his continuous acts of kindness, has become an invaluable addition to the Maggie community this year.

While Andrei initially joined the Culinary Arts program during semester 1, his dedication and helpful nature were evident throughout his time in class. He consistently went above and beyond, willingly helping and dedicating extra time to support his peers and staff. Even after transitioning out of Culinary Arts for semester 2, Andrei remains committed to lending a hand in the cafeteria during lunch, showcasing his genuine kindness to everyone that walks through the doors.

Beyond the classroom, Andrei extends his generosity by volunteering countless hours to assist the theatre group with their stage and props. Additionally, Andrei has been known for his random acts of kindness throughout the school.

Through his actions, Andrei exemplifies kindness and dedication. Andrie is new to the Maggie community this year, and he has been an amazing asset to our school environment.

Thank you Andrei for being you!

At PMSS we are excited to start a new initiative called Maggie Moments. Maggie Moments is where we will be highlighting inspiring stories within our school community, showcasing instances that embody the principles of AIR: Accountability, Integrity, and Respect.

Our first school community member recognized is Chanelle.

Chanelle’s compassion and inclusivity shine brightly through her actions. Her proactive approach to supporting her peers, whether it is ensuring they are not left behind academically or making sure everyone feels included in group activities, demonstrates her remarkable kindness and leadership.

During the first semester, when a classmate was absent due to illness, Chanelle took the initiative to support him. Each day of her own accord, without him asking, Chanelle collected assignments for him and took notes on everything they did in class. Then, every day, she sent him the notes and information so that he wouldn’t feel lost or behind when he returned to school.

Not only did she help this student, but anytime her class had an activity where they needed a partner, she would look around and make sure that everyone had someone to work with and if she noticed someone was left out, she would invite them to join her group. She always includes her peers in her groups and is encouraging and accepting. Chanelle sets a wonderful example of empathy and citizenship within our school community.