A tribute to Kathy Collins
Long-standing and much-loved junior high teacher, Kathy Collins is beginning her retirement after 18 years of service at Rockway. To mark this special occasion, we celebrated as staff and faculty, joined by Kathy’s family.
Here is an excerpt of one of the heart-felt tributes made to Kathy:
“Kathy is an approachable, kind and engaging individual. She is a person that easily meets people and can engage in conversation of any kind. She places high value on relationships and has a passion for learning.
Kathy is extremely creative; her English assignments and RS assignments in particular, never ceased to amaze me, alongside her desire to keep them interesting throughout the years.
Ms. Collins is a strong connector – one of her greatest abilities, has been mentoring kids and finding deep seeded leadership in them.
What comes to mind first and foremost is Kathy’s dedicated work with the Peace Festival, an initiative that she, along with some of her colleagues, organized and developed over the years. The goal of this strong educational program is to introduce students in Gr. 7&8 to peace and social justice issues and at the same time give them the opportunity to discern and hone their leadership skills.
The Peace Festival program is often linked with a church based service project either at the local or global level. The students have collected and packed school kits for MCC. Then there was “The Right to Play” where the goal was to provide soccer balls for students in developing countries. Several years ago the theme was Building Bridges, which culminated in reciprocal visits between the Muslim School in Cambridge and Rockway.
Students over the years talk about the Grade 8 Ottawa trip having been a personal highlight for them. Ms. Collins has been a driving force behind this trip; providing a balance between structure and free time, and as a result, has built wonderful memories for her students.
As our students in Gr. 7&8 navigate the challenges of puberty and social interaction, a teacher who understands the students and is willing to “roll up her sleeves” in the existential moment is truly a gift to our students and their families.
On behalf of Rockway Faculty, Staff, Students, Parents, Alumni, and Rockway’s Board of Directors, we want to thank Kathy for the valuable contribution you have made to this place the last 18 years. Her work as an academic, a mentor, and a passionate church leader and your love for kids, are attributes that will be missed, yet remembered!
We wish God’s blessing upon Kathy as she embarks on another exciting chapter of her life!
