BOARD: Premier's Awards for Teaching Excellence - May 5, 2009
BOARD: Poleen Grewal - Principal, Thorn Lodge Public School
"My name is Poleen Grewal. I'm the very proud principal of Thorn Lodge Public School."
"My parents immigrated from India in 1972, and one of the experiences that I remember growing up in Canada was going to school and basically having two worlds, and you don't fit in either culture - you don't fit in the Western, but you don't fully fit into your home culture either, and it strongly influences my vision of a school - and I think inclusivity and diversity and equity we need to embrace."
"What I enjoy most about being a principal is the students and basically the spirit, the energy and the joy of learning that they bring every day to school."
(Female Student at Thorn Lodge Public School)
"What's great about Ms. Grewal is she takes being a principal to the next step. She isn't just a principal - she's like a mother and a teacher to everyone here."
(Female Student at Thorn Lodge Public School)
"She makes you feel that you're important, and when you really need help, or you're having problems, Ms. Grewal is the person to go to."
(Male Student at Thorn Lodge Public School)
"Ms. Grewal puts the 'cool' into 'school'."
BOARD: Dr. Deirdre Vlahiotis - Mother of 4 students, Thorn Lodge Public School
"Our community is becoming closer-knit - we are all on this nomination for her. We're all behind her."
BOARD: Kathleen Wynne - Minister of Education
"In October 2006, Premier McGuinty launched the Premier's Awards for Teaching Excellence to honour the exceptional educators and support staff and leadership working in Ontario's schools and in our boards."
"We do not exist alone - we exist in a global context and we will succeed because of people like you."
BOARD: Ishaan Thandi - Poleen Grewal's son
"She's nice, she's a good principal, and she helps me do printing - and I help her with her work by doing the laundry."
Poleen Grewal - Principal, Thorn Lodge Public School
"I think what makes me most proud about winning this award is that it comes from parents and the community. When these students are sitting in front of you, they're sponges. They want to learn and they see you as a role model, whether we want to be one or not - we are their role models."
"I think we have a moral imperative to make sure that we are giving more than 100 percent to these kids."
BOARD: For more information visit: Ontario.ca/teachingawards