School Life

Matthew liked/loved school from kindergarten to his last days.  In his entire school life, I’m sure there was only a week missed in total.  This is where his friends were - why be anywhere else.  Matthew loved his friends and to be social.  He was a real chatterbox from Kindergarten to grade nine.  One comment from his grade seven teacher was that Matthew was being so chatty that she had to move him to the front of class where he sat next to a girl who never spoke. By the end of class this girl who never spoke was now talking thanks to Matthew. This girl who had no friends, was now a new friend to many. Matthew admired and enjoyed most of his teachers.  Matthew's kindergarten teacher, of course was fun, she would call Matthew, "Rodney", because she had his dad, Rod, as a student when he was in kindergarten. Matthew would come home laughing saying, "Dad, Ms. Crocker called me you again".  Mr. Fennemore was Matthew's grade six teacher and this was Matthew's first male teacher - and therefore so cool. Mr. Fennemore is a family friend, so Matthew would love to call him by his first name in class and say "excuse me Rick" giggle, giggle I mean "Mr. Fennemore". Mr. Clancey was Matthew's grade seven Social Studies teacher who was also a hockey player.  This was an important trait in a teacher for Matthew! Ms. Luby was Matthew's grade nine English teacher and she was the "with-it" teacher and in Matthew's own words, "Mom, she knows how to relate to us - she's the best". Ms. Gallagher was gentle and soft, she was Matthew's Math teacher. Matthew found math hard and struggled with it, but Matthew said "She explains stuff so well that I can understand it".  Ms. Adams was Matthew's grade seven and eight English teacher.  She was exceptionally interesting to Matthew.  He loved her stories about where she grow up in the US and many more stories.  He'd come home and tell us all her stories.  He learned so much from her. These are some of the teachers who had a great impact on Matthew's life, made school interesting and were motivating to him. Matthew did very well academically in school even with a learning disability. We believe the only set back of being a preemie was a learning disability called written output disorder.  The doctor’s described it to us as knowing what you want to say but having difficulty writing down your thoughts. However, this didn’t stop Matthew from performing well in school.  With his positive attitude and hard work, along with us his every step of the way, his grades were impressive.  Matthew worked hard for every mark he received in school.  He studied and did homework assignments every night with us from Kindergarten to grade 9. He seldom complained to us about all the work he was putting into his studies and education because, at any early age, he knew how important education would be for his future.  Actually in early March, Rod and myself had a meeting with Ms. George, the Guidance Councilor at Leary’s Brook to go over the course outline for grade 10. We were there to ensure Matthew would have no trouble pursuing University studies with the courses that were selected.  Matthew talked about being a Police Officer or a Geologist like his Dad, he also liked the idea of being a Chef.

One of the proudest days of Matthew's school life was when he brought home his very first work from Kindergarten class at Beachy Cove Elementary in 1994.  Notice the colors used......pink & purple.

The following is a copy of Matthew’s letter to show his concern about the overcrowding problem at Leary’s Brook Junior High. The e-mail addresses are the individuals to whom Matthew had sent his letter.

premier@gov.nl.ca, lsullivan@gov.nl.ca, thedderson@gov.nl.ca,

fmanning@gov.nl.ca,  dianne.whalen@gov.nl.ca,  bobridgley@gov.nl.ca

February 10, 2005
I am a grade nine student here at Leary’s Brook Junior High.

We are way over crowded. Did you know we are 100 students over the fire regulation rule? We have people eating on the floors because our lunchroom isn’t big enough to fit us all in there. Some of our classrooms were once storage rooms where paint, ladders and shovels were once stored. One classroom off the side of the cafeteria we can’t take our book bags in because there is not enough room. Our hallways are so small grade seven kids are getting trampled. Our smaller classrooms the heat is unbearable because there is no ventilation or windows. The teachers are buying fans so we can actually breath a bit!!

Please response to my letter.

Matt Churchill
Grade 9 Student
Leary's Brook Jr. High

The only reply to Matthew’s overcrowding e-mail was from Bob Ridgley, MHA for St. John’s North:

Matt,
Thank you for your e-mail regarding the overcrowding problem at your school, Leary's Brook Junior High. The problems that you describe regarding ventilation, crowded corridors, and storage room "classrooms" are very real and certainly do have a negative effect on the quality of education that you are able to receive. Many people are working hard to try to have the money approved in this year's budget so that the extension can proceed and the problems will be eliminated. I want to thank you for having made a contribution to that effort; I believe that each and every e-mail or phone call is valuable.

Bob Ridgley, M.H.A.
St. John's North