The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Many Faces Education Centre employs a different approach to learning compared to traditional high schools. And in keeping with the institute's distinctiveness, not one but two principals will lead the way this coming school year. Betty Bortis and Kathleen Woodward look forward to sharing the post, though acknowledge it won't be easy filling the shoes of their predecessor, Jane Dupre. "We certainly want to continue to be supportive of the students and help them be successful," says Woodward, who spent two years in the mid-1990s as the lone principal. "I think for at least this year, it will basically be the same as before, maybe with a few small changes," notes Bortis, who joined the school in 2002. "It's working the way it's going now." The women spent last year as full-time teachers at Many Faces and had no real designs on stepping up the ladder to administration. "The students, when they knew Jane was going, they were all saying, 'Please do it, please do it,'" recalls Bortis. "I didn't really want to because I enjoy teaching." She and Woodward took the job, however, because a shared position would allow them to continue to teach half-time. The co-principals, like the students, praise the school for its close-knit atmosphere, something that also played a role in their accepting the position. "I love the atmosphere, the mutual respect between students and staff," says Woodward. "I taught lower grades, and lot of time was spent trying to get the kids on task," adds Bortis. "Here, the students are here because they want to be here and you get very, very few discipline problems." In the future, Woodward says she hopes to focus more attention on work-placement and trade-related courses. She and Bortis will welcome two new staff members this year: Maureen Reagan, who is transferring from Ruth Betts School, and Craig McIntosh from Hapnot Collegiate. Woodward, who was with Many Faces when it was established in 1992, notes that the school has grown significantly since the early days. "When we first started, we had a list of 24 students," said recalls, adding that this year's enrollment will be in the 150 range.
