Tom Henihan
Express Staff
@SmokyRiverExprs
The entire school, teachers and students gathered in Routhier gym on the afternoon of June 29, the last day of school before summer holidays, to reminisce and give a thoughtful send off to Grade 6 students as they move on to G. P. Vanier and other schools in the fall.
School Principal, Diane Benoit, said she was pleased to have the opportunity to address everyone before the summer break.
She also took the opportunity to thank the parents for showing their trust in Routhier by allowing the school to care for their kids every day.
She attributed the success of the school and its students not only to the teachers but to the entire school staff that everyone involved jointly earns that trust.
“It isn’t just about the teachers but about the collective efforts of all the staff, from the librarian, teachers assistants, custodians, secretaries in the school who believe in is always doing what is best for the students, who see the kids as people, as individuals not numbers.”
Benoit talked about this last day of school being especially important for the Grade 6 students and their proud parents and she mentioned how the Grade 6s must now look around at the little kids and think that it is hard to believe that they themselves were ever that little.
“Well, get used to it because you will be thinking that for the rest of your lives,” she said, before concluding with a quote from the renowned children’s writer Dr. Seuss:
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”