Bob Brooks, for whom the award for excellence in community relations was formerly named, believed very strongly in the excellence of public schools. He also believed in sharing these beliefs with others. Between 1961, when he arrived from Great Britain to teach history at Toronto’s Central Technical School and December 21, 1977. When he died at age 39, Bob was a teacher or administrator at four Toronto schools: Central Tech, Brockton High School, Humberside Collegiate Institute and Malvern Collegiate Institute. In each case, he had a genius for enthusing others around him — the students, fellow teachers and parents.
During his term as Vice-Principal at Humberside CI, he was faced with the question of attracting parents and community to a weekend mosaic being held at the school. No Problem! Bob installed a searchlight that could be seen two miles away — and more than 10,000 people passed through Humberside between Friday afternoon and Saturday night of that weekend. No wonder that his students told their parents they were in one of the best schools in the country. And the parents told their friends and neighbours.
Bob was just as involved in his professional organization, OSSTF/FEESO, as he was in everything else in his life. He was also a Sunday school teacher and lay preacher. Bob wore many different Federation hats including Chief Negotiator and District President. But his first love was communications. He served on the OSSTF/FEESO Public Relations Board and was a founding member of the provincial Communications Committee, which replaced the PR Board in 1972.
Submitting a Nomination
The deadline for nominations is April 15 and must be submitted through our online Nomination Form, fax to 416-751-7079 or by mail to:
Tracey Marshall
Communications and Political Action Department
60 Mobile Dr
Toronto, ON M4A 2P3
The online form features file upload capability. You may submit attachments no larger than 20 MB. Each file should be no more than 3 MB. If you submit your online form with attachments over 20 MB, you will arrive at a Page Not Found error. If your attachments are large, we recommend you email them to Tracey.Marshall@osstf.ca or mail them to Tracey Marshall.
Guidelines
Criteria
The OSSTF/FEESO Excellence in Community Relations Award is presented for excellence in school community relations. The award may be bestowed, once in a career, upon an individual OSSTF/FEESO member, a staff or a Federation group. Nominations are encouraged from school staff, parent or community groups, student councils or individuals.
Disclaimer
The Provincial Executive will determine which, if any, applicant will receive the award based on the established criteria. The Provincial Executive reserves the right not to grant the award in any given year.
Nominations
Who may propose? |
Any active Bargaining Unit Member in OSSTF/FEESO. |
Who is eligible? |
All active members of OSSTF/FEESO in good standing. |
What is required? |
Provide concrete examples to support the nomination. No more than 15 pages of supporting documents. No videos. |
Where will the presentation occur? |
May/June Provincial Council |
How will winner be notified? |
The secretariat member attached to the award will make contact with the nominator prior to the award ceremony to get winner’s contact information. Only winning entries will be contacted. |
Publicity |
OSSTF/FEESO will publicize the contributions of the award winner in its publications. |
Previous Winners
1979 |
Terry Clifford |
D 04 London |
1980 |
Eugene Tenus |
D 15 Toronto |
1981 |
Staff of Loyalist CVI |
D 20 Frontenac |
1982 |
Fred Burford |
D 13 North York |
1983 |
Murray Juffs |
D 23 Grey |
1984 |
After Four Community Cable |
D 05 Brant Bruce Strong |
1985 |
Danforth Technical School |
D 15 Toronto |
1986 |
Brockton High School |
D 15 Toronto |
1987 |
Michael Schertzer |
D 05 Brant |
1988 |
Robert Asselstine |
D 35 Elgin |
1989 |
Robert McCarthy |
D 03 Lambton |
1990 |
Margaret Davey |
D 02 Kent |
1991 |
Roger Langen |
D 14 City of York |
1992 |
Students / Staff of Clarkson SS |
D 10 Peel |
1993 |
Joseph Drago |
D 31 Sudbury |
1994 |
William Dickie |
D 21 Seaway |
1995 |
Vera Taylor |
D 16 Scarborough |
1996 |
Thomas Davis |
D 18 Peterborough |
1997 |
Garry Gauthier |
D 43 Carleton |
1998 |
Maxine Lane |
D 08 Hamilton |
1999 |
Leonard Skye |
D 5A Northern Shield |
2000 |
Ray Pidzamecky / Penny Smith |
D 20 Halton |
2001 |
No award bestowed |
|
2002 |
Dave Babbitt |
D 10 Lambton Kent |
2003 |
Bonnie Blunt |
D 23 Grand Erie |
2004 |
Norma Rookwood |
D 21 Hamilton-Wentworth |
2005 |
Bruce Davidson |
D 10 Lambton Kent |
2006 |
Janie Kelly |
D 14 Kawartha Pine Ridge |
2007 |
Betty Finley |
D 23 Grand Erie |
2008 |
No award bestowed |
|
2009 |
No award bestowed |
|
2010 |
David Sheridan |
D 26 Upper Canada |
2011 |
Brad Thomas |
D 16 York Region |
2012 |
No award bestowed |
|
2013 |
Michael Wright |
|
2014 |
Paul Found |
D 14 Kawartha Pine Ridge |
2015 |
No award bestowed |
|
2016 |
D 29 Hastings Prince Edward |
|
2017 |
No award bestowed |
|
2018 |
Nicole Swain |
D 13 Durham |
2019 |
No award bestowed |
|
2020 |
No award bestowed |
|
2021 |
No award bestowed |
|
2022 |
No award bestowed |
|
2023 |
No award bestowed |
|
2024 |
Afshin Keyvani |
D 22 Niagara |