Martha Whelton and Catherine Dahmer Woods

Martha Whelton and Catherine Dahmer Woods
Posted on 11/20/2020
Celebrating Staff Logo
Every week we celebrate SMCDSB staff members who have been recognized by a parent, student or colleague.
This week we are celebrating Martha Whelton, and Catherine Dahmer Woods.
Martha is a teacher and chaplain at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School. She was nominated by a colleague, who said:
Martha went way out of her comfort zone this year in support of theMartha Whelton boys basketball program at STA. She came to the rescue as the team needed a staff representative in support of our community coach, Bob Hinde. The surprising thing is that she has really gotten into it. She can be heard chastising the boys, as only a chaplain would, about any lapses on defense. Martha, it will never be forgotten how you truly stepped up and saved the season. Thank you on behalf of the junior team and the rest of the athletic community at STA.”
We would like to thank Martha for her commitment to Catholic education at our board.
Catherine is a teacher at St. Marie of the Incarnation Catholic School. She was nominated by a parent, who said:
Catherine Dahmer WoodsI would like you to celebrate a SMCDSB staff member Mrs. Catherine Wood of St Marie of the Incarnation Catholic School. Mrs. Wood is my daughter's 6th grade teacher and in October my daughter had to have an emergency appendectomy. Mrs. Wood was very helpful when we went in after the surgery to get her the class work she would need for the 2 weeks while she recovered. 
Well things took a turn for the worse for my daughter. She developed an abscess which is a sack of infection basically at the location where the appendix was removed. Once Mrs. Wood found out this information from my son who is in Grade 7, she immediately contacted me with her concern for my daughter. Charly spent the next 5 days in the hospital and had to get a tube inserted into her abdomen to drain the infection. She had this bag and tube in place for almost a full 3 weeks. 
During her stay at the hospital Mrs. Wood kept in close contact with me and my daughter and even offered Facetime during circle with Charly for her to have a chance to see and tell the class about how she was doing. Charly was so very excited and was 100% willing. To be honest that was some of the best time she had in the hospital and loved to share a little of her experience with the class. I also feel it was very important for the class to see her to make them feel like she was ok, even though she was in really rough shape at the time she looked good. This kind thought and gesture gave Charly something to look forward to in the mornings while in the hospital. 
I even remember how much support Mrs. Wood was for me, I found myself spilling my heart, fears and feelings to her. She was my rock, for real she was my ROCK. I feel she had our family in her heart and prayers. 
The time after Charly left the hospital and was at home still with the tube and bag draining her infection we were able to come to the class with Mrs. Wood’s support for a little visit and circle time. My daughter was over the moon. With Mrs. Wood’s constant support through my daughter's time at home recovering to the day she got the tube out and it was all clear she was one if not the first person I would inform of her progress. 
Once my daughter returned to school I knew in my heart that Mrs. Wood would have her back and she completely understood exactly what Charly has been through because she was with us every single step of the way. It made me unbelievably comfortable leaving my daughter at school even though she was really weak and still could spike a fever with the high possibility the infection could return. 
To me I felt and still feel like Mrs. Wood is family. She has a special piece in my heart forever and I know she has a special place in my daughter's heart forever. Words could never describe or truly express the incredible human being she is.

We would like to thank Catherine for her commitment to Catholic education at our board.