Every week, we celebrate SMCDSB staff members whom a parent, student, or colleague recognizes.
This week, we celebrate Trevor Carter, a St. Joseph‘s
Catholic High School teacher. Trevor was nominated by a parent who said:
“I am writing as a parent, with children currently attending St. Joseph’s High School, to recommend Mr. Carter for the Teaching Excellence Award wholeheartedly. Mr. Carter has had an extraordinary and lasting impact on our children’s education. Our son and daughter have both benefited immensely from his teaching, and we can think of no one more deserving of this recognition.
What truly sets Mr. Carter apart as an educator is his unparalleled ability to make history come alive for his students. Our daughter has developed a newfound passion for history under his guidance. Every day after school, she eagerly recounts the lessons she’s learned, as she tells us about the historical figures, events, and stories Mr. Carter brought to life in the classroom. These aren’t just dry facts and dates to her—they are vivid stories she can’t wait to share, filled with passion and intrigue. Mr. Carter's gift is his ability to take even the least interesting historical facts and transform them into engaging, memorable narratives.
One of the most remarkable outcomes of Mr. Carter’s teaching is the way he has inspired our children to engage with history beyond the classroom. Dinner conversations in our household are now often filled with animated discussions about historical events and debates about their relevance to today’s world. It’s not unusual for our children to enthusiastically share fun and fascinating stories about Mr. Carter’s lessons, including his creative anecdotes and the lively ways he presents complex topics. His teaching has sparked a genuine love for the subject, motivating them to explore additional history courses and deepen their understanding of the past.
It is rare to find a teacher who can inspire such enthusiasm, curiosity, and thoughtful discussion. Mr. Carter has not only educated our children but also enriched their lives and ours in ways that will have a lasting impact. He is an exceptional educator who goes above and beyond to foster a love of learning and critical thinking in his students.”
This week, we also celebrate Lisa Montevirgen, a St. Angela Merici Catholic School teacher. Lisa was nominated by a parent who said:
“I wanted to take this opportunity to write about all the wonderful things that I think embody a top-notch teacher, and I think Mrs. Montevirgen fits into this category.
Firstly, my daughter is very studious and bright, so upon her journey through Grade 6, I started to see changes in her. Physical ones of course, but I noticed she was behaving differently and I just blamed it on hormones. But as the year went on, her marks were dropping, her mood changed and she was almost giving up on herself. There were several mornings when she refused to go to school. This was not like her! Upon completion of Grade 6, I had to reach out and get tutoring for her during the summer to help her with her math, which went from A’s to C’s by the end of Grade 6! This helped her self-esteem and made her a bit more confident. Now I was worried, as any parent would be, how Grade 7 was going to go, but I did not let her see this. I kept encouraging and tried to make her excited for the next grade. So, upon learning that Mrs. Montevirgen was her teacher, I was thrilled as I heard very good things about her from others.
Mrs. Montevirgen is the type of teacher that I wish every child in every grade had! She is remarkable at her job! She is passionate about teaching and truly wants the students to succeed. She gives chances, she is caring and from what I can see, she puts her whole self into her job! She stays connected with parents through emails and lets us know what is going on throughout the year. Mrs. Montevirgen has encouraged my daughter to try things she might not have before, which has skyrocketed her confidence! My daughter is like she was before Grade 6! She has come out of her shell and only because Mrs. Montevirgen has put her time towards helping her do this! She makes herself available before and after school or during recess, which I do not see other teachers doing.
My intention in writing this letter was to highlight the wonderful teacher that Mrs. Montevirgen is and to make sure that it does not go unnoticed! She should be applauded for her excellence, acknowledged for her love of teaching, and rewarded for her caring, loving approach to her students! She is truly one-of-a-kind, and I am so glad that she has changed my daughter’s life for the better!”
We thank Trevor and Lisa for their commitment to Catholic education at our board.