The school-community connection is of great importance to Churchill and relates to our tenet of family and community involvement.  Oftentimes, you'll see Churchillians out in the community or see community members visiting the school.

During the spring of 2020 when we all had to stay home,  Churchill staff found engaging opportunities to build a sense of community and to help students access the wealth of knowledge in the outside world.

Over several weeks, teacher Ray Kalynuk organized whole-school Virtual Meets with a range of guest speakers. Students got to meet with

• • Ottawa Olympian (and former Churchillian) Michael Tayler

  • NHL player Kyle Turris

  • Ottawa Councillor Jeff Leiper 

  • American Airlines Pilot Andrew Engelke 

  • Canadian musician and artist Jeremy Fisher 

  • Renown marine scientist Marne 

Students thoroughly enjoyed these unique opportunities and got a better understanding of a range of concepts in science and social studies.  It also was a welcome connection to the outside community during a difficult time.

Thank you Ray, and other Churchill staff including Yuri Cho and Heather Earl for making this happen!

Published: 2020, updated 2023 

Tags: experiential learning, Family & community-centred school environment