Recipient:  Dave DeMarco              

School: Stewart Avenue Public School

Number of Years Teaching: 32 (this may be the year he retires)

Grade: 5

Dave loves being around kids and gets lots of energy from them.  He says that he “loves them to death”.  He believes that his job is to make them comfortable so they will share what they know and what they are experiencing.  He loves to see their growth over the school year. 

Dave uses lots of humour when he is teaching.  He loves to see the kids enjoying school and learning even though they are not aware it.  He sees the challenges and rewards of teaching as amazing.  He has learned to connect with kids and help flip on their “light bulbs”.  He also enjoys the feeling of being needed by the students and making a difference in their lives.   

Dave says, “I am helping them on their journey.  My class is one stop in their life’s journey.  While they are here, I want them to know that I care about them.”

Parents Robert and Laura, wrote this about Dave:
As I write, I have one teacher in mind, Mr. DeMarco and a particular student as well. 

In grade 4 this student sat at the principals or vp’s office for what seemed about 50% of the year.  He was known to most as having his “own chair” at the office.  What a joke huh?  Not for this student who is plagued by ADHD and ODD. 

This year in grade 5, he spent only two half days at the principal’s office and was only suspended twice.  What a huge improvement!

Why has he had such a great year?  It was that great teacher, who knew very well of this student’s reputation.  Mr. DeMarco showed respect to his student and received respect.  He showed patience, understanding, encouragement, praise and approval, not to mention extra time. 

This student learned to believe in himself.  He learned to work hare and then how to have fun with his teacher.  He learned inspiration, just by simple respect. He so desperately wanted to please his teacher and tried to be the best he could be, just for the security of knowing that he had his teacher’s approval and respect.  For the first time ever, school and his teacher was so important to him.

This student is my son.  My son learned far more than academics this year.  He learned a valuable life lesson on how to care so much about someone other that a family member and what it’s like to have the utmost respect and gratitude for someone who gave him ‘simple respect’ and his ‘dignity back’.