News Updates !
Believe it or not, the last WHS Alumni 'Annual' Reunion Dinner was held on Thursday, May 17th 2012, atWestmount High School on St. Catherine Street, West of Clark. So we are certainly due !
The AGM was from 5:30 to 6:00pm followed by a cash bar then Dinner at 7:00pm.
Our Honoured Guest was Britain's Lord Gordon Wasserman, WHS class of '55.
While those present enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner, Gordon spoke to the WHS alumni, including many of his classmates from the class of '55, the staff and the student Prefects. His comments were made informally and humourously about his many happy experiences while attending the 'old' WHS on Cote St. Antoine Road.
While he spoke, he held his well used 1955 Vox Ducum closely at hand, often referring to it as he leafed through pictures of events, staff and fellow classmates all of which he remember, fondly.
He also spoke directly to the student Prefects, with whom he quickly established a friendly relationship as is evident in several of these pictures, advising them about their future career choices, etc..
Before closing, Gordon welcomed questions which were many, and seemed to center primarily around his exciting career and his decision to accept a position in the British House of Lords.
In conclusion, following a standing ovation, Alumni President Jeremy Lapin thanked Gord for his entertaining and inspiring comments and presented him with a gift of our appreciation.
President's Report: by Jeremy Lapin
2012 was a truly pivotal year for WHOBA the Westmount High School Alumni.
Through the hard work of your board, we have successfully established a separate Scholarship Trust Fund for WHOBA and transferred all funds to it under the professional management of Rempart Asset Management.
I cannot underscore the importance of this development as it achieves two critical objectives of strategic importance necessary to the ongoing functioning of the Association. Firstly, it enables us to segregate monies donated for the purpose of Scholarship funding. Secondly, it provides greater oversight for management of funds both acquired and through the appreciation of assets under professional management.
The move to establishing an official trust fund is key to our objective of growing our fund from approximately $25,000 this year to $250,000 by May 2016. Certainly an ambitious goal, but one that we feel is achievable so long as the right structure is in place and the right people are on the board.
What we now need to focus on is building our board to capture the Lost Grads those from the mid-1970s 2010. We have a gap of 35 years and this gap is likely the result of WHOBA being stuck in a time capsule. For WHOBA to be relevant and of interest to the younger grads necessary to its future and the schools, we need to change the way we operate. In essence, we need a new brand and a new identity to resonate with todays grads and those of the last 35 years.
The key to building the leadership team for WHOBA is engagement with the broadest cross-section of the Westmount High School community. This means attracting the involvement of those grads from the lost years; it means strengthening the partnership we have with the grads from the earlier years who have put us in the enviable position we find ourselves in today.
Finally, it means that our Association must bring on board, as full partners, our most recently minted members. The grads from the classes of the last few years have boundless energy and ideas that must be made integral to our plans in the coming years.
It is imperative to remember that though our membership is made up of past grads, the real focus is the life of todays and tomorrows students: the future grads of WHS, the leaders of our world tomorrow and onward.
This ability to give back is a responsibility we all have, and a responsibility that tomorrows grads will have as well. The message of the Association is one of continuity and partnership. Lets embrace this message; lets work toward an ever- improving future, and further develop a community whose history is one of strength and vision.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Lapin class of 81
President WHOBA - the WHS Alumni Association.
Typical Remembrance Day at Westmount High November 11, 2011 !
It is a tradition that never loses its significance or impact. The 2011 proceedings outlined here were no exception and were very reflective of ones held each year at the School with the grade 11 students.!
Opening remarks and introductions were made in 2011 by WHS Principal, Michael Cristofaro, followed by WHOBA President, Jeremy Lapin who reflected on the life of WHS student Fred Fisher, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country in the second World War.
Special guests last year included EMSB Commissioner, Ginette Sauve-Frankel and Lieutenant (NAVY) Robert Taylor, Executive Officer, HMCS Donnacona who listened as the grade 11 students recited the names of the 58 WHS students killed in WWI and the 141 killed in WWII.
At 11 oclock a moment of silence was observed as always. This was followed by the reciting of In Flanders Fields by some Alumni to be announced. Last year it was led by President Emeritus, Richard Lord.
The students then gathered in the Auditorium for some refreshments and a chance to speak with the WHOBA board members in attendance.
A copy of the names of those who gave their lives in both Wars is posted in the files section on the Yahoo WHOBAsitealong with a copy of the program for this years ceremony. We will never forget !
Principals Report by Michael Cristofaro
Just a few minutes before writing this report in 2011, I completed the schools annual Enrolment Report, which is basically a forecast of the number of students expected for 2012 and the associated resources that are requested for them.
I am happy to report that our projected enrolment for 2012 was 840 students. Westmount High is alive and well and continues to grow not only in population but in its reputation as one of the finest public schools in the city.
Our academic success is a respectable one with over 80% of students achieving a High School Diploma by the end of their 5 years spent with us.
Of that 80% the great majority of them move on to CEGEP or other university bound paths. The generous donations made by the Alumni through scholarships allow a number of them to better cope with the rising cost of attending post-secondary institutions. Given the average price of a text book these days is well over $100.00 those scholarships truly help each deserving student tremendously. Your past and future generosity is well appreciated.
I would like to share with you the types of activities that our students participate in both within and outside the walls of the school that are not only important to the social development of adolescents but also provide important lessons in good citizenship and caring for our global environment.
Athletics are very much a significant component in extracurricular activities with dozens of teams in different sports with 100s of students participating. Basketball, softball, badminton, volleyball, soccer (indoor and outdoor), rugby, swimming, and curling are to name a few. A highlight of our athletics program was the creation or more accurately the complete renovation of a fitness center, which had been neglected for many years. Students, teachers and even the principal participated in cleaning, plastering and painting, as well as acquiring donations of sports equipment and using Alumni donation funds to purchase other needed equipment. Both staff and students now use the room to improve their fitness levels.
For students looking for something outside of athletics the school offers, afterschool activities in fine arts, music, drama and woodwork to again name but a few.
Westmount High School not only provides the required academic courses to all of its students but innovative and unique courses as well. A few examples are Mandarin Chinese, Art Expression through Wood, Community Leadership and a new course called ECHO (Ecological Choice, Health and Outdoors) that will focus on a healthy lifestyle through exploration of human impact on the environment, healthy cooking and outdoor physical activities. Add our College Board Advanced Placement Program in numerous subject areas and Westmount High school continues to provide challenges for all its students. Student Government, Leadership and the Prefect Board all contribute to student life and school spirit with high student participation in all the activities they organize and assist in.
This year our high light events included a Graduation Ceremony in October where over 140 students graduated with an impressive number of awards and scholarships thanks to generous benefactors such as WHOBA.
In November we remembered our fallen alumni of two World Wars in a moving and dignified ceremony where the Alumni again took an active role for which we are grateful.
In December our annual Family Holiday Breakfast served to over 1200 people from all walks of our school community.
In January we focused on our mid-year exams with teachers and students all giving their utmost to see that success in the course of study was first and foremost.
February allowed us to enjoy Carnival with our first Snowtastic Event where the day was filled with wacky outdoor and indoor activities.
March saw winter camp for grade seven and in April both a New York and Europe trip have been planned. So as you can see Westmount High is a busy place on many levels.
In closing I wish to thank the Alumni for their new initiatives in supporting the Schools Scholarships for generations to come as well as to all who generously give to the Principals Discretionary Fund. This fund, in recent years, has allowed students who would be hard pressed to participate in school trips to do so. It is always a moving moment when I contact a parent and offer to subsidize a Europe trip for example and there is a long silence at the other end of the line followed by You have no idea how happy you have made my daughter or son. When they ask how this is possible I always take great pride in saying that the Alumni, graduates of the school have made it possible. The greatest thrill of course is telling the student. I have had them scream for joy as well as cry as they realize what they only dreamed of doing will be reality. On there behalf I say thank you.
Being part of Westmount High Schools continues to be the highlight of my career in education and I look forward to many more years as its principal.
Thank you all for your continued support of our school, its heritage and most importantly our students.
Sincerely,
Michael Cristofaro
Principal, Westmount High School
We are currently seeking volunteer Class Reps:
Back to our Alumni Recruiting Program :
We are actively looking for volunteer class reps (Male and Female) to become members of a Committee to explore ways of boosting participation among grads of the last 45 years from 1970 through 2015. You are key to the future of the WHS Alumni Association !
So if you graduated between 1970 and 2015 PLEASEcontact a member of the WHOBA Board of Directors for more information on joining us in this regard.It is free and no sales person will call or email you ;-)
Just go to the "contact Us' page on the web site and leave us a message to let us know what year you graduated, that you are interested in becoming your class representative or contact anyone of the following Board members:
2012/13 WHOBA Officers and Directors:
President Jeremy Lapin, jeremy.lapin@hotmail.com
Past Pres. Steve Brewer, stevecbrewer@yahoo.com, 416-949-7501
Vice Pres.vacant
Treasurer - Steve Brewer (temp)
secretary - Joseph Pleet, joepp1979@hotmail.com, 514-690-4082
Director - Membership vacant
Director - Web site Steve Brewer
Director - Mike Cristofaro
Director - Vic Pare
Director - Debbie Macdonald deadites1@hotmail.com
Director - Newsletter Sebastian Macdougall, smacdoug@sympatico.ca,514-956-1850
Director - John Bishop
Director - Ed Kalil
Director - Ed Strange
NB - As you can see, we are also looking for members for the Board of Directors and would really appreciate your volunteering.
If you are a WHS alumni and feel like 'giving back',please contact any one of us or send us an email c/o the web site at steve@whoba.com
WHOBA -the Westmount High School Alumni Assoc.goes back a long way !
We were established in June , 1936, for the benefit of all male alumni of Westmount High School andwere known as The Westmount High Old Boys Association or WHOBA,for most of the 20th century.
At it's 2002 Annual General Meeting, WHOBA made a 'sea change' in it's name to WHOBA - the Westmount High School Alumni Association and at the same time officially declare it's activities, benefits and membership to be free of charge and available to ALL male and ALL female WHS past students, teachers and staff.
In addition to this web site, you can contact us on Facebook AND be sure to drop in on our YAHOO ! Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/westmounthighmontreal/
