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Wednesday, November 3, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER B3 -> West Wind School By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR here is new life for Ellis House, a form er group home on Lakeshore Road near Appleby College. The building at 451 Lakeshore Rd., has been transformed, inside and out, into West Wind Montessori School. The driving force behind this new venture is Gord Phippen, former princi pal of Dearcroft Montessori School. However, he continues to have a close association with that school, owned and operated by his parents Peter and Barbara Phippen. He taught at Dearcroft for 10 years, the last seven as principal. "Dearcroft was started in my par ent's home on Suffolk Avenue in 1968, not far from West Wind," said Phippen, adding "I grew up in this area, it's like coming full circle." Dearcroft moved to its present Lakeshore Road East loca tion on 1976. Phippen purchased the former threestory Ellis House from Community Living Oakville last spring. "One thing I plan to do is explain to the kids about Ellis House, what its pur Photo by Barrie Erskine pose was in housing mentally handi West Wind Montessori School opened Monday at the former Ellis House group home. The building has been com capped adults," he said, noting the pletely gutted as renovations continue. However, the main classroom is done. Shown at front at principal Gord group home setting is no longer rele Phippen, teacher Lynda Phippen, and student Darren Quan, 9. At back from left are students Alex Wilson, 11; vant now that its former residents are Spencer Sgro, 9; Jake Shannon, 9; Stephen Job, 10; Lesley-Anne Brown, 10; and Meghan Grieve, 10. living in smaller group settings and individually in the community. caps and backpacks. artist Tom Thomson, (1877-1917) a six weeks later than initially planned, West Wind will serve as an exten "It will be a small intimate school. I Group of Seven contemporary," says was the culmination of " 160 days of sion o f the educational program s want to instill a warm homey feeling, Phippen. "His most famous canvas was magic. We were able to get a six-month offered at Dearcroft, which now oper with room to grow . . . a place to instill The West Wind." In this painting, project done in four months." ates as a Kindergarten to Grade 3 confidence in children, and expand the humanity's struggle with nature is sym The exterior of the building has school. Previously, Dearcroft went to learning beyond the walls of the bolized by a lone pine tree bent fiercely received a new roof, new front step Grade 6. school." Phippen describes his against a gale wind. with stone walkway lined with stones, "With the addition of West Wind, approach as "experimental education." The focus of West Wind's curricu shrubs and flowers, and a parking area. we've been able to add two grades," lum will be Canadian history, culture, The one-acre property has been given a says Phippen, who expects to eventual est Wind opened Monday and geography. major clean-up, "something which is ly enrol 80 to 100 students in Grades 4 with 32 students, all of them "Our curriculum will reflect making the neighbours happy." Future to 8. transferred from Dearcroft, Canadian culture and heritage. I feel plans include an outdoor amphitheatre leaving that school with about 160 chil The school uniform can be there is a real lack of emphasis on to be built in the hollow of land at the described as `casual smart' - white golf dren. Canadian studies within Canada." He north end of the building. He also envi shirts and turtle necks, light blue "Dearcroft was full and didn't have also plans to continue his cross-Canada sions benches under the white pines, Oxford style shirts, and blue and green room for expansion," said Phippen, trips for small groups of senior stu the school's symbolic tree, on the sweatshirts and sweat pants - all bear explaining why he established West dents, a program he started offering at school yard. ing the school crest, plus khaki pants Wind. Dearcroft three years ago. "As a small school, w e'll be able to from The Gap, and optional baseball "The name West Wind is inspired by The opening of the school, although take advantage of the natural surround T ings of this property," said Phippen, "We've kept most of the trees on this property. We want to emphasize our natural setting." The interior renovations of the 10,000 sq. ft. building include new washrooms, a kitchen for life skills learning, and open-concept classrooms with teaching areas similar to Dearcroft. P W hippen spent most of the summer supervising and working on the project with local contractor, designer and artist Bill Stone. Oth key players in the renovation project, among the 60 to 80 tradesmen who worked at the site, are Steve Russell and Dave Anderson. Work continues at the school, however the main class room is completed, save for a 125-gal lon fish tank to be stocked with fresh water tropical fish. "For most of us, renovating this old building has been a labour of love, myself included," says Phippen, who found that doing his share of the con struction work was "a real learning experience." Phippen attributes the development of West Wind to his wife Lynda, who has taught at Dearcroft for 15 years and will be transferring to the new school. West Wind will have seven teachers including the Phippens, and an eighth will join the staff after Christmas. With the opening of West Wind delayed, the teachers took the students on three dif ferent hiking trips along the Bruce Trail, covering 25 kilometres. The stu dents were also taken to the McMichael Gallery. His close ties with Dearcroft will mean the two schools can share trans portation. "Parents can drop their kids off at Dearcroft and we'll take them in our new 20-seat shuttle bus to West Wind." The bus was purchased from Laidlaw and refurbished by Claude Brown. An Open House will be held at West Wind on Thursday, Nov. 4th, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. For information, call the school at 849-9463. * Tom kinsfamily dedicateswindowat Knox By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR A beautiful stained glass window was dedicated on Sunday Oct 24th at Knox Presbyterian Church in memory of Kenneth Bruce Tomkins, 1953-1986. The window is titled C hrist's Healing. It was donated by his par ents, Harry and Elma Tomkins and their two remaining sons, Ross and Stephen. "We're a very close fami ly," explains Ross Tomkins, a member of the Knox choir. "And, we've been attending Knox Presbyterian Church since 1926. We have quite a bit of affection for this church." Bruce, middle of three sons, had died suddenly. "All of us were bom in Oakville, all of us were bap tized at Knox, and all of us got married in this church," said Ross, the oldest. (Ross married a daughter of former pastor, Rev. R. G. MacMillan in 1970.) The family had discussed installing a window at the church for about a year. "We wanted to do some thing in memory of Bruce," said Ross. "The window two win dows down is dedicated in my great grandmother, Catherine Rae." It was dedi cated in 1973. "Knox Presbyterian is part of our lives," he con cluded. The window was created by Robert McCausland Ltd., the oldest glass studio in North America. Imported English and German glass was used to create the window. The Toronto company has been designing and pro ducing stained glass win dows in Canada and the United States for over 140 years. It has designed and created stained glass win dows for over two-thirds of all Canadian churches. Their first commission for Knox was in 1945. Since then, about a dozen windows at the church have come from Robert McCausland Ltd. Acupuncture Lynne C. Ganong, B.Math, D.Ac. ARE YOU IN PAIN? Lym e C. Ganong Great Hymns of Faith at Hopedale Presbyterian Great Hymns o f Faith - A Hymn Festival will be pre sented by Hopedale Presbyterian Church, 156 Third Line, on Sunday, Nov. 7th. The hymn festival, starting at 7 p.m., will be directed by Tim Gilbert, organist and choir director o f St. Paul's Church, Stratford. It will be an ecumenical presentation featuring the com bined choirs with organ and brass accompaniment. Light refreshments will be served afterwards, and a free-will offering will be collected. For more information, call 287-1571. DO YOU SUFFER FROM HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT WONT GOA W A Y ? Come to a FREE Acupuncture Clinic on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12/99 Receive a FREE Acupuncture Treatment. Learn about Acupuncture and how it can help YOU. Call today to reserve an appointment HEIXEN NATUROPATHIC & WELLNESS CENTRE 461 North Service Rd. W. #B27 (between Dorval &4th Line) Photo by Peter C. McCusker Stephen and Ross Tomkins join their parents Harry and Elma Tomkins in dedicating a church window at Knox Presbyterian Church to a son and brother, Kenneth Bruce Tomkins. Rev. Harry M cW illiams performed the dedication service Sunday. Shown at front is Katherine Tomkins. (905) 465-0191 w w w .n a tu r o p a th ic .c a B E C O M E A C A D E T IN S T R U C T O R ! O N E O F THE M O S T R EW A R D IN G EXPERIENCES Y O U 'LL EVER HAVE. No previous military training necessary. The Cadet Instructors Program. 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