Best Wishes to Ms. Breaugh, Ms. Clayton, Mr. Klemensowicz, and Ms. Murphy on their Retirement!

Posted On Monday June 22, 2020
Ms. Breaugh
Ms. Breaugh

St. Mary wishes Congratulations to Ms.Breaugh, Ms. Clayton, Mr. Klemensowicz, and Ms. Murphy on their Retirement!

Ms. Breaugh has been a full-time teacher with the Durham Catholic District School Board since 1990 where she began and has spent her career teaching Health & Physical Education, Fitness and English at St. Mary CSS. 

Ms. Breaugh attended the University of Texas at Austin on a Track and Field Scholarship. She then returned to Canada where she earned her Bachelor of Education at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. In 1990Ms. Breaugh took on a permanent teaching position at St. Mary CSS. Erin has contributed so much to the Phys. Ed department. She has experience as Assistant Head of Phys. Ed and also as Acting Curriculum Chair of Phys. Ed. Her strength in leadership allowed her to initiate and develop both the Fitness and Yoga Programs at St. Mary to be highly successful. Ms. Breaugh has not only been a huge part of the Phys. Ed Department, but her expertise and knowledge has brought so much excellence to her athletes she has coached in track & field, volleyball and basketball and strengthened our athletics program overall. 

As a highly skilled athlete, Ms. Breaugh was a Member of the Canadian Commonwealth Games Track and Field Team in 1994, but her greatest accomplishment to date is being a mother to her beautiful daughter Kiera.

Our St. Mary Phys. Ed Department is losing such a vital part of our family, and we will all miss your quick wit and the sound of your laughter that filled our office. We thank you and wish you all the best in your future endeavors Ms. Breaugh. God Bless! 

 

Ms. Clayton has been an integral member of the St. Mary community for 19 years and we are sad to see her go. But we all understand that when it is time, it’s time.

Through her time at St. Mary, Ms. Clayton has committed herself to student’s learning through constant encouragement and being able to relate to students. Ms. Clayton is always able to foster mutually respectful connections with students, even those that seem impossible to reach. If you walk down the hall with Ms. Clayton, you will always notice how many students just want to get her attention to say hi. Evidence of a truly caring and wonderful educator.

We all will miss Ms. Clayton’s ability to maintain organization- even in crazy times! She always seems to be three steps ahead and nothing seems to get her down. Her classroom is always immaculate and a truly welcome environment for learning.

Probably the thing most staff will miss about Ms. Clayton is her friendly and approachable demeanor. She is always available to help or offer support whether it is an ear to listen or needing some advice. Over lunch time, you can always count on Ms. Clayton being available in the staff room for talks with anyone from long time colleagues to supply teachers on their first day. 

Ms. Clayton is a great friend, and as your friends, we wish you the absolute best in retirement with lots of opportunity for travel and time with family.

 

Mr. Klemensowicz has been a full-time teacher with the Durham Catholic District School Board since 1993 where he has spent his career teaching Health & Physical Education, Geography and Civics at St. Mary CSS. He became a teacher in 1986 after previously working for the Ontario Ministry of Health in Toronto, Ontario.

His teaching career began after receiving his Bachelor of Arts from York University, his Bachelor of Physical Education Degree from McMaster University and his Bachelor of Education from Queens University. He began supply teaching with the Metropolitan Separate School Board (now known as the TCDSB) and took a contract at Bishop Francis Marrocco Catholic Secondary School where he taught Geography & Science and coached Soccer. From here Mr. Klemensowicz decided to travel and moved across the world to teach at St. Patrick’s College; a private Catholic Boys School in Wellington, New Zealand where he taught and coached Rugby, Cross Country, Skiing and Track & Field for two years. His teaching career returned to Scarborough Board of Education where he taught as a supply teacher before taking on an LTO with the North York Board of Education. Then in 1993 Mr. Klemensowicz accepted a permanent teaching position at St. Mary CSS and made it home. Mr. Klemensowicz coached numerous sports including soccer, cross country, fastball track and field and in 2004 began both the junior and senior boys rugby program, which has been a huge success to this day.

Mr. Klemensowicz is happily married to Renata and extremely proud of his three adult daughters – Lydia, Kamila & Alina. He himself is a passionate and Competitive Rower, Active Runner, Cross Country Skier, Alpine Skier and Swimmer. He is also an Usher and Eucharistic Minister at his local parish.

The St. Mary Phys Ed Staff along with our entire St. Mary teaching staff, students and athletes are going to miss you. We wish you all the successes in the world Tom. God Bless!

 

Ms. Murphy has been a long time member of the Durham Catholic District School Board community.  At first her role was that of parent and volunteer, but in 2006 she joined St. Mary CSS, first as a teacher candidate and then for one semester as a math teacher. In her second semester, Ms. Murphy started teaching in the science department and has continued teaching science, biology and physics for the last fourteen years. Ms. Murphy has also given her time generously in the role of grade 9 coordinator in the department, organizing lab work and welcoming new grade 9 teachers with guidance and resources.

Outside of the classroom Ms. Murphy has contributed to the well-being of students as a long-time volunteer at breakfast club and science clinic and as teacher advisor for the Reach team.

Ms. Murphy has been a blessing to the science department at St. Mary CSS and will be sorely missed as she starts on her next adventure.