Kelly Lewis was born and raised on a beef farm in Russell ON, with her mother, father and younger brother. Here the family raised Fullblood Simmental Cattle, while both of her parents worked at the NRC – National Research Council of Canada. On the farm, she learned a great deal about agriculture and giving back to the community.  As a member of the Junior Farmers, the 4-H Club, and the Young Canadian Simmental Association she learned quickly what it meant to be a part of a team and to be focused on an interest.

Since knee-high to a grasshopper, she always aspired to be a teacher. At the early age of 6, she sat upon her Grandfathers lap, looked him square in his kind, blue eyes, and told him straight up that someday she would be a teacher. Determined, she would do just that!

After a successful high school career at Osgoode Township High School, she was off to Carleton University for an Honours Degree in Sociology with a minor in English Literature. With a love for learning and working with others, Kelly then followed her personal learning path to the University of Ottawa for a Bachelor of Education.

Today, in her eighteenth year of teaching, Kelly continues to enhance her love of learning. With additional qualifications in Special Education, Reading, and having just completed a Specialist program in Physical Education from the University of Ottawa, and a Special Education Specialist from Queen’s University, she plans to continue taking additional qualification courses to widen her wealth of knowledge. This Summer, she also successfully completed her Principal’s Qualifications Course through York University.

In school, Kelly plays an active, lead role as the Primary team leader as well as sits on the Wellness Team, WITS, and LEADS planning committees. She also founded, introduced, and implemented the Peer Tutoring Program at WEJ, which will now be in its 8th successful year.

Eleven years ago, Kelly and her husband Brady gave birth to a sweet little girl named Ally. She is the light of their life. Besides spending as much time as possible with her family, walking her 4 pound Pomeranian “Lily” and Purebred Teacup Chihuahua “Roxy”, reading, photography, cooking, and country music are other keen interests of hers. Ally is a Cheer Sport Shark Cheerleader and is an avid member of the 4-H program, too!

To Kelly, education is best represented as the set of organized activities and objectives that transmit skills, knowledge, and values.  She strongly insists that education is a vital part of our social existence.  She believes that schooling of any sort and at any age, helps us form our personalities as well as our life choices and chances.  Education to her, is essentially something that can never lose its value. With all of this said and true, it encourages her to be the very best teacher that she can possibly be … every day.

Five Fast Facts About Ms. Lewis

1. She has been at WEJ for 18 years, 15 years in Grade 3!

2. Her favourite season is Fall.

3. Her first formal, paying job at the age of 12 was driving the tractor and wagon to take customers out to the fields to pick strawberries at a berry farm.

4. She is back in University doing her courses to be a Principal – she is half done!

5. She just moved to Carp three years ago.