Copper Cliff Public School home to multiple generations

When junior kindergarten students Emma Chateauvert, Jennifer Dempsey, Lacey MacKinnon and Adria Waddell start classes at Copper Cliff Public School (CCPS) this week, they’ll continue something of a family legacy.

All four girls have at least one parent who attended school in Copper Cliff in the 1970s and 1980s. These parents — Cindy Chateauvert, Sean Dempsey, Debbie and Jamie MacKinnon, and Tammi Principi — were friends back in their school days, and still maintain those friendships.

A few of the students also have grandparents and great-grandparents who attended the community’s elementary school.

Sean Dempsey said his grandmother, Grace Moore, attended the school in the 1920s; his father, George Dempsey, attended in the 1940s and 50s; and he attended in the mid-1970s and early 1980s.

His daughter, four-year-old Jennifer, as well as his two older children, are the fourth generation of students from his family to attend the school.

“There’s been a lot of history and tradition,” he said. “The community seems to stick together. We’re seeing more and more second and third generation children attending (the school). The enrolment is up in Copper Cliff. It’s an excellent community school.”

Sean Dempsey said he started school when CCPS was located on School Street. When the high school in Copper Cliff closed in the early 1980s, the elementary school students were transferred to the high school building, located just down the road.

Dempsey said he has many fond memories of his elementary school years.

“We had a big (school) yard here in front,” he said. “It was the whole Copper Cliff park. We used to have a ‘super slide’ here. Of course, it isn’t here anymore. You could walk home. That was the thing. There’s not too many schools where students can walk to school. In Copper Cliff, that’s still possible.”

Dempsey said he liked many of his teachers, but especially remembers Sandy Hattie.

“With him, I liked his consistency,” he said. “He liked to be strict, but he was actually very kind. He was involved in sports. He helped with the basketball teams and the volleyball teams.”

This is also the first year that full day, every day junior kindergarten is being offered by the Rainbow District School Board. He said his daughter was due to start classes Sept. 8.

“Overall, I think (full day junior kindergarten) is a good thing,” he said. “Most children of that age are at full time daycare anyway because both parents are working.”

Cindy Chateauvert said her four-year-old daughter, Emma, is “very excited” to be attending the school because her two other sisters already go there.

She said her daughters are also fourth-generation Copper Cliff students. She added her favourite teacher was Sandy McDonald, a music teacher who passed away in the 1980s.

“She interacted with her students on a very, very personal level. She was wonderful.”

Chateauvert said she loves that many of her old classmates have children at the school. She said she made many lifelong friendships while attending CCPS, and hopes for the same for her daughters.

“Copper Cliff is a wonderful place to raise kids,” she said. “It’s not too busy. Your kids can ride their bikes down the street, and you’re not really worried.”

Debbie MacKinnon and her husband, Jamie MacKinnon, both attended the school. Their children, including Lacey, who turns four this month, are continuing the family tradition.

“I think it’s something that’s very important,” she said.

“I’m friends with a lot of the parents of the kids that are going to be in Lacey’s class. We’ve developed the friendships throughout the years. It’s nice to see our kids are going to have strong friendships that are going to hopefully last a lifetime.”

Tammi Principi, mother of four-year-old Adria, said she also values the friendships from her elementary school days.

“I hope my little girl does the same.”

The new principal at Copper Cliff Public School, Chris Bourre, said he thinks it’s “neat” his students have so much history at their school.

“I think it just builds excitement for the students who are new and coming in.”