by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION (Westmeath) — The community hall at the Westmeath Arena was the place to be Wednesday evening as Our Lady of Grace Catholic School hosted its annual spaghetti supper for the community.
Walking around, helping out when he could, T. J. O’Grady was surprised and happy to see so many people attend the event.
“This is our first community fundraiser (of the year),” said Mr. O’Grady, the acting principal at OLG. “I’m very happy with the turnout. It’s nice to see all the smiling faces. It’s wonderful to see the community come out and enjoy supper.
“I knew it was a community supper, but I didn’t realize that it was almost an expectation that this happens and it’s tradition,” he said. “People have been telling me all evening that it’s tradition to come, so I’m happy that we could continue.”
This is Mr. O’Grady’s first position as a principal. He is acting principal because there are other principals who could take over the position if they were in the area, he explained.
He began his teaching career at St. Mary’s in Deep River and St. Anthony’s in Chalk River with the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board. Over the next few years, he taught music and dance at various schools, including Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Westmeath, Bishop Smith Catholic High School in Pembroke, St. Michael’s in Douglas and in Petawawa at Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Francis of Assissi.
Through the years, Mr. O’Grady knew the path he needed to take.
“Just being a lead learner and fostering growth, not only with the students but with the teaching and support staff, it’s just something I fell in love with,” he said. “I figured that was the career path I wanted to take.”
Mr. O’Grady took the relevant courses and is now a qualified principal within eight years of graduating from the University of Ottawa.
“It’s nice to be in a familiar building with students I know and great staff,” he said.
Mr. O’Grady said every day has new challenges, but he is enjoying each and every one.
“The community is great; the staff and students are wonderful, I couldn’t ask for a better school to start at,” he said.
He is also enjoying teaching while being the principal, as he is in the Special Education classroom in the morning.
Along with himself as principal, there are 53 students at OLG, six teachers, one education assistant, a lunch supervisor and secretary Nancy Schimmens.
Mr. O’Grady is thankful for the support of the spaghetti supper, and is hopeful the other two fundraisers now underway are also supported ….Epicure and selling pointsettias. To support the fundraisers, call the school, 613-587-4837.
He invites the surrounding community of Westmeath to the Remembrance Day Service at 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 10 at the cenotaph near the arena.
He also encourages people to mark their calendars for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12 for the OLG Christmas Musical.
Mr. O’Grady grew up in Eganville, attended St. James Elementary School and Opeongo High School and then the University of Ottawa.
Married to Danielle, the couple has three children and he is involved with the music ministry at St. James the Less Catholic Church in Eganville and is the organist at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Renfrew.
“My weekends are taken up with a lot of time attending Mass, but I enjoy spending time with my family,” he said.
