The 2017 Ann Marie Awards and meet some of the staff at the EMSB Central Head Office

Some of the winners  and their representatives with Ms. Matheson.

The EMSB Central Head Office's annual spoof of the Academy Awards took place on February 21. Always named in honour of our Director General, the event puts EMSB staffers in the place of Hollywood stars. Who was nominated? Who won? How does Bruce Roberts do it year after year?

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Carol Walters accepts her Lifetime  Achievement Award from Ms. Matheson and her boss Daniel Hogue.

Carol Walters Is Retiring

Carol Lynne Walters, who currently works at the English Montreal School Board in Central Security, is retiring after working for 46 years. Carol is friendly and always has a smile on her face and laughing. She worked for the High School of Montreal for 28 years and worked at the Lester B. Pearson School Board for two years before returning to the EMSB.

Carol plans on taking the summer off after her retirement, before doing some volunteer work in the fall. She wants her mind to stay active and work with disabled and handicapped children. Carol would also love to take a course in Tai Chi, a martial arts that will relax her. Carol is also an animal lover as well as being social.

Her favourite part about her job is talking on the phone with people, as she’s very social. “I’m always happy and I always look for the good in people,” Carol says.

Ms. Matheson with Alessandra and her ageless mom Isabelle Dion.

Super Mail Woman Alessandra Nardolillo

Alessandra Nardolillo, 23, has been working full time at the English Montreal School Board for just over a year. She attends Concordia University part time and wanted a stable job. She had been working in different call centers and in customer services since the age of 17.

You can find Alessandra currently working in the mailroom. She takes care of internal mail and also answers the phones. A good portion of her time is devoted to her studies to get into an engineering program.

 “The EMSB was a life-changing occupation,” she says. “I got to meet great people and I enjoy every day I spend here.”

Our Night Security Guard Vince Pisano

Vince Pisano is the EMSB’s interim night security guard, filling the shoes of Robert “Butch” Kennedy. He was previously a caretaker at many schools and went to Vanier College and Concordia University. At the latter he studied languages, mainly Italian.

Vince has also owned a SuperClub Videotron franchise and worked for Delta Airlines. He has coached football for 20 years with his friend Andy D’Alessandro, a physical education teacher at Laurier Macdonald High School in St. Leonard, the very school he graduated from in 1991. His principal at the time was present-day EMSB commissioner Joseph Lalla.

Vince Pisano is very helpful and always friendly. He loves to talk about sports and traveling. You can find him at the security desk starting at 2p.m.

VInce "The Prince" Pisano

Donald Allen: World's Best Security Guard While Making Coffee

I’m pretty sure everyone in the English Montreal School Board building has met Donald Allen at least once. He’s the security guard at the front desk, offering coffee to anyone who passes by. He’s always up for a chat and loves to talk about his family and friends.

Donald has been working for the EMSB for a long time and not only as a security guard. He’s been a caretaker for many schools; he’s been in the printing department. Other jobs he’s done outside the school board are also interesting. Donald was a butcher at one point, as well as a salesman.

“I love people, and helping people,” says Donald Allen. “I just want everyone to smile.”

Go ahead and visit him at the front entrance of the English Montreal School Board building. He’d surely be happy to see you and offer you a hot cup of Joe.

-Thanks to our intern Eleni Giannakis  for writing the staff profiles.