Barb Strong Spottiswood

After leaving VMCI, I attended U of T - Victoria College and received my Honours B.A. in French and German Language and Literature. Married my drum corps sweetheart - Bill, had Adam, went to teacher's college, was hired by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and taught both elementary school and high school for 34 years. Bill and I now have 5 grandchildren - Maya, Thomas, Coen and Ryerson. Bill and I spent 2015 on a teacher exchange in Canberra, Australia and returned home in January 2016. It was an awesome experience and we made many friends there. We went back in 2018 (when I retired!). I taught at the same school for one term, and then we travelled to Tasmania, Perth and Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road. Australia is amazing and we can’t wait to go back once Covid-19 is under control and they open the borders again!

Massey was a great place and some of my favourite stories revolve around the Triple Trio, and the girls who performed with me on stage - the songs we sang, the costumes we wore, ahh the fame of it all! Cheerleading was fun, the gymnastics team was challenging, Biology class was always interesting and I loved the Modern Languages Department - especially Mr. Thow and Madame Leggatt. Where are they now? I saw Madame Karger at the reunion - she almost looks the same! High school friends included: Kathy Belas, Dorothy Thorne (RIP), Alison Walkey, Donna McKenzie, Joanne Shuttleworth, Rachel Fernandes, Monika Schriker, Janet McCabe, the Butler girls, Susan, Janet and Joan (RIP) and the Sayers sisters - Lynn and Gwen.