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Being at service to others important for high school principal

The proud francophone contributes in a number of ways
2020-09-17-yves-poitras
Yves Poitras is the principal at École secondaire catholique Thériault. Supplied photo

Yves Poitras’ philosophy in times of struggle has always been to view things in life as a “challenge, not a burden.”

“Sometimes, it doesn’t feel that way but that’s where you look at things and it’s the question of what I can do to help in the time that I have,” he says. “To be at the service to others has always been something important to me.”

Born and raised in Timmins, Poitras, 53, says he is proud to be a francophone. It’s also important for him to contribute to the whole community.

“I find myself a part of the greater community. Of course, I wear proudly the badge of being a francophone but there’s a series of different activities that we find important to us. It goes beyond as being good citizens,” Poitras says. “It’s always in a community spirit. I really find the importance in, ‘yeah, OK, I’m a proud francophone’ but we’re all a part of a greater team which is being from Timmins, being Ontarians, being Canadians, and that really resonates with me.”

He was also a chairman for Centre Culturel La Ronde and now is a member of its senate.

“La Ronde was one of the beacons where we could live our culture,” he recalls of his time growing up in a francophone family. Right now, “La Ronde, in itself, is doing very well, even if the building isn’t there. The activities are certainly there and I’m very proud of what’s being accomplished with La Ronde.”

Poitras has also been volunteering with numerous groups and organizations like Paroisse St.-Dominique Parish, Golden Trails Half Marathon, Timmins Ski Racers, Foundation Jean-François Aubé where he serves as a secretary, Timmins and District Hospital board of directors and the principals’ police committee where he's a chairman.

With the hospital board, Poitras says he finds himself in an “interesting position”. Being a francophone and having a 92-year-old mother who lives at the Golden Manor as well as a 14-year-old son, he has a broad view of the needs in the community that he can bring to the table.

“It goes back to our values why we do things the way we do. It’s to take whatever the good Lord gave us and make the most of that,” he says.

Having attended University of Ottawa and Laurentian University, Poitras was open to go anywhere but was encouraged by his principal to return and apply to teach at École secondaire catholique Thériault.

“For me, Thériault in high school was a great awakening, so when I had an opportunity to work here, I taught here in the '90s and then in 2010, I had an opportunity to become a school administrator,” he says. “It was great because I thought I was giving back to this institution.”

As an educator, who has taught students from kindergarten to postsecondary at Collège Boréal, he says he was lucky to have a broad cross section experience. With 20 years of teaching and 10 years of being the vice-principal and now principal at Thériault, he says it’s important students feel like they belong and they’ve got a safe place to be.

“Every child matters,” he says. “A lot of effort is put into feeling well. We’ve got a great student body, terrific staff. I was told on more than one occasion when you come and walk into the school and you feel there’s something different and I truly believe it.”

As a Thériault graduate, he says the school with its students, teachers and staff is like a great family and an “integral part” of the city.

Poitras says he’s a bit of a geek with many various interests in arts and sports as well. He also worked at the Milson Forestry Service for six years until the age of 25 and was contemplating a career in the forest industry because he “really enjoyed” his time there.

“It was interesting to be a part of those (rejuvenating) efforts with the Milson family who are terrific people,” he says. “Those were great, informative years for me.”

Poitras is married to Natalie, who is responsible for the alternative education program La Clef at Thériault, and they celebrated their 25th anniversary this past summer. They have a 14-year-old son Samuel and a 21-year-old Roch who studies social work at Collège Boréal.

“What’s most important to me is my family,” Poitras says. “With my wife, we’re definitely partners in everything that we do. I think we make a good team together.”


Dariya Baiguzhiyeva

About the Author: Dariya Baiguzhiyeva

Dariya Baiguzhiyeva is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering diversity issues for TimminsToday. The LJI is funded by the Government of Canada
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