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Headmasters and Principals

GCVI_Arthur_Cole_VernerPrincipal  

Arthur Cole VERNER, 1841-1847

  • First Headmaster in the first Wellington District Grammar School
 

 

No photographs available for these Headmasters.

George EMSLIE, 1847-1854, Died October 1869
Rev. Edward M. STEWART, 1854-1857
John MAY, 1857-October, 1860
Charles WALKER, October-December, 1860 (Acting Headmaster)
Rev. Francis B. TISDELL, January-September, 1861, Died September 6, 1861
Rev. Henry W. STEWART, 1861-April, 1862
John Ker JOHNSTON, April 1862-April, 1865, Died April, 1865
George RENNIE, April 1865-June, 1865 (Acting Headmaster)
James Murison DUNN, 1865-1871, Died 1906

 

No photo has been located to date.

Alfred M. LAFFERTY, 1872-1874

  • First black Principal at GCVI
  • February, 2018  In honour of Black History Month, the school Auditorium was named after him: Alfred M. Lafferty Auditorium
  • Died October 18, 1912
Principal Tytler Wall Portrait  

Dr. William TYTLER, 1875-1892

  • His portrait is the first painted portrait on our Principals Portrait Wall.
  • 1888 -1889 William Tytler was absent due to health.
  • Died September 13, 1933
Principal James Davison Wall Portrait  

James DAVISON, 1892-1923 

  • 1888-1889 Acting Headmaster
  • 1892-1923 Principal
  • 1923-1929 Principal Emeritus
  • 1929 Retired at the age of 81 with 51 years of dedicated service to Guelph Collegiate.
  • Died March 16, 1935
Principal John F Ross Wall Portrait  

John (Scotty) Francis ROSS, 1923-1945

  • First Principal of the new 1923 building
  • Died October, 1946
  • 1956 John F. Ross Collegiate-Vocational Institute was named after him.
Principal Fred A Hamilton Wall Portrait

 

Frederick A. HAMILTON, 1945-1955

  • 1955-1965 Director of Guelph Board of Education
  • 1976 Chair of Wellington County Board of Education
  • Died January 11, 1989

 

Principal E.L._Fox  

Edward (Lorne) FOX, 1955

  • Principal for six months
  • March, 1956 appointed to open J. F. Ross CVI as Principal
  • John F. Ross CVI Auditorium is after him: The E.L. Fox Auditorium
  • Died March 11, 1993
Principal P G Reid Wall Portrait  

Peter (Gordon) REID, April 1956-1971

  • The school Library is named after him: P.G. Reid Library Learning Commons
  • Died September 17, 1996
Principal Jack Burns Wall Picture John (Jack) Francis BURNS, 1971-1985

  • 1977-1978 on sabbatical
  • 1978 received Doctor in Education
  • 1985-December 1996:
    • Appointed Superintendent, Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB
    • Superintendent of Secondary Programs
    • Superintendent of Operations
    • Superintendent of Schools
  • Died September 20, 2010
Principal Bill Scott Wall Painting Portrait  

William (Bill) Charles SCOTT, 1985-1988

  • 1988-1994 Appointed Superintendent of Schools, Wellington County Board of Education
  • 1991-1994 Member of Ontario Supervisory Officers Board – for schools in South Western Ontario
  • 2017- Honourary Life Member of the Rotary Club of Guelph
  • Died October 20, 2019
Principal Robert Bradstock Wall Painting  

Robert (Brad) Bruce BRADSTOCK, 1988-1996

  • 1977-1978 Acting Principal while Mr. Burns was on sabbatical
  • Died April 17, 2014
Principal Pic 1994  

140th Anniversary Reunion: Bill Scott 1985-1988, P.G. Reid 1956-1971, Bob Bradstock 1988-1996, Jack Burns 1971-1985

Principal Euale Wall Photo  

David Michael EUALE, 1996-1998

  • 1998-2009 Superintendent of Education, Upper Grand DSB
  • 2009-2010 Director of Student Success and Learning to 18, Ontario Ministry of Education
  • 2010-2015 Director of Education, Halton DSB

 

Principal Judith Sorbara Wall Painting  

Judith (Judy) Frances SORBARA, 1998-2008

  • First female Principal at GCVI
  • 2008-2011 Faculty Advisor, Nipissing University Faculty of Education
  • 2010-2018 Guelph Police Services Board and Chair from 2010-2016

 

Erin Kelly  

Erin K. KELLY, 2000-February 2001 (Acting Principal while Judy Sorbara was on leave.)

  • 2001-February 2004 Principal, Westside SS
  • February 2004-June 2004  Principal, Centennial CVI
  • September 2004-2013  Superintendent of Schools, Upper Grand DSB
  • 2013-          Director of Education, Greater Essex County DSB
  Principal Wes Coffey Wall Photo  

Wesley (Wes) David COFFEY, 2008-2011

  • 2011-           Faculty Advisor, Nipissing University Faculty of Education
Principal Julie Prendergast Wall Photo  

Julieanne (Julie) PRENDERGAST,  2011-January 2018

  • March 2018-       Manager of Secondary Recruitment Staff, Administration, Upper Grand DSB
Principal 1994  

Wes Coffey 2008-2011, Bill Scott 1985-1988, Judy Sorbara 1998-2008, David Euale 1996-1998, Bob Bradstock 1977-1978, 1988-1996

Principals2 160th Anniversary Reunion: Bill Scott 1985-1988, David Euale 1996-1998, Judy Sorbara 1998-2008, Wes Coffey 2008-2011, Julie Prendergast 2011-2018
IMG_0689  

Robert (Bob) SCOTT, February 2018 – Current