The Nakoda Elementary School (NES) students and staff are still reeling from the recent, sudden loss of Grade 2 teacher Theresa Ann Tonnellier, who succumbed to injuries resulting from a motorcycle accident in Calgary Sept. 28.
The incident took place on Stoney Trail and the 16th Ave. exit around 4:30 p.m., when the 39-year-old was operating a 2009 Kawasaki VN900 motorcycle and apparently lost control, hitting the base of a light standard.
She was transported to Foothills Hospital, where she later died; she was reported to have been an inexperienced motorcyclist.
Many who knew and worked with the Morley teacher (who resided in Calgary and was originally from Moose Jaw, Sask.) attended a service to celebrate her life, held at the Metropolitan Conference Centre in downtown Calgary Oct. 4.
“She was going on her twelfth year at the school,” said NES principal Cory Cardinal, who was asked by Tonnellier’s family to speak on behalf of the school at the service.
“This has been a very difficult loss for the school as a whole, but we are managing,” said Cardinal, adding that the service highlighted Tonnellier as a ‘fun, loving and caring’ person.
Each year, all Treaty 7 schools select a ‘teacher of the year’ and ‘teaching assistant of the year’.
“I feel it’s fitting to for NES to nominate Theresa as our teacher of the year,” said Cardinal, adding that her long-standing spouse, Krzysztof Musial, would accept the award on her behalf at the ceremony in the coming months.
Cardinal also said that the school would celebrate their beloved teacher in a ‘rock throwing ceremony’ (throwing stones into the river), following by traditional Stoney prayer, in the spring.
This type of ceremony was held by the Morley Community School (high school) several weeks ago to honour the recent passing of two school staff members — Candace Kimberley (Kim) Fox and Miranda Poucette-Lefthand.
