50p
Mr. Pennells: Man of Action
A keen traveler, amazingly smart, genuinely funny, and simply loveable are some of the phrases Brentonians use to describe one of their school’s most long standing and well liked teachers, Mr. Gerry Pennells.
While the recession in 1982 caused many to be disappointed in not finding stable jobs, Mr. Pennells, seeking experience and things that he enjoyed, was enticed to leave grad school at UBC that summer for the science labs of Brentwood College. Twenty-nine years have passed since then, and the rookie teacher has become so much more. Mr. Pennells’ seeds of excellence and fortitude have grown into a forest of wisdom that nurtures students through various dilemmas.
At a young age in the countryside of England, Mr. Pennells developed a lifelong interest in Mother Nature and her creatures. After high school, he attended the University of Edinburgh where he met the love of his life, Andrea. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he returned to Kent, England and became the assistant manager of a 2000 acre estate.
After two years of working with sheep and cattle in the south of England, Mr. Pennells decided to follow his wife to a small British private school in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal, where, as Mr. Pennells says, he “swapped managing dumb animals for teaching intelligent ones.”
It was hard for a former British farmer to get a job in Canada, but his interest in biology ultimately directed him to teaching. As a result, Mr. Pennells joined the Brentwood faculty. By the end of 1982, both of the Pennells were faculty at Brentwood.
Following completion of his MSc at UBC, Mr. Pennells embarked on his Brentwood career as a science teacher. His enthusiasm was quickly acknowledged and led him to become a senior biology teacher. By 1987, he became the Head of the Student Activities Council (SAC), and in 1998, the Director of University Counseling. He believes that the role of a university counselor is to match each student with their ideal university; this process relies on the student’s and their parents’ happiness, satisfaction, and future success.
In his years at Brentwood, Mr. Pennells has brought nothing but excellence. He annually assists more than three-quarters of the students to be accepted by their first choice university. He was one of the pioneers of the AP courses at Brentwood and has prepared scores of students to pass their Biology AP examinations with superior results. His teaching excellence has been recognized with two external awards: The Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 1999 and a Yale Teaching Award in 2006.
Grade 12 AP Biology student Steve C openly describes Mr. Pennells as “smart, calm, dedicated and funny” and “a big help with everything from university applications to biology.” Despite all of this success, does his wife’s position as a Head of School ever give Mr. Pennells a feeling of living in her shadow? “No,” was his confident answer. He also brought up what the most important human goal should be. Though many people might answer fame and money, Mr. Pennells’ response was something much simpler, “Don’t be driven by ambition, power and money; do what you love and enjoy.”
As his retirement in the spring of 2012 grows closer, his plans are to do what he enjoyed before Brentwood: travelling, hiking in Europe, and reading. Surely these are well deserved for all his dedicated work. Fortunately, Mr. Pennells also said that he will constantly be coming back to Brentwood as this is a “very special place” to him. “Just be happy with what you are and where you’re at.” Mr. Pennells’ words certainly fit him well and the legacy he leaves.
While the recession in 1982 caused many to be disappointed in not finding stable jobs, Mr. Pennells, seeking experience and things that he enjoyed, was enticed to leave grad school at UBC that summer for the science labs of Brentwood College. Twenty-nine years have passed since then, and the rookie teacher has become so much more. Mr. Pennells’ seeds of excellence and fortitude have grown into a forest of wisdom that nurtures students through various dilemmas.
At a young age in the countryside of England, Mr. Pennells developed a lifelong interest in Mother Nature and her creatures. After high school, he attended the University of Edinburgh where he met the love of his life, Andrea. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he returned to Kent, England and became the assistant manager of a 2000 acre estate.
After two years of working with sheep and cattle in the south of England, Mr. Pennells decided to follow his wife to a small British private school in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal, where, as Mr. Pennells says, he “swapped managing dumb animals for teaching intelligent ones.”
It was hard for a former British farmer to get a job in Canada, but his interest in biology ultimately directed him to teaching. As a result, Mr. Pennells joined the Brentwood faculty. By the end of 1982, both of the Pennells were faculty at Brentwood.
Following completion of his MSc at UBC, Mr. Pennells embarked on his Brentwood career as a science teacher. His enthusiasm was quickly acknowledged and led him to become a senior biology teacher. By 1987, he became the Head of the Student Activities Council (SAC), and in 1998, the Director of University Counseling. He believes that the role of a university counselor is to match each student with their ideal university; this process relies on the student’s and their parents’ happiness, satisfaction, and future success.
In his years at Brentwood, Mr. Pennells has brought nothing but excellence. He annually assists more than three-quarters of the students to be accepted by their first choice university. He was one of the pioneers of the AP courses at Brentwood and has prepared scores of students to pass their Biology AP examinations with superior results. His teaching excellence has been recognized with two external awards: The Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 1999 and a Yale Teaching Award in 2006.
Grade 12 AP Biology student Steve C openly describes Mr. Pennells as “smart, calm, dedicated and funny” and “a big help with everything from university applications to biology.” Despite all of this success, does his wife’s position as a Head of School ever give Mr. Pennells a feeling of living in her shadow? “No,” was his confident answer. He also brought up what the most important human goal should be. Though many people might answer fame and money, Mr. Pennells’ response was something much simpler, “Don’t be driven by ambition, power and money; do what you love and enjoy.”
As his retirement in the spring of 2012 grows closer, his plans are to do what he enjoyed before Brentwood: travelling, hiking in Europe, and reading. Surely these are well deserved for all his dedicated work. Fortunately, Mr. Pennells also said that he will constantly be coming back to Brentwood as this is a “very special place” to him. “Just be happy with what you are and where you’re at.” Mr. Pennells’ words certainly fit him well and the legacy he leaves.
75p
