INNISFAIL – Shortly after Wayne Pineau began his final principal’s address at the 2023 graduation ceremony at Innisfail High School (IHS) he offered his audience a famed quote from Winston Churchill.
‘Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning,” quoted Pineau from Churchill on June 10 before personalizing it for the 65 graduating students.
“It is the end of your beginning, a major milestone in your life for certain, but please remember that the next chapter of your life starts in a little over 12 school days,” said Pineau. “Some of you will start working or go to college or travel but the next chapter will be underway.”
For Pineau, his next chapter officially begins June 28 when he walks out of IHS for the final time as principal.
It is the 56-year-old career educator’s last day at IHS after 12 years of devoted service to thousands of students, hundreds of staff members, and to every sacred principle he’s followed and cherished on behalf of education and learning.
“It's definitely bittersweet, and it's been like that all year. Sometimes while just walking the empty halls and the kids are all in class, you get that feeling, ‘hmmm, not much longer,” Pineau told the Albertan. “Some of my staff have been laughing and Kristie.(receptionist) in the office says, ‘I’m not ready for you to leave’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not 100 per cent ready yet either.
“But I also know that eventually I have to and it'll be a good opportunity to be done and to go on to different challenges in my life.”
With more than 31 years in education he feels now it’s the time to move on.
Pineau was up for retirement last year but he wanted one more year to lead the Class of 2023 to graduation as he considered them a most special group.
Challenges were once again at the forefront of his mind and heart for continuing one more year; to be in the IHS gym on June 10 to salute this graduating students and to hold forever a special moment; one that will always be his proudest.
“Grad this year was really special for me because of COVID; because of the impact it had when they were in Grade 9,” Pineau told the Albertan. “To see them overcome that hardship; to get through to do their diplomas and to watch them be finished and go off and do the things they're planning on doing next year is really, really a special moment for me.
“It was nice to be able to be part of that to help them get through,” he added. “And truthfully, they helped staff get through as well. It was tough at that time for everybody.”
As for his future he remains undecided. There are many options in front of him. It could still be in the education field, but for now he must look after students of a different kind.
Pineau is the franchise owner of a martial arts club in Penhold, a pastime he also cherishes.
“In jujutsu we talked a lot about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable,” said Pineau. “I try to pass that message on to the kids and adults that I train that we can do hard things if we put our mind to it.
“And you know failure doesn't always mean failing,” he added. “It means to try again and come back tomorrow and we'll do it again.
“It's only failure if you quit.”
That is just one message, and there may be many more before he takes that last walk out of IHS; the place where there are so many memories of challenges met and conquered, simply by putting the best foot forward and trying.
As he closed his 17-minute presentation to graduating students and their families and friends on June 10, he relied on another quote; this one from the late legendary pop singer Tina Turner.
“My legacy is that I stayed on course… from the beginning to the end, because I believed in something inside of me.”
