Historic Sites of Manitoba: Gimli High School / Gimli School No. 2 / Sigurbjorg Stefansson School / Gimli Early Years School (Third Avenue, Gimli, RM of Gimli)

Link to:
Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

Located at Gimli, this high school was commissioned by the Gimli School District No. 585 in 1951 to augment over-stretched capacity at Gimli Public School. Classes began in its basement in January 1951 while construction work continued. The Gimli High School was officially opened on 2 March 1951. The collegiate was completed at a cost of $70,000 and had five classrooms, a laboratory, library, teachers room, and auditorium. It hosted students in grades 9-12 until the opening of the Gimli Composite High School in 1961.

With the removal of collegiate grades in 1961, the school was then known as Gimli School No. 2 until being renamed as Sigurbjorg Stefansson School (also known by other variants, such as Miss S. Stefansson School) in 1967 as a result of a name-the-school contest sponsored by the Gimli Women’s Institute (GWI). It was named for longtime Gimli educator Sigurbjorg Stefansson, who was also a life-member of the GWI.

In 1967, the facility became part of the Evergreen School Division and was connected, by way of a new shared auditorium, to the south with the construction of the George Johnson School. Grades among the three schools were then realigned, with grades four though six being held at Gimli Public School, grades seven and eight held here at Sigurbjorg Stefansson School, and kindergarten through grade three held at the new George Johnson School.

Together, all three schools were often collectively known as the Gimli Elementary Schools until 1972 when the Gimli Junior High School opened in the Gimli Public School. Both the Sigurbjorg Stefansson School and George Johnson School would continue to be known under the Gimli Elementary Schools collective, though would be renamed later as the Gimli Early Years School and Gimli Middle Years School respectively, and for a while were held in joint administration under a single Supervising Principal. During the 1990s, both schools would be known by the shortened and singular name of the Gimli Early Middle Years School (further yet shortened to Gimli Early Middle School) and again overseen by a single Principal.

During the late 1990s, there was need for additional local classroom capacity and a decision was reached to replace the Gimli Early Years School. With the opening of the new Sigurbjorg Stefansson Early School in 2003, the former quarters here were demolished.

Principals (Gimli High School)

Period	Principal
Before 1951	See Gimli Public School
1951	Johann Edvald Sigurjonsson (1900-1972)
1951-1954	John Peter Packota (?-?)
1954-1956	Walter Zyla
1956	Norman Ernest Wright (1906-1957)
1957	Gordon Marcy Wiseman (1934-2012)
1957	Thelma Delores Jones
1957-1961	Richard Buck (1907-1994)
After 1961	See Gimli Composite High School

Vice-Principals (Gimli High School)

No information.

Teachers (Gimli High School)

Period	Teachers
Before 1951	See Gimli Public School
1951-1952	Horace Holmes Bally (grade 10), R. A. Olafson (grade 9, August - pt November), John Peter Packota (grade 12), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11), Norman Ernest Wright (grade 9, pt November - June)
1952-1953	John Dyck (grade 9), Gloria Audrey Johnson (grade 10), John Peter Packota (grade 12), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11)
1953-1954	John Dyck (grade 10), John Peter Packota (grade 12), Yvonne Alexandria Sawchuk (grade 9), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11)
1954-1955	Robert Arthur Hilton? (grade 9), Wesley Bernard Penner (grade 10), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11), Walter Zyla (grades 11-12)
1955-1956	Harvest? Halvorson (grade 10), Julia Tully Pawluk (grade 9), Arlyne Patricia Rosenblat (grade 9), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11), Walter Zyla (grade 12)
1956-1957	Andrew Taylor Birt (grade 9, January-June), Ethel Howard (grade 10, October-December), Thelma Delores Jones (grade 12, February-June), Julia Tully Pawluk (grade 9), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11), Barbara Grace Trupp (grade 9, September-December), Arlyne Patricia Rosenblat Wiseman (grade 10), Gordon Marcy Wiseman (grade 12, January), Norman Ernest Wright (grade 10, September), Walter Zyla (grade 12, September - December)
1957-1958	Richard Buck (grade 12), Rosemary Kelly (grades 10-12), Nicholas Melnychuk (grade 9), Gary E. Olender (grade 11), Benjamin Franklin Olson (grade 10), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 9, pt February - June), Balfour M. Williams (grade 9, August - pt February)
1958-1959	Ole Bejzyk (grade 9), Richard Buck (grade 12), Alvin Alois Deshaver (grade 9), R. J. Graham (grade 11), R. B. Land (grade 10), Nicholas Melnychuk (grade 10)
1959-1960	Thelma D. Boyles (grade 10), Christine Bukowski (grade 9, January-June), Alvin Alois Deshaver (grade 12), Doreen Verna Deshaver (grades 11-12 & commercial), Eleanor Dowhopoluk (grade 10), Nicholas Melnychuk (grade 10), Eleanor Moffatt (grade 9), Josef Aaron Segal (grade 9, August-December), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11), Iris C. Sutherland (grade 10)
1960-1961	Mary-Anne Boyd (grade 9), Richard Buck (grade 12), John Edward Dawson (grade 11), Alvin Alois Deshaver (grade 12), Doreen Verna Deshaver (grades 12 & commercial), John Joseph Keryluk (grade 9), David Liang (grade 10), Pauline Marie McCabe (grade 10), Nicholas Melnychuk (grade 10), Sigurbjorg Stefansson (grade 11), Kathleen Shirley Taylor (grade 10)
After 1961	See Gimli Composite High School

Principals / Supervising Principals (Gimli Elementary Schools: Gimli Public School, Sigurbjorg Stefansson School, & George Johnson School)

Period	Principal / Supervising Principal
1961-1972	See Gimli Public School

Supervising Principals (Gimli Elementary Schools: Sigurbjorg Stefansson School & George Johnson School)

Period	Supervising Principal
1972-1974	See George Johnson School

Vice-Principals (Gimli School No. 2 / Sigurbjorg Stefansson School)

Period	Vice-Principal
1969-1974	Mary Angeline Bialek Shebeski (1920-2017)

Teachers (Gimli School No. 2 / Stephanson Elementary School)

For shared staff of “Gimli Elementary Schools” (Gimli Public School, George Johnson School, & Sigurbjorg Stefansson School) from 1967 to 1974, see George Johnson School.

Period	Teachers
1961-1967	See Gimli Public School
1967-1968	Dan Norman Hrehoruk (grade 7), Leslie “Les” Kudor (grade 8), Edward Michael Powroznik (grade 7), Michael John Sirnick [Syrnyckk] (grade 7), Joseph Peter Sorokowski (grade 7), Peter Wesley (grade 8), Emily Dern Yurchi (grade 6)
1968-1969	Leslie “Les” Kudor (grade 8), Edward Michael Powroznik (grade 7), Michael John Sirnick [Syrnyck] (grade 7), Joseph Peter Sorokowski (grade 7), Peter Wesley (grade 8)
1969-1970	Alvina Mae Bennett (grade 6, October-December), Betty Helen Ganczar (grade 5), Margie Freda Kearley (grades 4-5), Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson (grade 4), Frances Julia Kuzik (grade 5), Carol Ann Lowenberger (grade 5), Sister Lena Renaud (grade 6, September), Mary Angeline Shebeski (grade 6), Irene Eva Sohan (grade 4), Emily Dern Yurchi (grade 6), Shirley Elizabeth Zinman (grade 4)
1970-1971	Julia Louise Burkard (grade 4), Donald Norman “Don” Hrehoruk (grade 6), Noreen Olga Isfeld (grade 6), Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson (grade 4), Barbara Fayeleen Krulicki (grade 4), Frances Julia Kuzik (grade 5), Mary Angeline Shebeski (grade 6), Irene Eva Sohan (grade 5), Mike Sucharyna (grade 5), Peter Wesley (grade 6), Emily Dern Yurchi (grade 3), Josephine Hilda Zeller (grade 5)
1971-1972	Donald Norman “Don” Hrehoruk (grade 6), Noreen Olga Isfeld (grade 4), Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson (grade 4), Frances Julia Kuzik (grade 5), Mary Angeline Shebeski (grade 6), Irene Eva Sohan (grade 5), Peter Wesley (grade 6), Josephine Hilda Zeller (grade 5)
1972-1973	Donald Norman “Don” Hrehoruk (grade 6), Noreen Olga Isfeld (grade 4), Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson (grade 4), Frances Julia Kuzik (grade 5), Mary Angeline Shebeski (grade 6), Irene Eva Sohan (grade 5), Victor Thordarson (grade 5), Peter Wesley (grade 6), Josephine Hilda Zeller (grade 4)
1973-1974	Donald Norman “Don” Hrehoruk (grade 6), Noreen Olga Isfeld (grades 4-6), Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson (grade 4), Frances Julia Kuzik (grade 5), Mary Angeline Shebeski (grade 6), Irene Eva Sohan (grade 5), Victor Thordarson (grade 5), Peter Wesley (grade 6), Josephine Hilda Zeller (grade 4)

Supervising Principals (Gimli Elementary Schools: Sigurbjorg Stefansson School & George Johnson School)

Period	Supervising Principal
1974-1976	See George Johnson School

Vice-Principals (Sigurbjorg Stefansson School)

Period	Vice-Principal
1974-1976	Mary Angeline Bialek Shebeski (1920-2017)
1976-1979	Michael William “Mike” Moroz (1923-1991)
1979-?	?

Teachers (Sigurbjorg Stefansson School)

For shared staff of “Gimli Elementary Schools” (George Johnson School & Sigurbjorg Stefansson School) from 1974 onward, see George Johnson School.

Period	Teachers
1974-1975	Donald Norman “Don” Hrehoruk (grade 6), Noreen Olga Isfeld (grade 4), Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson (grade 4), Frances Julia Kuzik (grade 5), Mary Angeline Shebeski (grade 6), Mike Sucharyna (grade 5), Victor Thordarson (grade 5), Peter Wesley (grade 6), Josephine Hilda Zeller (grade 4)
1975-1976	Donald Norman “Don” Hrehoruk (grade 6), Noreen Olga Isfeld (grade 4), Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson (grade 4), Frances Julia Kuzik (grade 5), Mary Angeline Shebeski (grade 6), Mike Sucharyna (grade 5), Victor Thordarson (grade 5), Peter Wesley (grade 6), Josephine Hilda Zeller (grade 4)
1976-1977	Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson, Michael William “Mike” Moroz, ?
1977-1978	Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson, Michael William “Mike” Moroz, ?
1978-1979	Kristine Gudrun Benson Kristofferson, Michael William “Mike” Moroz, ?
1979-1980	?
1980-1981	?
1981-1982	?
1982-1983	?
1983-1984	?
1984-1985	?
1985-1986	?
1986-1987	?
1987-1988	?
1988-1989	?
1989-1990	?
1990-1991	?
1991-1992	?
1992-1993	?
1993-1994	?
1994-1995	?
1995-1996	?
1996-1997	?
1997-1998	?
1998-1999	?
1999-2000	?
2000-2001	?
2001-2002	?
2002-2003	?

Photos & Coordinates

Gimli High School from the southwest (1958) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Government photographs (CH 0267), GR3552, ST-10-23. Stefansson School from the northeast (June 1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Manitoba Local Government Boundaries Commission, File 20C Stefansson School. Stefansson School from the southwest (June 1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Manitoba Local Government Boundaries Commission, File 20C Stefansson School. Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.63581, W96.98812 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Gimli Public School No. 585 (74 Second Avenue, Gimli, RM of Gimli)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Gimli Composite High School (52 Seventh Avenue, Gimli, RM of Gimli)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: George Johnson School (Third Avenue, Gimli, RM of Gimli)

Sources:

“Over 500 attend official opening of Gimli School,” Winnipeg Tribune, 6 March 1951, page 9.

“Gimli parent-teacher night,” Arborg Lake Centre News, 24 November 1967, page 1.

Gimli Saga, The History of Gimli, Manitoba by the Gimli Women's Institute, 1975.

“Breakfast program marks fifth year,” Interlake Spectator, 25 November 2002, page 32.

Obituary [Mary Shebeski], Winnipeg Free Press, 22 July 2017, page A25.

School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Gimli School District No. 585 (Gimli School) - Daily Registers, GR6124, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Gimli School District No. 585 (Gimli High School) - Daily Registers, GR6124, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba Local Government Boundaries Commission, Schools in the Interlake - Manitoba - Volume 1 - File 20C Stefanson [sic], March 1968, Archives of Manitoba.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 22 January 2023