Historic Sites of Manitoba: John De Graff School (1020 Louelda Street, Winnipeg)

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

Located in the River East School Division, this school is named for market gardener and municipal official John De Graff. Built between 1976 and 1977 on designs by the Winnipeg architectural firm of Macdonald, Cockburn, McLeod, McFeetors Architects, it opened to students on 27 September 1977. The elementary school saw expansion (two classrooms, 2014), and again in 2024 with the addition of temporary classrooms being added to the site. Within the adjacent John De Graff Park is a commemorative monument to this schools first and long-serving Librarian.

Principals

Period	Principal
1977-1989	John Alexander “Alex” Melnyk (1927-2022)
1989-1992	Ronald David “Ron” Hildebrand
1992-1997	Ronald Harry “Ron” Shewchuk
1997-2002	?
2002-2005	Andrea Catherine Hammond
2005-2009	Jason Drysdale
2009-2010	?
2010-2024	Margaret Fair
2024-2025	Christi Qua

Vice-Principals

Period	Vice-Principal
1977-1981	None
1981-1989	Ronald Harry “Ron” Shewchuk
1989-1992	Sheila Margaret Gamble
1992-2009	?
2002-2009	Pat Trottier
2009-2010	?
2010-2014	A. Folkerts
2014-2018	Mrs. L. Woelcke
2018-2020	?
2020-2022	Rachel Reyes
2022-2023	?
2023-2025	Pam MacDonell

Teachers (partial list)

Among the teachers of John De Graff School was Elizabeth Jean Wright “Betty” Prystupa (1977-1991, Librarian).

Period	Teachers
1977	(January-June): Elizabeth Jean Wright “Betty” Prystupa (library), John Alexander “Alex” Melnyk (Principal)
1977-1978	Enza-Lina Carmelina Deluca (grade 3), J. Herma Gibson (grade 4), Lillian Hoey (grade 1), Caroline Josephine Homeniuk (grade 3), Karen Ann Klassen (grade 2), Yvonne Eunice Oliphant (kindergarten), Carolyn Pachal (music), John Barry Poturnak (grade 6), Elizabeth Jean Wright “Betty” Prystupa (library), Jacob David Reimer (grade 5), Shirley Ann Sokol (grade 2), Sheila Joan Storjord (resource), Olia Marie Susky (kindergarten), Maureen Ann Taylor (grade 1), Marlene Shirley Wagner (grade 2), Neville George Yurkiw (grade 5), Ernest Roy Zubricki? (grade 6)

Photos & Coordinates

John De Graff School (October 2024) Source: Nathan Kramer 2014 classroom expansion to John De Graff School (October 2024) Source: Nathan Kramer John De Graff School (October 2024) Source: Nathan Kramer Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.92339, W97.06148 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: John De Graff (1900-1954)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: John De Graff Park (1024 Louelda Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: De Graaf Nature Park (Reg Wyatt Way, Winnipeg)

Sources:

“Tender notice,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 May 1976, page 8.

“Redwood Bridge,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 July 1981, page 10.

“Crackdown on rowdy teenagers requested,” Winnipeg Free Press Weekly Northeast Edition, 15 October 1989, page 1.

“Butterfly a fitting tribute to my late wife, principal says,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 July 1992, page 14.

“Students learn computer skills early on at John de Graff School,” Winnipeg Free Press Community Review North / Northeast, 26 July 1995, page 1.

“From John de Graff, with love,” Winnipeg Free Press Community Review North / Northeast, 12 February 1997, page 4.

“John de Graff students, staff celebrate 25 years,” Winnipeg Free Press Community Review North, 2 October 2002, page 1.

“Baby bonding,” Winnipeg Free Press Neighbours, 14 January 2004, page NE2.

“Plastic shopping bags get low mark,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 May 2008, page B3.

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

School division student yearly attendance reports (E 0758A), Archives of Manitoba.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 25 March 2025

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