Long time RR resident gets to teach locally

By Ken Johnston
Editor

While he and his family have lived in Rainy River since 1992, teacher Mike McInerney has never worked at a Rainy River school until now.
McInerney joined Riverview Elementary’s staff this fall as a Special Education and French teacher. This follows 22 years of teaching elsewhere. He began his career in 1985 at Geraldton/Longlac where he taught music and french for three years and then french immersion for four years.
Originally from Winnipeg, when work became available in this area, the move was a no brainer. “We moved here in 1992 and love the area.”
His first job here was at Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program in Stratton and McCrosson-Tovell in Bergland where he taught at both schools for nine years. Then his principal at Bergland, Terry Ogden encouraged him to step in full time with the grade 3-5 class there when teacher Jill Wilhite moved to Riverview. “I really didn’t want to leave SCAP. I had tears in my eyes.”
He took the full time McCrosson job for three years and then looked at a French Immersion job in Fort Frances. He took that but then after a year heard that the program was going to be scrapped. So it was back to McCrosson for another three years.
With the price of gas and his poor old truck being on its last legs, he decided to make the move to Riverview after taking his Special Education specilist schooling in the off season. Again he moved to a school to fill a job left by Jill Wilhite.
He is teaching grades 3-8 French and special education. “I just love it!” enthused McInerney last week.
His wife Joanne is a Communications Assistant at a school in Fort Frances. His son James is doing his senior year at Fort Frances High after attending schools in this end of the district most of his life.
Outside of school Mike loves to play tennis and basketball and loves hockey. He loves music and has played in a number of bands. He loves the outdoors, including hunting and fishing. “We love Rainy River.”
He said that he often saw many of the students on the streets here and now it is nice to be teaching them.