Way back when, I used to look at which films were playing on Tuesday nights and sometimes, if Debbie and I weren’t too busy, we would go see one of them. Years ago, we went to a $5 Tuesday night movie on McCallum Road and parked in the lot next to the theatre.

After the movie we went out looking for our car and it was gone. Just above the parking spot was a small sign that said, “NO THEATRE PARKING, VIOLATORS WILL BE TOWED.” Sure enough, I was a violator and I got towed. $180 later and a frantic trip to the impound lot before it closed, I had my car back. My $5 movie turned into a $185 movie.

I clearly learned the lesson:  park in the right lot.

As I was looking at my calendar last Tuesday, I was thinking about my Tuesday nights this year. There are no $185 movies for me on Tuesday nights in 2016.

Passion and Energy

This year, on Tuesday nights, I’m with students. I’ve been spending my time with our IDEA team, 15 students from ACS who are keen and eager to help with the ideas for our new building project. They are energetic, thoughtful, creative and passionate about this project. They are eager to share their ideas with their fellow students and with the architects.

Next week they begin their first of several sessions with the architects who are designing our new building. Soon after, we are spending a day visiting three newly built schools between Abbotsford and UBC. This is an exciting adventure. Tuesday nights, for me, are energizing.

Risk Takers Among Us

The IDEA team stands for Innovation, Design, Education and Architecture. So far we have looked at the overall plans, read many articles about 21st  century schools, imagined all the questions that students have about the project, studied various plans and redesigned specific areas of the building. I am once again amazed at what thoughtful, gifted and intelligent students we have in this building. What a privilege it is to work with your children.

We are planning a town-hall-format meeting with our student body in which the IDEA team will lead our community through the story of our planning to date. There will be a time for questions. Feedback, hard questions, opinions and the unknown are all part of a project like this. We’re a little worried about the question period, however we are committed to doing this real work, for a real need and a real audience. I think that’s what makes it so great; these students have committed to playing their part and take these kinds of risks. The learning is terrific.

I am definitely parked in the right lot on Tuesday nights this year.

The next time you think about going to a movie on a Tuesday night, consider praying for our team on the way to the theatre (and park your car in the right lot).

idea-team