I first met Carrie Lockwood when I was a student teacher at Fraser Valley Christian High School (now Surrey Christian School).

She was teaching grade 8 and I was invited on the grade 8 trip to Camp Kawkawa. She left a lasting first impression on me. She was one of those teachers who loves building relationship with all of her students.

Twenty-One Years And Counting…

At the end of this school year, Carrie will be retiring after 30 years of teaching. She came to ACS 21 years ago where she taught at our secondary campus. Then she spent several years teaching overseas in China before returning to our middle school campus this time, where she taught PE, grade 7, grade 8 and served as our middle school athletic director.

She has been a versatile teacher, willing to tackle new opportunities and challenges. Carrie holds high expectations for her students and through relationships, she encourages excellence. She was a real mentor for me in how she lived and modelled her deep faith for her students.

Doesn’t Pull Punches

I remember going with Carrie on a SALTS trip with her grade 8 students. Carrie joined her students as an active participant in all the learning activities. She learned her knots and all the rigging. She took (and passed) the tests to earn her Junior Sailing Certificate.

The year I went with her, we had a particularly boisterous group of boys. One night they were a little too loud and active. I was bone tired, and I fell asleep despite the ruckus. Carrie did not fall asleep, and she also did not shy away from letting me know that I needed to do a better job of supervising the boys.

In fact, one of the things I always appreciated about Carrie is her openness and honesty. Even when it hurts a little. She does not pull punches but prefers to speak the truth in love.

Dreamer and Collaborator

Carrie is also a teacher for whom project-based learning is a natural way to build curriculum engagement.

We once dreamed of building a year-long series of projects based on one theme. Carrie and I dreamed of a year that involved a teacher, 24 students, and an activity bus, with more than half of the school days spent away from the school building.

Alas, the dream never came to be, but the dreaming and collaborating was exciting. Carrie was an inspiring colleague, and it was motivating to dream about what school could look like!

Carrie lived this style of learning. She has travelled extensively, and I am sure that she, along with her husband Jim, will enjoy exploring even more so in their retirement.

It has been an honour and a privilege working alongside Carrie for many years, and I wish her all of God’s richest blessings as she ventures out into a new chapter in her life!