In August, as I was cleaning up my office in anticipation of a new year, I came across a book called “Advice for a New Principal” that was given to me by my last class as a teacher at ACS. It was written by the students from 2A in 2020. Although it’s my third year as [...]
I had the “unfortunate” opportunity to join an illustrious club this summer. A special shout out to the senior members out there! I joined the “blow- your-trailer-tire-club.” My family and I were making the annual trek out to Bear Creek Provincial Park up the Coquihalla highway with our tent trailer and 2006 Nissan Quest minivan. [...]
The title for this blog has been sitting in the back of my mind for many years now and I’ve never quite had the guts to write it. For those young folks out there, “the skinny” refers to an old expression that dates back to WWII. It means the inside story, the real truth, the [...]
Home makes me think of my family and friends back in England. Memories of mince pies and mulled wine. Thoughts of cups of tea and eating lamb on Good Friday. My dad doing the daily crossword puzzle. My mum baking homemade pies. My brother winding me up to no end…ahh beautiful memories! For me, home [...]
This has been a difficult start to the school year (I know…what a great first blog post, Mike…but I was told vulnerability is okay). For many of us the last 18 months have been hard. There have been times when I’ve wondered if I’m the right person ACS needs during this challenging pandemic. Last year [...]
I love a big challenge. I love the idea of committing to the challenge and the feeling of accomplishment when it’s done. And if it involves some type of outdoor adventure, I’m in. A Spark Maybe this trait is passed down to me from my Dad. In 2017, my Dad decided to cycle across Canada [...]
I enjoy puzzles. For puzzles that are quite big (like 1000 pieces), one needs time and patience—both of which I rarely find I have. However, when I do, I like to puzzle. It keeps my mind occupied and it scratches my “need to get things accomplished” itch I often have. I recently started an extremely [...]
In English 11 last October, Mrs. Dani DeJong shared a collection of essays from National Public Radio’s program, “This I Believe.” She then challenged her students to write their own personal credo about a core principle that defines their life. The array of topics, concerns, and passions were as diverse as the students themselves. The [...]
My third son, Aiden, just got his L. More than any of my other boys, he has been looking forward to driving and has been talking about this day for as long as I can remember. He always loves adventures, risk taking, trying new things, and has the confidence to believe that whatever he tries [...]
This summer, while camping, our three-year-old learned how to ride his bike without training wheels (yes, prepare yourself for many “proud mama bear” blog posts from this principal). Earlier in the summer, he was hesitant to try, enjoying the ease and speed with which he cruised the side streets of East Abbotsford on his orange [...]
