How do you teach elementary students about the effects of Canadian geography on Canada’s history? Or about how the vast array of geographical terrains and climates of early Canada impacted the Indigenous peoples and the first European settlers? You build a 3D map of Canada so large it’s difficult to find a table big enough! [...]
A few years ago, Kirsi Antunes, our school counsellor, introduced our staff to the language of “expected” and “unexpected” behaviours. For opportunities where we wanted to correct a student’s actions (actions, not willful wrongdoing), rather than saying they were making a bad choice, we tried to name the unexpected behaviours and help them choose [...]
Our bi-weekly Friday morning chapel is one of those things that makes the elementary campus just a little extra wonderful. Our kindergarten students joined us for chapel for the first time last week Friday, and hearing 450 children’s voices singing praise songs together is the best. What a privilege it is to offer Christian education. [...]
Life in the elementary is an adventure! From exploring, discovering, and hands-on learning, our students embrace learning to its fullest. Looking back on this school year, we saw God's goodness and wonder on a daily basis and for this, we are so thankful! We asked the elementary staff to share their favourite memories of the [...]
Fourteen moves in 14 years. From hoarders’ homes from the 1950s to bears in our yard daily, we have lived in some interesting places. We have completed some challenging renos and cleared out some interesting items. So why have we moved so many times? With my husband in land development, we decided to take on [...]
The idea of self-care was never something that I grew up thinking about. My parents, who lived through World War II, never really talked about the idea of caring for yourself. Looking back on my childhood, though, I know that I was blessed with daily self-care. I grew up on a small farm in Agassiz. [...]
On New Year’s Day, my family gathered at my mom’s house for dinner together in honour of what would have been my Dad’s 72nd birthday. In the afternoon as the turkey was cooking in the oven, we all headed outside. The weather was cold and crisp, the sky clear. Afternoon Booked Solid With all the [...]
In all the excitement of sending my oldest, Luke, off to his new part-time kindergarten class this fall, I failed to realize that I, too, am starting school in a whole new capacity this year. Granted, I also joined the ACS staff as a part-time graphic designer, but that’s not what I’m talking about. What [...]
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 [...]
The very best part of working at an elementary school is always the kids! This year was no different. Even in a year with many challenges, we look back and see God’s goodness often reflected through our students experiences as they loved God and others. We asked our elementary staff what was their best moments [...]
