I was raised on the bottom of the sea. No…really, I was. I grew up in the Netherlands, in a province called Noordoostpolder (North East Province) which used to be the bottom of the sea. I lived on a dairy farm situated on reclaimed land between the former islands of Urk and Schokland, a place [...]
BY KIRSI ANTUNES, SCHOOL COUNSELLOR The beginning of the new school year started with excitement and trepidation. I am excited about beginning my position as the new school counsellor at ACS, something I had not imagined happening even though I had been a parent in the community for five years. Many unexpected turns in the [...]
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 [...]
BY JULIE CARRUTHERS, ACS PARENT SQUOOSH. I felt the soft, slippery substance squish under the tread of my boot. A quick flip of the foot revealed an ooey, beigey substance ingrained into the bottom of my new hiking boots. The new hiking boots that, if COVID-19 had never happened, would be digging into the sandy [...]
"So, what are you doing next year?" I have had that question come at me about once a week since I announced that this would be my last year as principal at the elementary campus. Up until about three weeks ago, the only answer I could give was, “We are still figuring that out.” What’s [...]
BY MELISSA DRIESSEN, ACS PARENT Our mornings start out like a beautiful masterpiece. No, really, it’s true. We start by singing and dancing to God’s praises and then dive right into His word with a hint of art. It is fun, calm, collected; everyone gets along and it is the perfect way to start our [...]
I quickly noticed an unusual amount of kids hanging out by the shed when I came outside during recess one day. They were looking in the windows, listening at the walls, and pushing at the screen on the electronic dead-bolt. It didn't take long for me to find out what the fuss was about. I [...]
BY SARAH BESSEY, ACS PARENT When our children were younger, I used to marvel at their ability to find great value and significance in sunrise and sunset, growing vegetables, bugs and trees, music, friendship, rocky-bottomed lakes, changing seasons and small rituals. They say the world through a lens of wonder and contentment that made me [...]
I have about a two-minute commute to work – walking. For the most part, that is a good thing and most people are jealous when they find out where I live. Every time I get on the Trans Canada and realize that people drive that highway everyday, I am deeply grateful for my commute. Every [...]
Celebrate first. That’s the motto to live by. But it goes against my nature to celebrate when the hand dryers are blasting 150dB of noise in 10-second spurts between explosions of chatter from the seemingly thousands of children who use those bathrooms and dryers right when I need to try and write a blog. Instead [...]
