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 [...]
I’m often accused of overusing the word “opportunity.” Every challenge, problem, or complication can just as easily be an “opportunity.” You can see the eyerolls from staff, students, and even my wife when I correct people when they use the word problem. It’s an “opportunity,” I say! It’s as much self-talk as it is a [...]
It’s been a time of grieving and lament in our community as we mourn the loss of a beautiful person, Louise Riezebos. Louise worked as a middle school educational assistant for seven years and impacted every staff member, student, and parent she met. She passed into the arms of her loving Saviour, on Thursday June [...]
A few weeks ago, my son came home from kindergarten and shared that at recess he played with the gnome. I’m pretty familiar with the playground and the areas where kids play. There’s the little toy, the big toy, the forest, the soup tree, and the sandbox (also known as the long jump pit) but [...]
BY JACINDA FLEMING, GRADE 12 STUDENT AND ELEMENTARY JANITOR Soggy cucumbers, mouldy chunks of pepperoni, and wet mushy socks are just some of the things I’ve seen on the floors of school classrooms. I won’t even start with what I’ve seen in the bathrooms. I am a janitor at the elementary campus and have been [...]
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 [...]
The events of the last few weeks have left us feeling shaken and vulnerable. Many of our school families were horribly impacted by the flooding. We have family, friends, coworkers, and classmates who are trying to recover from devastating losses. All of us, including our children, are trying to find a sense of security amidst [...]
One morning I was heading into separate setting with a group of students to write a math test…what a way to start the day. As the test went on, I realized I was getting the undeserved cold shoulder from one student who usually was personable and receptive to support. He barely made eye contact, didn’t [...]
Prepare yourself, I’m going to complain. Yes, it’s probably not healthy and it goes against my typically moderate stance on anything that gets posted on social media, but I’m doing it anyways. I, Karin Riemer, mother of a kindergarten student, think that Kindergarten Gradual Entry is the worst! Professionally, as an educator and an elementary [...]
