Mind racing. Heart pounding. Hoping. Anticipating. Anxiously awaiting. The first day at a new job is always scary, but for teachers, it happens twice the first year and every September thereafter. Once when entering a room full of strangers in a new school in the final week of summer. Again, when the students arrive for [...]
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 [...]
At a recent Leadership Team meeting, middle school principal, Tym Berger, (who is now the resident historian on the Leadership Team) shared a really challenging time in the life of ACS’ history. He shared a moment from the ACS’ 50th anniversary book entitled; “New Growth from the Ashes” written by Jack Van Dyke. Jack was [...]
Recently I underwent day surgery and spent a week recovering at home. Given the nature of my recovery I knew I had to be very intentional about taking time away from work so that I could physically recover and be ready to go the following week. I prepped the staff, set up an email autoreply, [...]
These past few weeks we watched one of the final pieces of the construction project – the canopy over the front entrance – being put in place. This is like a giant erector set with a concrete cylinder base, a steel cylinder, six angled support arms, and beautiful wooden trusses, all supporting an angled wood [...]
For those of us who’ve been in our ACS community a while, the name “Sandra Elgersma” makes us think about singing, xylophones, recorders, concerts, and musicals. Many ACS alumni, honorary members, and staff fondly remember our former music teacher, Miss Sandra Elgersma, who taught children music at Abbotsford Christian School from 1988-2012. If you had [...]
I like the school’s theme song for the 2021-22 school year. It’s called “Let it be Love” by Canadian band, The Color (although, I expected them to call themselves “The Colour.”) The song is catchy and fun—toe-tapping, even, and I’m not really a toe-tapper. It sticks and I catch myself humming the chorus as I [...]
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 [...]
“Hi Summer! Oh…and hi Mr. van der Leek.” She is often greeted first and I do not take offense. Summer has connected with so many middle school students during the past several weeks and has happily done her work making friends with these mid-sized humans. In fact, when we walk to school each day, Summer [...]
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 [...]
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