When I was young, my family listened fervently to James Ward. James was a Christian contemporary singer/songwriter, popular in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. He also happened to be a friend to our family by association. He wasn’t in the “famous” category like other Christian contemporaries of that time: Michael W Smith, Amy Grant, [...]
I don’t think it matters if you have one child, a baker’s dozen, or any number in between; raising your children and being a family is one of life's greatest adventures. For my husband and I, we have learned that in the joys, the struggles, and the in-betweens of this great adventure, parenting our four-year-old [...]
My mom was the reason I got into teaching. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up so when people asked me that question, it caused me concern that I didn’t have a clear plan or direction for my life. I only decided to take education courses because I had [...]
BY KOENRAAD BEUGELINK, FAITH FORMATION DIRECTOR Before reading any further: Please try not to respond to your phone notifications until you are done reading. This week we started our “We Will, We Won’t” digital citizenship series at the secondary campus. This will be a staggered system-wide series of various lengths over the next [...]
My interactions with John Atsma, site superintendent for Fricia Construction, are usually two-fold: sometimes he stops by my office, or I give him a call. However, our conversations are rarely dull. Here are a few examples: “John, did you guys turn the water off? None of the taps work in the school.” “Mike, we need [...]
Unless you are a professional athlete, pop star, or Pokémon champion, the students in grade 7 aren’t that interested in your title. After six and a half years as Director of Learning for the Society of Christian Schools in British Columbia, I am using my professional leave to fill Mrs. Friesen’s maternity leave in middle [...]
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 in 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 [...]
I’m not exactly a courageous person. I distinctly remember the fear that crawled up my spine when my mom asked me to get something from the basement as a kid. Our below-ground “dungeon” was unfinished, sported a low ceiling, limited lighting, only two half windows, and a number of resident spiders who felt right at [...]
