Over the past decade, we’ve made some great strides in uncovering and bringing to light the issue of mental health and well being. It is becoming increasingly okay to openly admit mental health struggles faced not only by children but adults alike. We are not there yet, but at least we are beginning to address …
Tag: Education
Jan 03
Looking back to 2020
This week marks the third-year anniversary of my retirement as Superintendent of Schools. In some ways it seems like only yesterday that I called it quits, while at other times it seems like a lifetime ago. So, what have I done or better yet, what are some things I’ve learned in these past three years? …
Mar 29
A Personal Message to All Educators
January 3rd was my last day as Superintendent of Schools and the end to an almost 35 year career in education. It was the right time for many reasons and I have not regretted the decision. However, since the COVID 19 pandemic has hit, there has been a pit in my stomach, a certain uneasiness …
Aug 25
Thinking about 1st Year Teachers
Each year, I get an opportunity to meet our brand new teachers and provide them with some thoughts and hopefully helpful hints going into their first year of teaching. This year will be a little different as: (1) With my impending retirement, this will be my last official address to 1st year teachers as Superintendent …
Aug 14
Blame, Complain or Find a Solution
The next time you are in a conversation about something that isn’t quite right, ask yourself if you are blaming, complaining or trying to find a solution. While we would like to believe that we operate in the “glass half full” mentality, we may be surprised at how often we exude negativity. Finger pointing in …
Jan 28
Linking Education to the Economy
The following blog post was published in the Lethbridge Herald on January 27, 2016 Alberta is in the midst of some tough financial challenges. With the price of oil continuing to be low and our Canadian dollar ever slipping on the world stage, we are in for some difficult times economically for the foreseeable future. …
May 18
Regaining culture, tradition and language
My mother’s parents came from the Ukraine. They spoke the language and I remember many of the Ukrainian traditions (especially the food) growing up while visiting them in the summer or at Christmas. Unfortunately, that is where the language, culture and most of the tradition ended, with my grandparents. I can assume that there were many …
Jan 20
Connected Educator equals Informed Professional Judgment
There are times in our careers that we use the term professional judgment as a license to do whatever we believe is right! We’ve earned our degree! We’ve “practiced” our skills! We’ve been inducted into the profession! The very definition of a professional supports our “right” to trump any disagreement of practice. Quite honestly, a rigorous pre-service …
Dec 31
Not another New Year’s resolution
You can probably tell from the title that I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. It really doesn’t make sense to me to wait until the beginning of a new year to change some aspect of your life. Why is January 1st so important? Didn’t we want to have a healthier lifestyle, lose weight, …
Nov 21
Maintaining the status quo is falling behind!
Alberta continues to be recognized as one of the best educational systems in the English speaking world. Parental choice, high-quality teaching, centralized curriculum and significant government funding are examples of the many reasons for this recognition. Given that, it may be surprising to many of our public that Alberta Education and local divisions continue to …
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