June 18, 2021 Message to Members
Class dismissed
At just about this time last year, I was preparing for the graduation events at our high school. ... read more
June 4, 2021 Message to Members
Our Home and Native Land
As a young teacher, I organized and planned international travel for the students ... read more
June 11, 2021 Message to Members
No Neutrality
I visited a school this week. It is a very new school that I had not previously visited ... read more
May 28, 2021 Message to Members
Side by EachSo, Ariana Grande got married. I may be assuming a great deal, believing our readers know ... read more
May 21, 2021 Message to Members
A Few NotesJust over ten months ago, a wise friend advised me the presidency is something that ... read more
May 14, 2021 Message to Members
Guilty PleasuresI take a homemade lunch to work. I got back into the habit of doing so in 2013 when I ... read more
May 7, 2021 Message to Members
Name That TuneSome time ago, I wrote about my first job with a hamburger chain. For a very short time ... read more
April 30, 2021 Message to Members
Just a Call Away I was sitting in our Ford Windstar in the parking lot of a Canadian Tire when I got the call ... read more
April 23, 2021 Message to Members
"How are you?"Let’s call her Yvonne. I met Yvonne at the beginning of my teaching career. She was in grade ... read more
April 16, 2021 Message to Members
“When I grow up…” “I want to be a Vice-Principal when I grow up,” said no six-year-old ever! In grade one, I ... read more
April 9, 2021 Message to Members
Humanity RemainsA few weeks ago, I received a message from a staff member of my former school. She’s a ... read more
April 1, 2021 Message to Members
“… and you may contribute a verse.” My phone buzzed in my pocket just as I was taking a sip of my double double. I was waiting ... read more
Mar 12, 2021 Message to Members
Spring ForwardI decided late in grade 12 that I would be a teacher, and a high school English teacher at ... read more
Mar 5, 2021 Message to Members
“…the courtesy of Fred’s two feet…” This past weekend, my daughter did not finish eating the egg I prepared for her. When I asked... read more
Feb 26, 2021 Message to Members
“…to correct, condense, or otherwise modify…” Apparently, I have no problem with censorship … provided I’m the one securing the... read more
Feb 19, 2021 Message to Members
Given Time
It may be the easiest ‘hard’ thing that Principals and Vice-Principals have to do. Well... read more
Feb 12, 2021 Message to Members“What the world needs now…”
It’s old fashioned and can’t be hurried. It shines. We’re blinded by it; we’re crazy for it... read more
Feb 5, 2021 Message to Members
“It’s still once a year… isn’t it?”
For more than 25 years, the first week of February in Canada cues an annual national event ... read more
Jan 29, 2021 Message to Members
“Pam, can you call my mom?” I wonder if you have seen that commercial, the one advertising cold medication? ...read more
Jan 22, 2021 Message to Members
“… doctors and lawyers and such”
My youngest daughter had a favourite song when she was very little, and this song ...read more
Jan 15, 2021 Message to Members
“For in peace, our hearts will sing…”
My first job was flipping burgers at Burger King. Actually, there was no flipping...read more
Jan 8, 2021 Message to Members
Resolute
Happy New Year! A new year, but we’re still in the same times. I saw a meme this week...read more
Dec 11, 2020 Message to Members
In your own words...
This is my last eNews entry for 2020. I started to write this week’s message several... read more
Dec 4, 2020 Message to Members
Pinch, Punch, First of the Month
I would hear these words on the first morning of each month, delivered in...read more
Nov 27, 2020 Message to Members
Alphabet Soup
Peter Parker’s uncle knew it: he knew the importance of the ‘r’ word... read more
Nov 20, 2020 Message to Members
“Come on and zoom, zoom, zoom-a zoom!”
Remember that refrain, followed by “Everybody’s doin’ it, everybody’s movin’ it…”? If ... read more
Nov 13, 2020 Message to Members
“…be silent for a moment.”
There is so much noise out there: so many voices, so many opinions, so many competing ... read more
Nov 6, 2020 Message to Members
“…making me feel like an expert.”
I have one hundred and seventeen green sticky notes on the wall of my office... read more
Oct 30, 2020 Message to Members
“I Could Do This All Day Long!”
(inspired by If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff)
If you want to see a Principal or Vice-Principal smile and beam, walk with them in a school... read more
Oct 23, 2020 Message to Members
“Can you hear me now?”
We all want to be heard.
It is good to be seen, but please hear my voice...read more
Oct 16, 2020 Message to Members
On the Road Again…
I first encountered ‘Mr. PG’ in the summer I completed the Professional Development Program (PDP) at Simon Fraser University…read more
Oct 9, 2020 Message to Members
Overheard This Week…
In this first week of National Principals’ Month, I heard many comments from our ...read more
Oct 2, 2020 Message to Members
Concrete – Specific, Particular & Real
September is over. September in schools often ends with us internally harbouring the …read more
Sept 25, 2020 Message to Members
“Well, it’s one louder, isn’t it?”
Have you seen Spinal Tap? Those of my vintage may know exactly where I’m going with this…read more
Sept 18, 2020 Message to Members
‘Look at this photograph…’
I bought my first car in the summer before grade 12. I felt so grown-up – so old – when I … read more