Blog Posts

With all the recent retirement festivities I have had cause of late to reflect on my journey in the education system.  One of the frequent questions I have been asked is why I decide to become a teacher “all those years ago.”  I have had occasion over the years to mention it on World Teacher Day, but for me, the decision had everything to do with my school experiences, and a challenge extended to me by a very special human being.

In today's digital world, network security is a top priority for school districts to consider. With cyber-attacks becoming more sophisticated and prevalent, it is essential to have a robust security system in place.  The Abbotsford School District already has such a system for our wireless networks and the ITC department has begun working on a project to leverage the same system for our wired network.

In previous posts, I have shared my perspectives on the spectre of systemic racism in education, particularly in relation to Indigenous Peoples. I highlighted two interrelated constructs related to this issue: epistemic racism (the idea that there is only one form of true knowledge) and the related “racism of low expectations” highlighted in the 2016 Auditor General’s Report.

Language instruction helps build the cultural competence of individual cultures and those worldwide. When educators foster culturally sustaining inclusive environments, it creates opportunities for students of all cultures to thrive. When students see themselves within texts, language, and materials, this helps build engagement, trust, and a sense of belonging.

Did you know that we have a whole team of people here at the Curriculum Department ready to support you in learning more about Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction?

Earlier this school year, leaders in our organization had the opportunity to learn from renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Shimi Kang on the subject of mental health and wellbeing.

There has been much news around the latest AI Chat Bot called ChatGPT. Some people call it a game changer; others have concerns about society’s reliance on technology to do our thinking for us.

At the Information Technology (IT) Department, we have been playing around with the platform and have even successfully used it to create, modify and troubleshoot some of the scripts we use for basic automation tasks.

For fun, I wondered how well ChatGBT might know the K-12 system. So I asked it a few questions. Here are its answers, which took approximately 2 seconds to create:

The EA Peer Mentor program started as a pilot three years ago and is now in its 2nd year of permanence. It currently has two full-time Education Assistant Peer Mentors, Connie Hampson and Alicia Kroeker, who support any/all EAs interested in the voluntary program. Upon registration, the two parties schedule their time together with the convenience of the mentees’ schedule in mind. EA Peer mentors collaborate with mentees to support them in their role and work together to help the mentee feel more confident, provide encouragement, and strengthen their skills.

“Now let us begin. Now let us re-dedicate ourselves to the long and bitter, but beautiful, struggle for a new world.” -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We are looking forward to hosting Shared Learning 2023 at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School. The Shared Learning Conference committee has been busy planning for 60 engaging sessions for support staff, operations, teachers, and leaders. This year’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Jean Clinton. Dr. Clinton is an experienced speaker that is well known for her engaging and informative keynote addresses. Dr. Clinton will share her knowledge about mental health and wellness, belonging, and human connection.