Blog Posts

Ready or not, 2025 is here! While I am not one for resolutions, I like setting personal and professional goals. A new year brings with it a sense of hope and opportunity. No matter what happened the previous year, a new year feels like another chance to step closer to a dream, an aspiration, or even start something entirely new.

At Chief Dan George Middle School, our vibrant array of clubs and activities reflects our commitment to fostering student well-being and a strong sense of belonging. Aligned with our district's strategic plan and our school's vision of "Ensouling our School," these opportunities provide students with meaningful ways to engage with peers, explore their interests, and build skills far beyond the classroom.

One of the things I love most about this time of year is seeing the many ways we celebrate the season.  Visit any one of our schools and you’ll see snowflakes and Christmas trees and happy faces all around. If you are lucky, you might even catch sight of Santa and his elves. And it’s not just in schools and classrooms. The Abbotsford School Board Office is a veritable winter wonderland thanks to the goodwill and creative energy of our folks here. 

The Importance and Impact of Thinking Math Classrooms

I spoke with an elementary student recently. He was a hockey fan and could easily recite NHL players' names. He knew their jersey numbers, the positions they played, and sometimes the number of goals and assists they scored. I suspect you might know a sports fan like this, too.

Most of us understand that time is a precious commodity. There is no going back when a moment, a week, or a year has passed. So how we spend our time ought to be a key consideration. What is more, the demands of life and career are such that it can often feel as if there is not enough time to do the things we want or need to do. Time pressure is real, and I am certainly not immune.

The "Where Everyone Belongs" (WEB) program serves as a vital source of guidance and assistance for middle school students, especially those navigating the transition from elementary school to middle school. At its core, WEB is a peer-mentoring program that fosters a welcoming environment where every grade 6 student truly feels they belong. This program is not just about a beginning-of-the-year orientation; it's a year-long journey of connection and growth.

This year, we are adding two very important Department Head (Team Leader) positions to our staff: Mathematics 6-8 and English Language Arts (ELA) 6-8. As the District Strategic Plan 24-28 has identified Numeracy and Literacy as goals that will improve student success, adding these two positions aligns staffing and our school budget with these goals.

A world-class, innovative, and individualized educational experience for every student. This is our collective vision, reaffirmed by our Board of Education this past June when they approved a new multi-year strategic plan. The vision is a powerful one, and my role as Superintendent is to help bring it to life.