Leadership… Building a Thriving School Community Through Strategic Focus 6 Nov 2025 I tend to think in threes, because coherence is strengthened when strategy is clear, concentrated, and connected. This year, our strategic focus is focused around three interconnected areas: Inquiry, Belonging,…
Uncategorized Harnessing Momentum: Insights for 2025 6 Jan 2025 I’m not a seasoned surfer, but I’ve had the thrill of riding waves in a few places around the world. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the secret…
Inquiry Learning in 2024 21 Mar 202421 Mar 2024 It’s 2024 and the pendulum of education keeps swinging. Over the past couple weeks Guy Claxton and Alfie Kohn shared excellent articles delving into CLT and the reality that learning…
Making it Happen… 2024: The Year of Momentum 3 Jan 20243 Jan 2024 It's that time of year, the One Word Challenge. I do love the One Word Challenge for the simplicity it brings in focussing my intentionality for the year, as well…
Being a Farmer… Momentum 26 Nov 2023 How do you build momentum? I have always believed it’s anchored in capacity building, ensuring a common language, building for sustainability and engagement. I am grateful to Trevor MacKenzie for his work…
Being a Farmer The New School Year 10 Sep 202115 Sep 2021 It has been a wonderful return to school. The elementary division was fortunate to have almost all of the 1150 students on-campus last year, but now the ability for our…
Collaboration… Words of Wisdom 2021 21 Jun 202121 Jun 2021 This is a milestone moment in your lives. This is the end of your time in elementary, and the beginning of something new in Middle School. What we are doing…
Connecting… Opening Night 2018 20 Sep 201821 Sep 2018 What a Night! Last night was our K-5 Opening Night presentation at Dubai American Academy. We began the night with a welcome from our entire staff, then delved into the…
Authentic Learning… O Siyam 24 Jun 2018 Last week was National Indigenous Peoples Day. We recognized the day at the beginning of the day with our students. What makes this day important for our school is that we have…
Authentic Learning… My One Word: Create 31 Jan 201631 Jan 2016 The one word challenge was set by Chris Kennedy a month ago. It has taken me a little time to put my thoughts down but my one word is Create.…
graduation… Words of Wisdom 23 Jun 2015 These were my words of wisdom at our Grade 7 Farewell ceremony today... Good luck. These are two words you will hear for the rest of your life. Usually they…
Collaboration… Engaging the Third Teacher 21 Apr 201521 Apr 2015 This year we have been exploring Learning Spaces as part of our Dare to go Further journey with student learning. As a school that has implemented the IDEC model, we have…
Connecting… Making our Learning Visible 25 Jan 2015 Each month our Parent Advisory Committee holds monthly meetings to discuss PAC related issues. During these meetings I deliver a Principal’s Report filled with interesting matters about the school. This…
Connecting… Dare to Go Further 26 Oct 2014 I love this video because we have all been there. Maybe not looking down from the top of a ski jump, but doing something that instilled an element of "hesitation".…
Inquiry… First the How. Now More the Why of BYOD. 24 Feb 2014 My last post was about Our Approach to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and the strategies we implemented to make it a success. But even as parents were bringing in the…
Collaboration… 10 Thoughts 1 Dec 2013 I always enjoy Elliotte Friedman’s 30 Thoughts opinion piece on CBC Sports so I thought I would try my own version as I reflect back on the first three months…
Uncategorized Taking the First Step can be the Hardest 25 Aug 2013 Last week the administrators of West Vancouver returned to work for our annual beginning of the year conference. This is a wonderful opportunity to both reconnect with one another and…
Collaboration… Reflecting on our Innovation 11 Jun 2013 Yesterday educators in the West Vancouver School District came together at Sentinel Secondary to share the process and results of their inquiries from throughout the year. The innovation grants provided…
Authentic Learning… Guess Who’s Teaching Us About Government 26 Feb 201226 Feb 2012 In a previous post, Connecting to Inquiry, I stated Kath Murdoch's assertion that "quality inquiry is active...with students being actively involved in ʻdoingʼ the learning with an emphasis on first hand, real world…
Inquiry Connecting to Inquiry 6 Dec 2011 Last year, I had the opportunity to experience teaching within the IB Primary Years Program at Tokyo International School. I found that although I had always considered myself a teacher…
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