Blog Posts

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 IT Department is excited to announce that district technology will be refreshed this summer, 2025. This initiative is designed to enhance our educational environment by providing the most up-to-date and effective tools for teaching and learning.

We will be seeking feedback from a representative group of Staff that encompasses all levels and positions regarding the technology that will be deployed. Your insights will be invaluable as we strive to meet the diverse needs of our students and educators.

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.

New Year, New Initiatives and Milestones

The HR Department has had a busy summer preparing for the 2024/2025 school year.  Some of our key program areas for the year include:

• Recruitment & Retention
• Culture & Employee Engagement
• Wellness & Safety

Look out for new initiatives in Leadership Development, Employee Onboarding as well as Employee Recognition.  We continue to monitor the action plans developed from the Employee Engagement Survey and plan to conduct follow up in the Spring to measure our successes.

A shoutout to the work of our Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees. Today, we thank each member for their commitment to supporting and fostering a safe work environment. Your contributions do not go unnoticed; they play a key role in enhancing the safety culture of the Abbotsford School District.

Many years ago, as I trained for my first marathon, one of my mentors—a seasoned runner with countless marathons behind him—shared invaluable wisdom about the importance of finishing strong. He emphasized the need to maintain enough energy to cross the finish line with a smile and a strong pace, regardless of how the race began.

I can still recall his words echoing in my mind: “Remember, it’s not about how you start the marathon; it’s about how you finish. Finish strong.”

Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. Here in British Columbia, more and more businesses and other organizations are suffering breaches, highlighting serious risks that the educational sector is not immune to.

I think it is important for a Superintendent to try and stay connected to what is happening across the district and the broader community. While there are never enough hours in the week, I do my best to make regular rounds and to take in community events. And wherever possible, I like to share the good things I see.