Thanks for the Memories!

Today is the final day of classes for most of Ontario's students for 2021, and whether those students observe Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Ramadan, or even Festivus, there's a buzz in every classroom thanks to the ever increasing excitement levels of an extended holiday from school. For December 2021, in particular, that very likely also means a break from the ramifications of an extended pandemic that is awash in new concern with the explosion of the Omicron variant. As a retired educator who has offered assistance to my colleagues still full time employed in the form of supply work, I certainly empathize with the extra stress and fatigue that comes along with continuing to make education work despite what appears, at least to me, as grave mismanagement on the part of the Ford government.

When the SCDSB chose to shutter the windows and lock the doors of my beloved Barrie Central CI, the lead office manager was one of the nicest, caring, loving individuals you'd ever wish to meet in Stavroula Tsarouhas, or Voula as we all knew her. Why tell you this, besides the fact that you really and honestly should get to know this incredible woman? She has faithfully initiated an email chain at every major Canadian holiday with well wishes and outpourings of love to a large number of the staff who were standing on the deck of the good ship BCC as she sank, and every time I get her email, I smile widely from the swell of happiness and pride that washes over me. Her 2021 Holiday email came recently, and it's like an early gift, sitting under the tree waiting to be opened.

Like the proverbial breaking of a dam, once the integrity of the dyke is compromised, the raging tidal wave of memories hits me with the force of a runaway train, bringing with it fragments of Decembers past where countless hours of creativity and refinement were gifted to the Central student body in the form of the annual Teachers Assembly. 

As a graduate of BCC, some of those memories are from when I sat in the audience and watched as Doug Eves sang Duke of Earl, Dave Garland and other coaches performed the Nutcracker Ballet, Brian Honey and others bared their bellies in Whistle while you Work, and Bill Huddleston earned the nickname Huddle-Rock as he led the Teacher's Rock Band with the wail of his guitar. If some of my classmates from those years read this, I am sure their brains will swim with similar images. Alas, I am not aware of video footage of those assemblies from so long ago.

As a staff member at BCC, I was "dug in like a tick" when it came to making a complete fool of myself in the hopes that the students would erupt in a euphoric cacophony of guffaws, just I had when my hind end sat where they were. I donned the tights for 3 renditions of the Nutcracker, sang ... not well mind you ... on a number of occasions with the famous Teacher's Rock Band, with classics like Raise a Little Hell, Sharp Dressed Man and even Old time Rock 'n Roll. With the help of my Uber talented colleagues, the tradition of GAP and Old Navy commercials began, video parodies of popular songs like Nickelback's Rockstar or Adele's Hello thrilled the audience, and Vaudeville-like skits left the entire audience gasping for air. You could always count on that final day to be one of the highest attended days of the school calendar.

As Central's Yearbook advisor during those years, I was entrusted with whatever video proof there was of such stratospheric happenings, so when the demise of Central came to fruition, I snatched up some of that footage like the Grinch himself. Snippets of those performances have survived to this day on YouTube under the group name of The Barrie Central Phenomenon, waiting for students and teachers who may wish to jumpstart their Hippocampus. 

You can take a shortcut by clicking here: The Barrie Central Phenomenon 

I've had people over the years since BCC was closed that shared they felt strongly that I should stop living in the past by kicking the habit of reminiscing so often about those years, and thereby, let Central die once and for all. 

There's a simple answer to people like that ... NOPE! 

Those years are a big part of who I am and I'll wax nostalgic often. Besides, there's a large group of friends comprised of former students and colleagues who share my enthusiasm, the bond shared not unlike sugar dissolved in water ... once the deed is done, it takes a great deal of effort to undo.

For today, I'll sit here in front of my trusty laptop, pressing play on the videos in the group, and giggle my way to a tremendous evening. 

Happy Holidays everyone!