Thanks for the memories!

As Bob Hope famously crooned, "Thanks for the memories ..." and it's fitting to inform all y'all there's been a 'changing of the guard', so to speak, at my little adopted country school, Elmvale District. When I first walked through its front doors nearly two and a half years ago, little did I realize that I would develop such a glorious kinship with the young woman that I interacted with the most, the Operations Assistant, Danielle (Koopmans) Ward. Sadly for all of the staff, the students, and this old wrinkled supply teacher, Danielle has made a lateral transfer within SCDSB to a position that will better suit her personal life by allowing for a 'work from home' scenario, effectively eliminating her daily commute of nearly an hour, and allow her to be more accessible to her own children.

Danielle, to this old fart, is pure gold!

I have been blessed over my years in education with wonderful friendships that I've written about on multiple occasions ... What're ya at? Transitions are a part of life! Legacy complete! ... with a good number of them being those incredible souls in the office. If you have good people in the office, your life as a teacher and administrator becomes immeasurably easier because they smooth out the wrinkles that come with the job.

When I was at Barrie Central, the OA was a sweetheart named Natalie Cooney, an alum who possessed a gleeful disposition, beaming smile, mischievous sense of humour, and a willingness to connect that welcomed everyone with warmth and caring. Over those years, we got up to some shenanigans that allowed for a deeper connection, and I'm proud of the bonds of friendship that were created. She wasn't the only one ... Voula, Karen, Jane, I SEE you all! When Central closed, Natalie her Golden Button was just out of her reach, and she finished her career at the Barrie Learning Center. Although we still 'communicate' via social media, I truly miss that smile and twinkle only available thanks to face to face conversations.

She, quite simply, is good people!!

In finishing up my career at Barrie North, It didn't take long to realize that there was another incredible woman who had been the 'captain of the ship' for a lengthy time. Mary Ellen Tupling was, like Natalie,  also quick with a warm smile, possessed the same mischievous sense of humour, and was easy to like. She too was surrounded by amazing folks like Karen, Liz, and Nancy. Mary Ellen is very likely worthy of the same amount of praise as Natalie, but we just didn't get to share as many adventures 'stamping out the seeds of ignorance'. Still, she quickly became a good friend, and she too has pressed her Golden Button.

Maybe it's in the job description, buried deep in the fine print, that the people in the school's main office have to be incredible humans, because it surely can't be a fluke that so many have crossed paths with me.

Back to the delightful Ms Ward ...

Danielle has many of the similar qualities already attributed in this diatribe to Natalie and Mary Ellen, but the difference of note is that ours was a supply teacher relationship that, IYKYK, is a totally different animal than a RCT. It's a SCDSB rule that those of us on the main supply list have to set our parameters on the supply portal ATE to include four schools. Since I live in Wasaga Beach but 'graduated' from Barrie North, I always set mine to include North (obviously), Elmvale (obviously again), Stayner, and Collingwood, but I have grown a healthy attachment to the students and staff at ol' EDHS, a significant part of which is due to my interactions with Danielle, so I have offered my assistance there most of the past 6 months.

Now don't get me wrong here, North, Stayner and Collingwood are good schools, but for me they aren't great schools, with no sense of longing or negativity intended. I have had some good experiences supplying there, but they didn't measure up to North and Elmvale, and TBH, as the years had ebbed by, I find that I am less drawn to North due to the natural transition of students, staff and admin. In contrast, I honestly really enjoy my visits to EDHS because the staff and students are genuinely welcoming, friendly, and (mostly) cooperative. 

Danielle, from my perspective, you leave a gaping hole in the mechanisms of EDHS, not only from your competency as OA, but also from your generosity as a coach and confidant. Your replacement will face quite the challenge because yours are extra large shoes to fill, and while he/she will bring their own specialness to the task, I'll stand on my soapbox and proclaim to all who will listen that your absence will be noticed! 

Of course I wish you well in your new endeavours! 

Of course I'm happy for you and your family!

I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated our time as we walked the same path!