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Elk Valley Editorial

This week I have been chatting with my friends, who are also parents of children who attend school in the Elk Valley, and there has always been a common conversation about teachers. Whether it be the Fernie Academy or Rocky Mountain Elementary, every parent I have talked to has mentioned how amazing the teachers are. How they go the extra mile to help their students, how they are friendly, warm and kind, how they have been the ones to change children’s lives for the better.

I am always in amazement at how time flies. Summer break is coming to a close and school is ready to begin. Depending on which day, or minute you may catch me I am excited, counting down the days for school to begin or wishing I could keep my daughter home for another couple of months.

This week I have been chatting with my friends, who are also parents of children who attend school in the Elk Valley, and there has always been a common conversation about teachers. Whether it be the Fernie Academy or Rocky Mountain Elementary, every parent I have talked to has mentioned how amazing the teachers are. How they go the extra mile to help their students, how they are friendly, warm and kind, how they have been the ones to change children’s lives for the better.

I know how true this is, and having attended school in Sparwood for my entire life, there have been teachers who I can easily remember as being the ones that made school a better place and education more fun. In elementary school Mrs.Houston, Mrs. Cimolini, Mrs. Pidgeon taught in a way that made learning come easy and the school year more enjoyable. In high school, Mrs. Chala my English teacher had made a profound difference in my life, and has contributed to my success and love of reading and writing.

Teachers do not always come and go with the years of school. In our small communities there will be special teachers that we still talk to ten years later, that we surprise with visit, that we remember with a smile when the school year begins again.

As I get ready to send my daughter off to grade one, part of me will be sad that she will be gone all day, but part of me is looking forward to her being able to go through school and find those teachers she will one day tell her children about.  I know we are truly lucky to have the teachers we do in all of our Elk Valley Schools.

To the teachers, thank you for educating, putting up with and enriching the lives of our children.

Welcome back to school everyone.