This December is my last as vice principal at Tecumseh Elementary School. I have been at the school long enough to work, learn, play and share experiences with enough children and adults to make leaving a hard thing to do. Many Tecumseh students have heard my heartfelt speech that you choose everyday if you are going to make someone else’s life a little bit better or a little bit worse. I just realized that I have missed an important element. You have to understand that you impact others with the things you choose to do and the things you choose not to do. During my time at Tecumseh, particularly this past December, the Tecumseh school community has chosen to show me that they care about me. That choice has touched me deeply.
The cards, songs, poems, books and kind words show that you understand the things that are important to me and are grateful for our time together. I love that I have been able to help someone learn to talk to people and make friends, make someone feel special by saying hi and smiling, make someone else feel like they can kick a soccer ball or code or blog or learn English or choose who they want to be. I’m grateful to have talked and listened and laughed and learned with you. I appreciate that many of you have learned that strength can be physical but also standing up for what is right and believing in yourself.
Staff gave me a beautiful silver necklace with the wolf symbol crafted by Harold Alfred, as my parting gift. This symbol was also given to me on a card when I left Norquay Elementary School. I love it. As you well know, I am very interested in Indigenous ways of knowing and worked hard to further our collective understanding of our history and traditional indigenous teachings. I take the selection of this wolf symbol as a huge compliment and inspiration. The wolf represents great strength, is considered wise and powerful, chooses one mate for life and demonstrates strong loyalty to family. Not a bad symbol to have chosen for you!
I’ve learned many things about strength of purpose at Tecumseh. I love that staff signed me up for the Bike to Work Week and tested by ability to persevere until I could pedal up the hills from Kits to 41st and Commercial Street WITHOUT getting off my bike. I love that so many in the school community invested in our We Welcome Refugees project to show the strength of our conviction that Canada is a welcoming country that demonstrates empathy and belief in what people have to benefit our country. I love the enthusiasm that Tecumseh students bring to new learning and challenges. I love that so many students have the strength to continue to try even when they fail or the task is really hard or maybe not even fair. I also value that the families in our school community are so invested in creating a better future for their children, often in the face of significant challenges. My Mom struggled raising two daughters and supporting her extended family as I was growing up. I admire the same tenacity in our Tecumseh families.
Students, staff, parents and community partners have shown me in so many ways that they value the relationship we have developed over the years. I cannot tell you how much it means to me that the relationships we have developed means as much to you, as they do to me. I am so grateful for our time together and I wish all the very best for you in the future.
P.S. I am also grateful to Harold Alfred for creating my very special and beautiful gift. 
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