TACT Alumni 2003/2004

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Recent Updates
October 11, 2006: Verena Blasy
October 7, 2006: Kim Gallivan
October 2, 2006: Kelly Corday
October 2, 2006: Jena Greenall
September 24, 2006: Andrew Shirkoff
September 23, 2006: Natalee Popadiuk
September 21, 2006: Charan Gill
September 19, 2006: Anita Dhillon
September 18, 2006: Paul Silk
September 18, 2006: Janet Gettings
September 18, 2006: Debbie Gregg
September 18, 2006: Marc Taillefer
August 31, 2006: Jennifer Stromgren
August 31, 2006: Holly Broadland

Andrew Shirkoff
North Shore

September 24, 2006: Hi everyone! Glad to hear that you are all doing well.
I am still at Collingwood but this year I am teaching Grade 9 English, Grade 9 PE and Grade 6 PE. It is a little different from teaching Grade 5 but I am up for the challenge. I have my bin which I cart from class to class (I have become an honourary member of the math department because I teach in their rooms so much!) and I seem to spend a lot of time changing in and out of clothes (talk about losing time in transitions!) but all is good. Lisa and I commute to school together most days. It was great to see Debbie, Janet and Dan over the summer and I saw Glen and Graham as well. Also had a quick visit with Holly while she was at Collingwood with the Stanley Park program last year. Good luck to all this year!

Angela Song
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Anita Dhillon
Lower Mainland, BC

September 19, 2006: Hello Everyone! I got my first full time 1 year contract at Irwin Park Elementary in West Vancouver as of Sept. 26th!! Woohoo!!! Full time kindergarten, 20 in the morning and 13 in the afternoon. It is a great school with lots of supportive staff and only 20 min. away from home. The last few weeks have been totally crazy but my adorable students make it all worth while. Wish me luck!!!

March 23, 2006: Hello!! I was subbing for my sponsor teacher at Kitchener today! After 2 years nothing much has changed, but it was a lot less stressful than on practicum. I have been subbing in Surrey since last April and have just recently been hired as an EOC with Vancouver and West Vancouver school boards. I've been trying to get on the North Shore since we graduated and finally got the opportunity. We should plan a reunion sometime soon. I would love to see you all.
Anita

Charan Gill
Vancouver, BC

September 21, 2006: Hello everyone!!! I hope everyone is doing well. Due to seniority issues, I had to change schools, and am at Tecumseh Elementary School teaching grade 6/7. I had a great summer and went to Italy for a couple of weeks. Thanks Holly for keeping us all connected! We need a TACT reunion!!!

Dan Tinaburri
Calgary, AB

April 6, 2006: I'm currently enjoying my 2-week Spring Break and I'm having an absolute blast in Calgary! I'm still teaching technology at the same school here and have passed the next round of evaluations, so I'll be back again next year but this time with a continuing contract. In addition to teaching tech, I'm also part of a team of teachers in the district that mentors other not-so-tech-savvy teachers. The Board provides release time to do this, so I get to visit a lot of other schools and check them out. And next month, I'll be presenting at the Alberta Teachers Association's Technology Conference in Kananaskis. There's a group of us going so it should be a lot of fun. Can you say party? It's good to see that everyone who writes in is doing well.
Cheers, Dan

Debbie Gregg
Vancouver, BC

September 18, 2006: Hi all!
Well Janet and I have embarked on yet another journey with a new group starting last July. We also had a chance to catch up with Andrew and Dan earlier in the summer and both are doing well and Andrew was going to post something to the site so we will have to get on to him. I have been busy with the placements and all of my 17 will be at Dickens. Charan has gone to Tecumseh but has full time work and we stay in touch.
Hope to see more updates and thanks to Holly for keeping this up.
Best wishes,
Debbie

Erwin Mow
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Glen Longley
Fort St. John, BC

April 6, 2006: Hi Everyone!!! I don't want to be the only one not responding.
Right after we finished school, I went up to Whitehorse. I subbed for three months up there. I think I was the only sub in town that would take the difficult classes so I worked a lot. I spent one month in a class that had only 4 students and three adults. Use your imagination.
At the end of November 2005, I took a Grade 6 and 7 class in Distant Education in Fort St. John. It was a temporary position until June but I was rehired on a continuing contract - Yeah!! I currently have Grade 5, 6 and 7. Distant Education is very different but it has its benefits. I teach online and in the school.
I bought a house last June right after I received my contract. I spend most of my free time now snowmobiling and atving. The people in Fort St. John are great. I don't miss the hustle and bustle of Vancouver at all.
Take care everyone.
Glen

Graham Simms
North Shore

April 5, 2006: Hi TACTers,
I finally have some news! It's been just about a year and a half since I finished practicum (Dec. 2004) and it's finally getting busy. I spent the first 3 months trying to get my resume accepted and finally got on the VSB EOC list last May (just in time for the summer break). This fall I was hired in North Vancouver (TOC) on September 28th (first day of the strike). By November I started to get called and since December I get called every day. It's great working close to home on the North Shore and I often know the families of the kids I teach (it makes discipline easier if you already know the parents.)

My older son's health has been good for last 18 months; he's now in Grade 10 at Argyle. My younger son has just started high school (Grade 8) so we have the teenager challenges right now (some days I really feel old). Hope all are well and enjoying the teaching life.
Graham

Heather Knarr-Birch
Sunshine Valley, BC

October 7, 2005: Hello Everyone! It is amazing how time flies. My biggest news is that I'm a mommy! We have a beautiful baby boy named Jesse. He was born on July 13, 2005 and weighed 8lbs 7oz. He is absolutely perfect and growing quickly. I am on maternity leave until the end of May 2006 and at this point I don't want to even think about going back! I had a great year teaching as a TOC last year. Hope is such a small town that I see my students all the time! I have mixed feelings about that. I hope you are all well and would love to see some faces soon. (editor's note: see a photo of Jesse in the gallery)

December 17, 2004: Hello Everyone! It was great to see some of you at grad. I can't believe how fast the year went by for us. Well, Geoff and I made the big move to Sunshine Valley and I have been working since the end of September as a TOC in and around Hope. Within the first week I taught every grade from 1 to 12-- even highschool math and science! I was slightly out of my comfort level, to say the least.

Some weeks are busier than others, but I average around 3 days a week of work. I have recently been put on the SEA sub list out here too, so that will also help fill the coffers. So, our life has changed drastically in the last three months. As some of you know already, I am expecting a baby! I am due on July 14th. Thankfully, I have been able to work without being sick, though I can't believe how tired I can get. We are very happy and I think of you all often. I hope you are all well. If you are ever in the Manning Park/Hope area look us up! Take care, Heather.

Holly Broadland
Vancouver, BC

August 31, 2006: School starts next week and I'm looking forward to more learning opportunities as I try out being a full-time TOC for the Vancouver School Board. I've applied for jobs in both the spring and summer transfers, but haven't heard anything, so will keep working at it in the school year. Looking forward to seeing some of you in the Vancouver schools!

Cheers,
Holly

March 20, 2006: Spring is here and I'm continuing to enjoy my dual jobs at the VSB and the Stanley Park Ecology Society. I've been consistently subbing on Mondays and have taught K-12 (including Punjabi, Accounting 11, primary music, full-day kindergarten, and a lot of prep coverage). At Stanley Park, we're wrapping up a successful classroom programs season and gearing up for three months of outdoor teaching in the park. This is our busiest season and I'm looking forward to it!

I'm looking into the feasibility of starting a Sustainability Committee with the Vancouver Elementary School Teachers' Association. On Wednesday, April 19th, 2006, we'll be holding our first meeting to gauge interest in environmental education in Vancouver.

Cheers,
Holly

Janet Gettings
Vancouver, BC

September 18, 2006: Hello to all TACT alumni! Another year has begun; it seems amazing that so many years have passed since we all worked together. It was a busy summer for Debbie and I working with the new group, who started July 1. I am still teaching LLED 310, in addition to POT/Comm and coordinating elementary instructors. I am planning a month long trip to Zihuatanejo in February as a special treat for working so hard this summer! I was able to use some of Dan's work, that he has done with students in technology, as a model for elementary classroom connections. Thank you, Dan! Thankfully things are finally beginning to open up in lower mainland classrooms as some of our last group have even managed to land full time positions. Take care everyone!

Janice Novakowski
Lower Mainland

March 3, 2006: I am teaching yet another TACT cohort math this term...and the inaugral TACT group always seems to come up in conversation! This new group is training hard for the Sun Run...wanting to do as well as you all did. This group is participating in a research study with me as I have begun my doctoral studies this year. There are often people in the class videotaping, etc. I am also teaching kindergarten in the morning in Richmond. I've never taught K before so this year has been a huge learning curve for me! Hope you are all doing well.
Janice

Jena Greenall
Vancouver, BC

October 2, 2006: I hope everyone is well and your sanity is still in t-a-c-t. I'm back in Vancouver doing my masters in Counselling Psychology and working at the gym as the program director doing aerobics and personal training. I'm really enjoying it. Hopefully in 2 years after my masters I'll see some of you in the school system when I start counselling:) I'm enjoying a break from children as I found the behavioural management part a bit too stressful for my liking. However, I do miss kids and will look forward to working with them in the future. If any of you want to get fit or want a free training session with me at the gym give me a call:) 604-220-1326

Jennifer Stromgren
Armstrong, BC

August 31, 2006: Hello all everyone! It has been a long time since I have read or writen anything for this website. It was great to see how some people are doing. Chris and I are great! We have a 3 month old baby boy named Jesper. We have also moved to the North Okanagan and live in Armstrong. Chris works as a TOC in Vernon and I am on mat leave. After subbing for a while in PG I had a position as a learning assistance teacher for 5 months in Prince George, then we moved to Kelowna and stayed with the inlaws to save money and have the baby. Chris did his practicum in Vernon to help with getting hired in that district. Armstrong is only 15 min from Vernon and opens us up to the Shushawp district for when I return to work. Life is great and I hope everyone is well.

April 12, 2005: I am living in Prince George and I have been a TOC since November. I don't work everyday but Chris and I are getting by. I am also in the middle of a two week contract which reminds me of practicum. I have taught all grades from k-12. I also survived the winter with the coldest temp. at -39, and I wish spring was like spring in Vancouver. I can't wait to see flowers and new leaves. I hope everyone is well and enjoying teaching!
Thanks Holly for keeping us connected. Sorry it took me so long to write.
Jen Stromgren

Jenny Grewal
Lower Mainland

December 4, 2005: I recently got hired by the Delta School Board as a T.O.C. I've worked two days in Delta so far. It's great to be back teaching in Vancouver.

October 10, 2005: I'm back from Australia. I travelled more than I worked and somehow I still managed to have enough money to buy food. I also managed to squeeze in a tour of New Zealand and Japan. Overall, I enjoyed teaching in Australia. I had a wide range of students in terms of behaviour. Let's just say that I picked up some more Classroom Management skills and had an opportunity to "reflect" on the strategies I knew already ;) Now begins the process of applying for TOC positions and putting my 65 reels of film into photo albums. It's great to hear that so many of you have found jobs and are doing well. Congratulations Heather on your baby boy!

Jocelyn Wong
Kumamoto, Japan

September 9, 2005: I'm sitting here right now in front of the computer in the teacher's room, thinking of what lesson I should plan for 10 super energetic 15 year old boys. And I started to think about the things I learned in TACT... I'm currently on the JET program as an Assistant Language Teacher and I've been here for over a month. Words alone cannot express how awesome this experience is. I will never forget the first time I tried basashi (raw horse meat) and the first time I experienced a typhoon! Although the town I'm at is a rice paddy town, everyone is so nice here which helps me ease my homesickness. The education system is different here and it takes some time to get used to. I'm also kind of getting tired of teaching my self introductory lesson over and over again. I've done it 8 times so 15 more times to go!!! Other than that, I'm happy where I'm at and I try not to think about the possibility of getting a teaching job when I return to Vancouver. Hope all of you are doing well. Ganbatte!

Julia Kwon
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Kate Blaszczynska
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Kelly Corday
Lower Mainland

October 2, 2006: I am still working at VHA (Vancouver Hebrew Academy) teaching Grade 5 (am) and Grade 1 (pm) full time. It is totally crazy but I am loving the change...it definitely keeps things interesting. I went to Thailand for the whole summer and I am definitely ready to stay in town for a while, what a gong show! Hope everyone is doing great! Glad to hear that a lot of people are getting jobs!

July 22, 2005: Hi all, I finally got a job at a private school full time teaching grade 5,6,7! I am so excited and can't wait to set up my own classroom. I also got on to the TOC list in Delta so when there are Jewish holidays I can sub for the public system. I hear there are lots of opportunities in Delta so keep applying if you haven't yet!

Kimberly Gallivan
Vancouver, BC

October 7, 2006: I am working full time at the same school as Paul! What a surprise when he came through the door! I have made a pretty big change from elementary school and I am now teaching high school. I have a mixed bag of subjects (Biology, Social Studies, PE, CAPP and Information Technology) but it is fun and keeping me very busy! Good luck to everyone!

April 11, 2005: I am working on the sub list in Vancouver. It's so much fun!

Kim Heinrichs
Vancouver, BC

December 11, 2005: Just finished writing my first report cards. Glad to have that over with. I'm in a long-term sub position in a grade 6 class at Fleming, which is where I did my practicum.
Last night I went out to hear Tim's band play on Main street. They're great!
Happy holidays, everybody!

April 12, 2005: Recently the VSB hired a bunch of TACTers and I'm one of them. I've bumped into a few familiar faces, and even subbed in Tim's practicum class and he came in for a visit. Small world.

Krista Swick
Vancouver, BC

April 6, 2006: Yep....guilt works. It's nice to hear what others are up to. My .5 Kindergarten position in Surrey has turned into a full time position. I didn't get a layoff notice either so that is a plus. That means I'm guaranteed a full time position for next year. I think Surrey is the way to go. And you can have Tim TOC in your class! We should have a summer bocce get together.

November 26, 2005: I have a .5 position in Surrey teaching Kindergarten. I didn't realize before how much more work having your own class is...especially report cards. It's worth it though. Let me know if you would be interested in TOCing in Kindergarten sometime. Hope everyone is healthy and happy.

Lindsay Byrka
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Lisa Mak
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Lisa Pathyil
London, England

April 17, 2005: Hello everyone! Kate and I got frustrated with the situation in Vancouver and so we both moved to England at the beginning of January. I am doing day-to-day supply teaching and am working all over London. I have taught everything from Nursery to Year 6! It's been quite challenging but I do like living in London, especially since I have been able to spend a weekend in Dublin and am going to Scotland next month! One of the perks of living in England! It's good to hear that some of you were lucky enough to find work in Vancouver. Take care.
Lisa

Marc Taillefer
Vancouver, BC

September 18, 2006: It's my third year at the Mediated Learning Academy. Things are going much smoother this year and I've been able to relax a bit more. The school has been a great place to learn and grow. The summer was filled with summer school, Montreal, kayaking, beach volleyball and pure relaxing in the sun.

I think it's time for a reunion? No?

Matt Kroeker
Greater Vancouver

September 19, 2005: On contract in Surrey. Teaching Grade 12. Exactly what I was trained for.

February 5, 2005: I am currently on TOC leave from Surrey and Coquitlam. I have my own Grade 7 class in Vancouver until the end of the year. I'm in an open area school (i.e. one without walls) and in an inner city environment. Anyone is more than welcome to come and check the school out.

Matthew Woods
The 10th Gate of Hell (Brooks, Alberta)

September 8, 2004: i'm being flayed alive by 19 little rapscallions, half who have the name courteny or brittany. this morning, as i stumbled out of my old, slightly stale smelling, 750 dollar basement suite, and while looking at my breath frosting in the air before me, I contemplated jumping off a bridge. But then I remember that there is no bridge in this town, so I settled on dreaming about jumping on a plane to Thailand (again). The work so far is almost non-stop, and teenagers pull over their pick-up trucks every once in a while to ask where I am from. The prices are exorbitant here, as there are a lot of oil fields nearby. Brooks is also home to the largest meat-packaging plant in Canada. The combined smell of gas, oil, fumes, cow dung, and thousands upon thousands of butchered animals greets me when I walk outdoors. I guess it's just as well that I spend all of my hours looking through archaic teachers' manuals in my homeroom. On the bright side of things, meat is really cheap.
Hope y'all are having as much fun as me.
Toodles.

Natalee Popadiuk
Vancouver, BC

September 24, 2006: Hi everyone! I'm now an Assistant Professor with the Counselling Psychology Masters program in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. As part of my work, I provide clinical supervision to students who are completing their practica in various schools and agencies across the lower mainland. If any of you are interested in school counselling, feel free to email me or give me a call at 604-291-3167. We also provide information sessions about our program annually (the next one is Nov. 21). Next year, we will be recruiting teachers from Surrey/Delta for a counselling cohort based out of the new SFU Surrey campus.

Paul Silk
Vancouver, BC

September 18, 2006: Happy to be back in Vancouver, happily engaged to be married (June 16th 2007) and teaching Grade 6 at St. John's School at Ewe and 10th... a huge and welcome change from my New York experience... I am more ready now for a TACT reunion than I have ever been... I am currently accepting suggestions for locations at my new number... 604-928-SILK... it's true, 604-928-7455... hope to hear from some of you soon...

April 6, 2006: Well, here I am teaching in the heart of the ghetto in New York... my eyes have definitely been opened as to the issues surrounding the education of the lower classes in our society. My school is at 103rd and Madison which is an area known as Spanish Harlem (kind of the upper right section beside Central Park...) so the students are predominantly Puerto Rican, Black and Mexican... The students are as crazy as I have ever seen, but are really interesting and fun to learn from... It has been a challenging but educational year but I have already decided to come back to Vancouver in the summer... anyone know of any job openings???

Anyways, anyone interested in any more details should drop me a line, or stop by my $1800 dollar a month 150 square foot studio apartment... I agree with tim in that we should have a reunion party here in NY... if everybody comes it will work out to like 5 square feet/person... tons of room!!!

Pavan Gill
Vancouver, BC

August 3, 2005: Right now I am taking a break for the summer. I will be working as a teacher on call for the Vancouver School Board starting September. That's it for now!

Riel Villeneuve
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Ryan Richdale
Vancouver, BC

November 24, 2005: Hey everyone, hope all is well with my fellow tact-ers who now seem to be spread out all over the globe. I'm still working in Vancouver (and Surrey, but I avoid it as much as possible - too far a drive) and enjoying it.
Anyways, I am writing to solicit advice :) A recruitment company called me up and wants me to teach in Korea for about a month in Dec/Jan. Since it's only a short-term gig I am really considering it and I was wondering if any of you with experiences teaching in Asia have any thoughts. What to look for? Look out for? Would do? Would do differently? If you have any thoughts I'd love to hear from you.
ryanrichdale@hotmail.com
Cheers!

September 15, 2005: Still putting in my time in Vancouver, hoping to move up from my "F" job status. I love how the school board uses letters A through F to describe their job grades! Ahhhhh, I love the VSB. I've been at Carnarvon since the beginning of the year which is a great school, so hopefully they'll keep me there a little while longer.

Tim Milsted
Vancouver, BC

April 5, 2006: Hi Everyone,
Ok Holly, now I feel guilty for my update lameity. Guilt is such an effective teaching tool don't you think ? I've been putting my skills to work TOCing in the vast beyond that is Surrey since September. I've laughed, I've cried, but mostly I've just been confused. I "taught" French Immersion Science the other day...what the @#$!* is that all about? I've been doing alot more high-school gigs recently and enjoying them ...developing a taste for acerbic teenage wit I guess. I've also been playing guitar in a Motown/Country Western band. Kim H. hooked us up with a very talented chanteuse. Come to our gigs sometime ...please! Anyhow, hope all is groovy with all you TACTers and looking forward to the reunion party at Paul's flat in NYC !
...tim

Trish Woo
Vancouver, BC

September 19, 2005: Hey everyone! Since dropping off the face of the earth last year, I've worked at the Arbutus Sylvan Learning Centre, did a one-month TESL diploma course, and am currently waiting for my first TOC call-out from the Surrey school district. While I'm not exactly looking forward to the early mornings and long commute, it'll be nice to be in an actual classroom again. I hope you're all doing well!

Verena Blasy
Revelstoke, BC

October 11, 2006: Hello all, I am happily starting my second year in Revelstoke and loving this town more everyday. I am still on the TOC list, as contracts are few and far between. However, I've moved up the list and am now getting loads of work at the elementary schools which is what I really want. I got burnt out at the high school last year and realized that I really do get along with the younger kids better. I've even taught kindergarten a few times, but I don't imagine that is where I'll end up - they are cute, but exhausting, and I never know what to do when they start crying.

I am still working on the Mountain Caribou Education Project as well. We got funding for another year, so I'll be improving the program and teaching kids about Mountain Caribou in 25 different classrooms in the Kootenays. This year's exciting addition to the props is real caribou and moose poo. The caribou poo looks like chocolate chips, whereas moose poo is the spitting image of chocolate covered almonds. It's a definite hit with the kids.

April 4, 2006: Hello all,
I'm still subbing in Revelstoke and getting plenty of work, almost all at the high school. I am also now co-running a Mountain Caribou Education program in the Columbia River Basin. The Caribou are in trouble and we've discovered that many kids have no idea they live in our back yard. It is loads of fun to be teaching about something I am passionate about again. Happy Spring!

Victoria Speake
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

Vivian Lee
Unknown

September 30, 2004: No update available.

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