Written by Everett Aiken
Thank you for accepting my request to be interviewed for our new newspaper. Students will be interested in learning a little more about different people in our school and principals are especially important.
Could you please tell me exactly what your title is at Galt and when you started working here?
I am the Cycle 1 vice principal here at Galt.
What was your professional career path before this job?
I taught History, mostly, but also ERC, Film Studies, Integrative Project and Art. I taught at BCS for 3 years and then I was here at Galt for 10 years. Then I transferred to Richmond Regional High School as an administrator and now I'm back here.
What made you decide to take this job?
So it sounds kind of crazy but the thing I enjoy most is how crazy and busy it is. It's never dull and I would really like to be the vice principal that I never had. When I'm able to meet with students and give them enough time to tell me their side of the story to talk about the things that are important to them. Things that they want to see to make it a better place.
What do you find most challenging about your job?
I really enjoyed my time here at Galt and, despite the fact that I also enjoyed my time at Richmond, it was nice to have a chance to work closer to my own community, at a school where my kids will be going in a few years, somewhere where I can make a positive impact a little closer to home.
What do you enjoy most about your job and what do you find most challenging about it?
The answer to both questions is working with students. The best part of my day is when I get to help some kids positively, and the most stressful part of my day is helping kids. Sometimes there can be a crisis and that's the toughest part of my job.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia which is a suburb of Vancouver.
What are some of your pastimes outside of school?
I like lacrosse. I am also the men's coach for Lacrosse down at Bishop's University. I spent a lot of my time coaching Team Luxembourg at the Lacrosse Championships. I also spend a lot of time helping coaches set up programs, also helping my players down at Bishop's.
What is your favorite food?
That's a tough call. Probably, tacos or pizza.
What about tacopizza?
That's just a pizza flavored taco, and there's so many varieties of both it’s just too hard to pick one.
What is one of the most interesting places you have ever visited?
Most interesting place I visited? Jerusalem. Being a History and ERC teacher, despite the fact that I'm not religious, I was definitely taken aback by the historical significance of the place.
Where did you go to high school? Do you have a favorite memory of it?
I went to Terry Fox Senior Secondary School (in Port Coquitlam), and my favorite memory of that would probably be playing lacrosse or being in the photography club.
Is there a particular social issue or cause that you feel strongly about? And can you tell me a little bit about it?
The two big charities I support are the UNHCF and Amnesty International. Both are big on helping refugees, spreading the wealth around from those which are well enough off — we have a responsibility to try to help others that are not. A lot of us have a great life too. The very little fact that you were born in this part of the world, and live in this part of the world, and a lot of people struggle greatly based on no more than where they were born is the worst part of it. I think it's our responsibility to do as much as we can for those people to help them have an equitable life.
Does your job Interfere with your personal life in any way?
Yes, the hours sometimes do. Sometimes we are here a little bit later than we would like to be. I try to balance it because I have younger kids. I try to be home as much as possible, but then, sometimes that means taking a little bit of work home and doing it after they go to bed.
And as a final question, if you could change anything about Galt, what would it be?
The thing I would change about Galt is the thing I would change about the entire Quebec Education system and that would be to add a middle school. The concept of middle school is hard because of the regional nature of our school board. There are so many spaces to pull kids from a lot of different areas but I really don’t think we should be having Grade 7 & 8 with Grade 9, 10 and 11 all in the same school.
Thank you very much for your time.
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