June 20th to 24th 2019

Late June is a paradox for teachers as energies are pulled between completing a multitude of school year end activities and an increasing desire for summer exploration and relaxation. This blog post reflects this contradiction. In addition, June 21st is celebrated in Canada as National Aboriginal Day (also known as National Indigenous Peoples Day). Burns Lake area celebrates June 21st with pride, inclusion, and style!  Another experience represented during this post is a neighborhood backyard party in Prince George complete with a obstacle course driven on lawnmowers while blindfolded!

June is such a hectic time at schools as teachers work hard to complete themes and course work, assess individuals, and write report cards. In conjunction with these year end expectations, extra curricular events such as, track and field, Grade 7 graduation dinners, Kindergarten ceremonies, Art nights, Sports/Fun days, Awards ceremonies, and School Wide Field Trips are also being planned and executed.

Celebrating the transition of Grade 6 or 7 students from Elementary School to Secondary school varies at each school and geographical location in Canada. At Decker Elementary they host a pot luck dinner for students, staff, and parents followed by a volleyball game where students verse adults. It was a relaxing and fun evening. Instead of dressing up in fancy clothes many of the girls decided to make a statement and arrived in onsies!

June 21st, National Aboriginal Day, is recognized as a national statutory holiday in the North West Territories and Yukon Territory. The date was established due to the First Peoples’ spiritual connection to summer solstice. Very few Aboriginal students attended school on June 21st as most of the Lakes District families were involved in the parade and cultural activities located throughout the community.

I was grateful to assist supervising students while our school attended the parade. The Aboriginal Day Parade was lengthy and ran through downtown Burns Lake stopping all traffic from using Highway 16.  Multiple surrounding bands were proudly represented. Regale was worn and some singing and dancing occurred. Participants varied in age from toddlers to elders.

Aboriginal students graduating in Grade 12 were honored and lifestyles promoting healthy sports and activities were featured. The parade was inclusive involving local pony and cycling clubs, Fall Fair promotion and square dancers, First Responders Emergency Vehicles, B.C. Transit Bus, a 3 trailer long B.C. Logging truck, and led by a marching Royal Canadian Mounted Police (R.C.M.P.) in full red serge.

Gifts were presented to the onlookers from candy to tree samplings, red roses, packed food, and toys. The parade participants and floats were diverse, yet there was such a unified feeling of happiness, pride, and community spirit.

June 22nd brought another 2 1/2 hour drive east to the big city (nearly 80,000) of Prince George. P.G. is a popular shopping area for people from the Lakes District as it is the largest city up in the mid northern area of British Columbia.

During the drive I felt ecstatic because my husband flew up to join me for the final week of my teaching contract in Burns Lake then will assist driving the 1,000 km back home to Vancouver Island.

My brother enjoys planning backyard parties with a twist and this weekend proved no exception! My brother, Mark, had a full house in Prince George as my husband Mark and I, my mother, two of his adult children, and his grandson were all out visiting.  Add fabulous neighbors and long time friends, and this backyard party would be complete!

The two Marks invented a creative obstacle course for adults utilizing a lawnmower pulling a little cart, pylons, a basketball, basketball hoop, noodle, and a blindfold.

The children had access to a trampoline, super soaker water guns, water balloons, and an electric mini bike.

Six year old Jack idolizes NHL Hockey Player Brett Connolly and was wearing one of his number 10 Connolly jerseys at the B.B.Q. Jack’s bedroom was filled with Connolly memorabilia as he has followed Brett faithfully for most of his 6 years. I showed Jack photos of Brett in my Kindergarten and Grade 2 class. Jack and his mom have since met Brett’s parents and Jack’s room is now adorned with more precious Connolly keepsakes.

B.B.Q lunch, good conversation, sunshine, and laughter made this Backyard Fun day in Prince George complete. Thanks bro!

After a few photos of my mom, brother and I and the sweetest little girls next door, Mark and I were back on Highway 16 heading west to Lake District area.

A special treat awaited our return as I had booked 3 nights at beautiful Lakefront Hideaway Airbnb on Gerow Island, 2 minutes from Burns Lake.

Descending the stairs to our suite, warmed by the sun, admiring the rays as they glistened on the water; we felt enveloped by beauty and tranquility.

This was the perfect location to embrace the beauty of Lakes District and celebrate the final week and completion of my 7 1/2 month contract as Teacher-Librarian/Learning Commons Specialist in sd91.

The next blog post will cover our final days in beautiful Lakes District.