We have one more of our educators to introduce to you, French teacher Pam Parenty, who also looks after scholarships at SCIDES. Now that the deadline for scholarships has passed for this year, Pam had time to tell us a bit about herself.

Thanks for taking the time, Pam. Can you introduce yourself and tell us where you're from?

My name is Pam Parenty. I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Mission, BC. I live in Penticton now. 

 It's been a while since we featured our educators on the blog. We want to make sure that we introduce everyone on our amazing team, and this month our Math teacher Robert French agreed to be interviewed.

Thanks for taking the time, Robert. Can you introduce yourself and tell us where you're from?

My name is Robert French and I grew up in a small town up North. 

Our theme this month is Courage and Random Acts of Kindness, but we also want to continue introducing our new teachers to you. Welcome to SCIDES, Corey Hermiston! Let's find out more about one of the newest additions to the SCIDES team.

Thanks for taking the time, Corey. Can you introduce yourself and tell us where you're from?

My name is Corey Hermiston and I am from Kamloops, British Columbia. 

Our theme this month is Planning, but we also want to continue introducing our new teachers to you. Welcome to SCIDES, Jennifer Artibise! Let's find out more about one of the newest additions to the SCIDES team.

Thanks for taking the time, Jennifer. Can you introduce yourself and tell us where you're from?

Jennifer Artibise, and I'm from Merritt, BC!

We have a second blog post for you this month, to introduce one of our new teachers. Welcome to SCIDES, Jennifer Deo! Don't forget to also check out our monthly theme, in November it's all about Grit. Now let's jump right in and find out more about one of the newest additions to the SCIDES team.

Thanks for taking the time, Jennifer. Can you introduce yourself and tell us where you're from?

Mrs. Jennifer Deo. I grew up in Vancouver, Washington down in the states. I currently live in Kamloops.

Hard to believe the first month of the new year is already over! Time flies when you're learning online. We have one more new team member to introduce to you: Meet Lynn Aubin, and don't forget to check out our Learn & Play Winter Challenge!

1. What’s your name and where are you from? 

My name is Lynn Aubin and I was raised in Penticton and now reside in Merritt.

2. How long have you been a teacher at SCIDES? 

I am new to SCIDES this year.

Happy New Year! It's not only a new year but also a new decade and we wish you all the very best. May 2020 be a fantastic year for you. It's time for the first new staff feature of the year: Meet Brittany Lowe, and don't forget to check out our Learn & Play Winter Challenge!

1. What’s your name and where are you from? 

My name is Brittany Lowe and I am from Kamloops, BC.

2. How long have you been a teacher at SCIDES? 

This is my first year teaching at SCIDES.

We're getting close to our winter break and there is time for one more feature of our new team members before the year is over. Meet Tom Oram, and stay tuned for the Learn & Play Winter Challenge coming soon!

1. What’s your name and where are you from? 

My name is Tom Oram, and I was born and raised in Kelowna, BC.

2. How long have you been a teacher at SCIDES? 

I completed a short stint at SCIDES approximately 5 years ago, and I’ve officially been back since September 15, 2019.

Hard to believe it's already been two months since the school year started! We have several new teachers on our team, and it's time we start introducing them to you. First up - Cory Hart. 

1. What’s your name and where are you from? 

My name is Cory Hart. I was born and raised in southern Alberta before moving out to Victoria where I received my Education Degree.  I recently moved from Quesnel, where I had been teaching math and social studies for the past 19 years.

2. How long have you been a teacher at SCIDES? 

 I started at SCIDES this past August.

It's the last month before Summer Break (watch for our Reading Challenge coming your way!) and we're thrilled to talk to the final Educator of the Month for this school year, Mrs. Melissa Cadwaladr.

Mrs. Cadwaladr, thanks for taking the time! Let's get started. Where are you from?

Spring is here in the Nicola Valley and we hope you're enjoying some sunshine as well, where ever you are! We're thrilled to share our next educator of the month with you, Mrs. Kathleen Gunn.

Mrs. Gunn, thank you for taking the time. Let's get started! Where are you from?

We hope you had a fantastic Spring Break! We're thrilled to share our next educator of the month with you, Mrs. Cathy Southwell.

Mrs. Southwell, thank you for taking the time. Let's get started! Where are you from?

We're excited to share the next Educator of the Month with you - Liana Tilt. Here's how she answered our questions (hint: the best advice she ever received is priceless!)

Mrs. Tilt, we're thrilled to have you as our Educator of the Month for March. Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Liana Jule Tilt and my maiden name was Greiner but my family calls me L.J.,Geaner, or Mule. I was born in Matsqui, B.C. near Abbotsford and moved around to Loon Lake, Yarrow, and eventually to Summerland in the Okanagan where I spent most of my life.

We're excited to share the next Educator of the Month with you - Liz Moore. Here's how she answered our questions (hint: we love her wit and spirit!)

Mrs. Moore, we're thrilled to have you as our Educator of the Month for February. We look forward to finding out more about you! Please introduce yourself.

My name is Liz Moore, and I have lived in Merritt for nearly twenty years. Before that, I lived in the Eastern and Midwest United States, where I attended high school and university. However, my childhood was spent in BC, and this is where I dreamed of returning. A teaching job brought me back, and I am very glad it did. 

We're excited to share the first Educator of the Month in 2018 with you - Joan Wheeler. Here's how she answered our questions (hint: we love her approach to education!)

Mrs. Wheeler, we're thrilled to have you as educator of the month! Let's get started! Where are you from?

We're excited to share this month's Educator of the Month with you - Jenny Stirling. Here's how she answered our questions (hint: we love her insights!)

 Ms. Stirling, we're thrilled to have you as educator of the month! Let's get started! Where are you from?

We're excited to share this month's Educator of the Month with you - Sheldon Stuttard. Here's how he answered our questions (hint: we love his answers!).

Mr. Stuttard, so great to have you as educator of the month! Let's get started! Where are you from?

After introducing our new principal Mrs. Karen Goetz in last month's inaugural Educator of the Month blog post, we're thrilled to feature the next educator of the month, Mr. Gareth Tilt. He was kind enough to answer our questions, and we're excited to share his answers with you:

Mr. Tilt, let's do something easy to get started: Where are you from?

I am originally from the Kamloops area and am now a Merritt resident. 

Welcome to the new school year, welcome back to SCIDES! We look forward to helping you learn in a way that works for you and your schedule. Whether you're enrolled with us full time or part time, our team is here for you all the way. This month, we want to launch a new series on our blog, the Educator of the Month. First up is our new principal, Mrs. Karen Goetz; no better way to introduce her to you! 

Mrs. Goetz, we're glad to have you on the SCIDES team - welcome! Tell us a bit about yourself. 

"Thank you! I'm happy to be part of the team! I was born and raised in Terrace, B.C. where I still have some family. Ever since I can remember, I knew I would be a teacher. I was the first in my family to attend kindergarten (because it was a new thing back then!) and every day after school I would goad my sisters into playing “school”. When in high school, I was a member of the Future Teacher’s Club through which I got to be a student teacher, and I taught piano lessons to Pre-Kindergarten children."

That does sound like you were born to be a teacher! Tell us a bit more about your path to becoming the principal at SCIDES.

"It has been a great journey! I completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and History at the University of Victoria and then added a year to earn my teaching certificate. I began teaching in 1987 in a tiny northern B.C. town that doesn’t even exist anymore – Cassiar – then moved out of the “land of the midnight sun” in 1989 and arrived in Merritt where I started teaching English at Nicola Valley Jr. Secondary. In 1996 that school changed to become Coquihalla Middle School. Merritt Secondary School was the next move I made in 1999. Between 2002 – 2004, I completed my Master’s Degree in Education and in 2009 I became one of the vice principals at Merritt Secondary. I'm thrilled that SCIDES is the next step -  a great school with so much opportunity for students." 

It's great that you're so connected to Merritt! Will you share your favourite aspect of teaching and your favourite book with us?

My favourite aspect of teaching is pressing for critical thinking and being able to engage in those sorts of rigorous conversations with students. My favourite book is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein because of its invaluable theme of “learn from me.” I believe that we all have so much to learn from each other and learning is like healthy candy for our brains (ok that may be an oxymoron!). When we take the time to listen, think and problem solve, it’s amazing what our minds can conquer!

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a fantastic book! Now tell us, what do you enjoy doing when you are not at SCIDES?

Outside of everything education, I enjoy my family, weight lifting, travel, and shopping. My husband and I have three adult sons who are all pretty close to being established in their various career paths. I am super proud of them all.  

And finally, what's your best advice to a student who is not sure what to do after graduation?

My best advice to anyone is to get some sort of post high school training. The world opens up to those who go beyond and we discover things we never even knew existed. It’s exciting!

Thank you, Mrs. Goetz. Glad to have you on our team!

Do you have questions about how we can help you take charge of your education? Connect with us via our website, where you can also browse course and program options, and find study tips for elementary and secondary students.