Hello friends! 

It’s hard to believe that another school year is finished. What a historic year it’s been! 

We began the year going back to full time face-to-face instruction for all staff and students with a mixture of trepidation and relief at getting back to “normal” such as it was. Teachers wondered how they could create a welcoming and safe environment that would allay the fears of their students while helping them be excited about being back at school. Some of our youngest students were attending school “in person” for the first time!  Our graduating students were wondering… What will grad look like this year? 

 Through it all our members were there for our students and there for each other. Whether it was fighting for access to vaccines, demanding a mask mandate in our schools, demanding more funding through #RedforBCED actions, or learning how to teach in person again while Delta and Omicron raged through our communities. 

Highlights of the year include: 

  • Our office building was renamed the Lloyd Edwards building at an event on Saturday, April 30. It was a joyful celebration attended by the Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside, Superintendent Mark Pearmain, Deputy Superintendent Andrew Holland, MLAs Jinny Sims and Rachna Singh, Trustees Laurie Larsen, Bob Holmes, Terry Allen, Laurae McNally, BCTF president Teri Mooring and many others.  To read about the event see articles in Surrey Now-Leader and at the CBC News website. 
  • You elected me as your first South Asian STA President in January after a flurry of elections in the fall and winter. 
  • At the Retirement Dinner dance, retiring teachers danced in celebration of the end of an era.  

With the term of our current collective agreement ending on June 30, 2022, we expect that there will be lots of bargaining discussions when the new school year begins.  

On behalf of the Surrey Teachers’ Association, thank you all once again for your dedication, determination, and diligence during these unprecedented times. We hope you have a summer filled with adventures, relaxation, and precious time with your family and friends. 

See you all in September! 

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