Public Letter 2
- 1. Public Letter By Peggy Russell Past Trustee Halton District School Board October 29, 2016 You must watch this video of Mark Wickens doing a morning energizer (Looking For Dracula) with his Faculty of Education students at Brock University. Not only will you have a good giggle, but you will get a glimpse of what is yet to come for our children within Education, by using new and innovative strategies, that are individually targeted at each and every child! With Prof's like this teaching the next generation of teachers, there is great hope for our children. Tribes is a methodology used in classrooms that incorporates and encompasses a number of strategies with clear and measurable outcomes that benefit all students. The best part is that it enforces the concept/belief of INCLUSIVENESS. This is a wonderful tool for a school staff, that ensures children reach their full potential each and everyday! Mark Wickens, was a VP and Acting Principal in our system at the Halton District School Board when I was a Trustee and although his school was not within my catchment area (it was next to it); he personally brought me into the school (at my request) and allowed me the privilege of witnessing firsthand strategy sessions with staffs (all the while individuals children's information was maintained confidential from me and any potentially identifying information was also kept from me). What I witnessed as I observed (and I only observed for I think 1/2 a day) was the implementation, review and measurement of strategies, tools and systems, that allowed them to focus on individuals students needs and how to customize them to ensure that each student was able to realize their full potential and often beyond. Mark demonstrated too myself and each of his staff persons, just how they could ensure that no child was left behind and in fact they could help them not only realize their full potential, but allow them opportunities to excel, by recognizing their areas of strengths and developed focused plans that helped them to excel in those areas, as well as their areas of weakness, (as this was the point of the exercise and a Board/Provincial mandate), this is how Mark managed to help his staff not focus on teaching just to get desired results for government test scores. He managed to ingeniously figure out a way to get around what the Province was focused on, by recognizing how this system was letting our children down and he took those required tools and utilized them in more than one way. It was absolutely brilliant to watch in action. I never have had a more rewarding day in all my years as a child Advocate and School Trustee!
- 2. By doing so, children who may have been struggling in some areas (and as a result were frustrated and starting too/or were disengaging in the classroom, school, home and community environments), became re-engaged by experiencing success. Another intended benefit was that all staffs within the school environment who were working with children, also became excited about their work, and they told me so. They began to witness the children blossoming, the school environment that had historically been a challenge to operate (with many issues with children acting out in very negative ways, that impacted other children and staff, which served to discourage so many unfortunately) was no more. The staff saw first hand and told me so, the differences they were witnessing within their school environment with "all the children's" behaviours inside and outside the classroom. When you walked into this school the staff and children were all happy to be there and the parents were happy to be there as volunteers to support school based initiatives that benefited children. Before Mark arrived at this school, there were major struggles and this could be seen via student suspensions, staff sick leave, etc. Mark Wickens is one of our unsung heroes, he did and continues to do so much for so many and 1000's, upon 1000's of children via the next generation of teachers will benefit from his ingenuity and his willingness to share it with so many. On another day we will talk about Mark's work in helping too establish the Halton Special Athletes Track Meet, at the Halton District School Board and although he has long since retired from the Board, he continues to volunteer his precious time every year too make sure that the Special Athlete Track Meet at the Halton District School Board continues on! Thank-you Mark Wickens, for all you do everyday too make a difference in so many lives! Peggy Russell Trustee Halton District School Board