Welcome to the neighbourhood
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/05/2021 (737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
It seems I’m not the only one new to the neighbourhood during this pandemic.
Sari Rosenberg became principal at Governor Semple Elementary School at the beginning of this school year, and when I asked her how she’s enjoying her first year at the school, she said she’s loving it.
On Earth Day I took the opportunity to sit down with Rosenberg to chat about the school, her thoughts on community involvement, and what it was like changing schools during a pandemic.
“It’s such an intimate community… I came from a school last year that had about 500 kids, and it was a lovely school, but even after two years I didn’t know everybody’s name.” she revealed.
“Here, after two weeks, I knew everybody’s name.”
Her passion shows in the way she speaks and works with the kids. Most afternoons at 3:30, when parents come to pick up their children, Sari can be seen out front waving goodbye, chatting with parents, and watching the children as they play their schoolyard games.
When the topic of community involvement was brought up she said “there are two scenarios.
There’s the typical scenario where we have more flexibility, and then there’s the COVID scenario that has more limitations.”
But the COVID situation hasn’t brought Sari down.
“The work I want to do is… have the whole community share their gifts with us, and we share our gifts with the community… we’re younger children here, but (we’re) instilling in them the importance of community.”
Asked about Earth Day, Rosenberg spoke about the many things going on at the school to teach about the environment, and of the Aki Centre — the Seven Oaks School Division’s land-based learning centre.
“Alexis (Nazeravich, program co-ordinator at Aki Centre) will video conference with the kids tomorrow.”
As one of three people on the school’s current community council, I asked about how the community could rally around the school.
“One of the reasons we are calling it a community council, not a parent council, is to be able to (include) other community stakeholders… They could be neighbours, they could be grandparents. All of us.”
Or they could be you.
If you want to get involved with the community council, reach out to Sari at the school. In these COVID times it’s important to lean on the resources we have right here in the community.
Steve Snyder is a community correspondent for the Seven Oaks and Luxton neighbourhoods and chair of the Seven Oaks Residents’ Association
Steve Snyder
Luxton / Seven Oaks community correspondent
Steve Snyder is a community correspondent for the Seven Oaks and Luxton neighbourhoods and chair of the Seven Oaks Residents’ Association