This is the first time in almost two years that I’ve felt like I have the time and energy to do things that I enjoy, so after over a year since I last signed in, I’ve decided I’d like to get back into writing again, even if it’s just for myself. For all of us, there have been so many challenges and changes, yet still no end to the ever-mutating Corona Virus Pandemic.

After a long hiatus from blogging, it’s difficult to know where to begin and what to write about. Working from home didn’t last long for educators in B.C. but that certainly didn’t mean things went back to normal. We had a brief period of providing food for families and keeping the school open for a handful of students who chose to attend, before opening up at full capacity in Sept 2020 with all the usual stresses and a whole lot more rules to follow. When I look back at my previous posts from 2020, it’s clear I was already feeling burned out before becoming a school Principal during a global pandemic.

It certainly was a challenging year which was successful but left schools scrambling to find creative ways to keep students engaged and the community connected despite varying degrees of restrictions amidst ever-changing health advice. I gave notice in September to leave at the end of December 2021, after what was one of the most stressful start-ups I have ever been through. Sadly, it was already obvious that my mental health wasn’t even going to make it through to Spring break, let alone a full school year.

While it’s understandable that students were struggling to adapt to a more ‘normal’ return to school this year, after what was (for over a third of them) a year of little to no structure at home. Many of the students who were no longer used to the school environment seemed to have forgotten how to interact with their peers, have little to no respect for the adults who show up for them every day, and have parents who expect miracles from the school in the space of days and weeks, when they haven’t done any basic academics for over a year. Educators have become social workers, food distributors, student punching bags, and subject to parental gas-lighting and abuse. Very often the problems in school are reflected in whats happening outside of school at evenings and weekends and measures agreed upon for school are undermined. It’s hard to separate ourselves from the chaos and bullshit when you have to be there with a smile on your face every day and we are so accessible by email at all hours (after a full day running around in the building!). Unfortunately, this takes away from the joyful moments that intersperse the day.

I truly think about those amazing educators and school staff who are still going in every day to be present for the students. Being an educator is stressful and all-consuming at the best of times however I believe it’s even more important and difficult to maintain healthy boundaries when you are single and live alone during a pandemic, when our social lives were also put on hold. There was no longer an escape to forget about the days that make you say “What the actual Fuck?”.

Anyway, while it was a learning experience, I can safely say, I have absolutely no regrets in any of my decisions to try new positions both in and out of the education system. Since I walked away from my career in education, I may have only lost a few pounds but I feel a WHOLE LOT lighter!