Before racing out the doors to celebrate summer, Ucluelet Elementary School students gathered inside their gymnasium to be celebrated by their parents, teachers and supporters.
“What a wonderful year we’ve all had,” beamed the school’s principal Jen Adamson. “There’s been so many accomplishments that I’ve seen, both socially and academically, amongst all of you.”
She said self-regulation and recognizing kindness were two key areas of improvement within the school this year and congratulated her students on making valuable social strides.
“I wanted to let you know how proud I am of you that you’ve learned to be advocating for your own needs,” she said adding she enjoyed hearing students interact in the hallways. “We’re recognizing and noticing when someone is being really kind and that little tiny skill is going to take you so far.”
She cited reading comprehension as another area of impressive growth and touted the commitment of local parents as a key source of that success.
“We noticed last year that our primary students were really excelling higher than we’ve ever seen before and, this year, we decided to push the envelope even more and see just how far our students could go…In our Grade 1-2 class, we saw our students finishing a Read Well program, which they’re supposed to finish in Grade 3,” she said. “I really want to thank the parents because the Read Well program has a homework component, that you all know very well.”
Adamson is not returning to UES next year as she has accepted a position in Sooke. She said she enjoyed the ten years she spent at the school and the decision to leave was not an easy one.
UES teacher Christine Brice thanked Adamson for being a solid administrator who kept the morale amongst teachers high during tough times.
“It’s not easy being an administrator and it’s certainly not easy being an administrator over the last five years where the government and the teacher’s union have been at odds. It’s been a very difficult place to be,” Brice said.
“Removed class size and composition language [and] downloaded government costs causes school districts to make tough choices and an administrator is the public face of that change…I think Jen has done everything she can to do that with grace and dignity.”
Naomi Swann of the school’s Parent Advisory Council said students benefitted from Adamson’s consistent presence.
“Our students, staff and parents are extremely lucky to have had one [principal] for the past 10 years that consistently, all across the board, has been exactly what, I think, is ideal for a small town,” she said.
The graduating Grade 7 class’ teacher Julie Wilson said the crop of students heading to Ucluelet Secondary School next year is strong.
“Sometimes they drove me crazy, but they’re pretty great,” she laughed.
Wilson said the class’ ‘Word of the Year’ was integrity and her students exemplified it.
“It’s choosing to do the right thing even when it’s not fun, or fast or easy,” she said. “Go out there; make good choices and continue to grow.”
Speaking on behalf of her graduating class, Noah Lim thanked Wilson.
“Ms. Wilson, I don’t think there’s a single person in this huge room who doesn’t want to thank you. You were a great teacher and you didn’t put up with any nonsense or bad attitude, which is a good thing,” Lim said. “We will never forget you.”