Fond Farewell, Warm Welcome
Last week Liv Poirier informed me that she is stepping back from teaching and our school to spend more time at home on her farm to hone her craft as an outdoor educator; SK and grade one were beneficiaries of this in the fall and other Oxford School students may benefit from the same in the future.
Liv joined the school in 2015, and came to imbue the values and rituals established by founder Sandra Hurley. How proud would Ms. Hurley be of the teacher that Liv Poirier has become: principled, passionate, and perceptive are some of the words that describe Liv’s classroom practice.
In the first week of school, as I began popping into classrooms, I noted the calm and collected demeanor of both Ms. Poirier and her students. “Wow”, I thought to myself, “this young woman really has her kids dialled in”. However, on a subsequent visit just a few days later, I realized I hadn’t grasped what this marvellous educator was really trying to do. Coming in from outside, Ms. Poirier sat her children down and told them their recess performance did not meet the expectations of either the school or her classroom. She asked each of them what it meant to treat one other with courtesy and kindness, and since their answers demonstrated they understood as much there was no reason not to expect the same moving ahead.
I do not know if Liv had subsequent conversations on this matter, but what I do know is that every time I’ve visited her classroom I found a warm and engaging environment, one where every child was clearly known and loved, and one where children waited their turn and listened to what their classmates had to say.
Cultivating this level of civility is an art, and art does not come easy. Not surprisingly Liv is a highly respected member of our teaching faculty, and it is not unusual for teachers several years removed from Liv’s classroom to approach her on advice about what a given student needs for their development.
As well as being passionate about teaching and the natural world, Liv believes in the dignity of all peoples, and discussed the difficulties Canada’s First Nations have faced with her students.
Thank you Liv Poirier for everything you’ve given the school: cheers and farewell in all that lies ahead.
I know faculty, parents, and students will join me in wishing a warm welcome to Sydney Brockway, B.A. (Hons), B.Ed., when she begins her Oxford School career after the Christmas break on January 4th.
Sydney grew up here in Woodstock, and after graduating from WCI, completed her undergrad in theatre at York University while simultaneously completing her teacher training in English and Drama.
Like some other Oxford School teachers, Sydney began her teaching career in England, and developed a comprehensive understanding of the British National curriculum, which included the incorporation of differentiated instruction into her lessons to meet the needs of students of all abilities. In the UK, Sydney also played a wide role in the extra-curricular life of her schools, leading several arts based clubs and finishing off as House Leader, where she was responsible for the wellbeing of children both in and outside the school.
Returning home to Woodstock, Sydney has worked in several placements in the Thames Valley District School Board as well at our own Oxford School where I discovered her in September!
Sydney also serves as Artistic Director for Stages at Theatre Woodstock where she collaborates with other management in creating a balanced season of plays and musicals for young performers, runs point for social media, is in charge of company policies and procedures, and also works as the Director for the program’s Senior Company.
All this brings a remarkably diverse skill set in the service of our students. Sydney has a background that is well beyond her years; she also is a preternaturally calm and steady presence and her references were all quick to say that she is at once unflappable as she is kind hearted and hard working.