Meet Four SD62 Women

On this International Women's Day, we decided to feature a random sampling of some of the AMAZING women we are so fortunate to have in our school district. We asked the following questions to each employee:

1. What's your job at SD62?
2. Tell us about your career journey.
3. Tell us about a time when you felt like you really made a difference in SD62.
4. What advice do you have for young women looking into future career opportunities?

Lynne-Mari - District EA Mentor

1. My job is as a District E. A. Mentor.  I work with E.A’s  and their team, helping with teaching systems  such as visual schedules, communication systems and  assist in implementing other programs set up by the student’s team.  I am an NVCI trainer, do some teaching in the E.A Program, as well as some teaching on-line within our District.
2. My career journey started when I had a son with autism.  I took the E. A. course and spent time working at Q.A. in the Early Autism Intervention  Program as well as being an on-call E.A.  I continued to take courses and received  a permanent position with S.D. 62.  I then applied for a the ASD E.A. Mentor position when it was developed.
3. It's so important for an E.A. to feel supported and have confidence as they move forward in supporting their students. In return, the families and students see the difference as their child progresses. It's amazing and inspiring to see the progressing.
4. As new E.A’s begin their careers , I would recommend they continue their learning , take as many opportunities to keep current and work with a wide variety of students to develop their experiences and skills. 

Amanda McKee - Landscape Horticulturist

1. My job is the landscape horticulturist. I maintain all the schools gardens and look after the invasive species on our site, including tree health.
2. I’ve been in my trade for 12 years. I graduated from Camosun in 2008 and stared in the private sector, working for landscape companies, nurseries, and large scale install. Also doing a lot of land management and remediation of invasive species, and planting native areas.
3. I feel like having healthy gardens and community awareness of the pride we take in our school grounds makes a great neighborhood connection. The students are so interested in the gardens and the trees that surround the properties, so keeping the grounds safe and maintained leads to learning experiences of our natural landscapes. We're really fortunate as most of our schools back on to beautiful, established forested areas and naturalized meadows.
4. My advice is to do what makes you happy. Your job should never feel like work. Plants and being outside have always been my happy place, everyday for me is exciting and I truly love my job.  Find a career that you would do as a hobby, that way you get paid to do what you love.

Danielle Huculak - Teacher

1. I am a career education and social studies teacher at Royal Bay Secondary.  Additionally, I am the career education department head and am one of the SOGI leads at Royal Bay.
2. My career as an educator began in the lower mainland where I worked as a Teacher-On-Call for three years.  I then moved to Calgary where I taught middle school for three years and then relocated to Victoria where I was hired in 2006 by the Sooke School District.  I have taught at all of our middle schools and three of our secondary schools.
3. About six years ago, I introduced the concept of a focus block to our school community.  Since then Focus blocks have been implemented in three of our high schools, giving students an opportunity to connect with in-school mentors, receive additional support and learn from community members who join us to share their experiences and knowledge during this time.  The addition of this block to our weekly schedule has helped our school to embrace mentorship, welcome community members and connect with students in more meaningful ways.   
4. My advice for young women is to embrace your authentic self and then go out and find a career that validates who you are and encourages you to grow.  I have been so lucky to have so many amazing female mentors in my life, each of whom has demonstrated to me the power of self-confidence, tenacity and authenticity. 

Laura Fulton - Principal

1. I am currently the Principal at Edward Milne Community School.
2. I have always followed what felt right, and where I could have the most significant impact. This has lead me on all sorts of incredible journeys. Each career experience, every student, parent, community member and colleague I work with, positively influences what I am able to do next. 
3. I am proud to be part of such an amazing learning community. I never feel that I alone make a difference. It is through the connections and team building with others, that we collectively have a positive impact in education and hence, broader society.
4. Learn about your strengths and passions. Follow them, build on them.