IN SCHOOL BUDGETS, art programs are often seen as 'extras' - optional, indulgent or secondary to math and science. Yet research and history show that creative expression is central to human intelligence, problem-solving, and brain development. Limiting it is not just a cultural loss - it is a cognitive one.Creativity i...

FOR DECADES, schools have measured success in numbers: grades, standardized tests and diplomas. While these markers are useful, they are only a part of what education should be. Real-life readiness - the ability to navigate challenges, think critically and apply knowledge - is often neglected.If safety, emotional devel...

IN AN ERA DOMINATED BY keyboards, tablets and touchscreens, handwriting can seem like an optional skill. Why spend time forming letters when typing is faster, spellcheck exists, and digital tools dominate classrooms? The answer lies in the hidden power of the written word - the way handwriting shapes the brain, cogniti...

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT EDUCATION, play is often seen as an afterthought - a break between lessons, a reward for good behaviour or a luxury we can trim to fit a packed schedule. But research tells us play is far more than recreation. It is a fundamental part of learning, emotional resilience and safety.Discussions about sc...

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY, we often think of locked doors, emergency plans and supervision. But there's another kind of risk quietly shaping children's development today - the impact of screen time on their growing brains and emotional resilience.Screens are everywhere. They are in pockets, wrists, classrooms, l...

AFTER THE TRAGEDY at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, parents and teachers are asking urgent questions: How do we keep our children safe?While fear often drives the conversation toward more cameras, locks and lockdown drills, safety in schools cannot be reduced to hardware. True safety is human-centered, preventative, a...

ON THE AFTERNOON OF Feb. 10, 2026, a quiet, remote mountain town in British Columbia became the scene of one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history. At Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, at least seven people were killed in an attack that also claimed the lives of two individuals at a nearby residence - bri...

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL FALL AFTERNOON, with sunlight filtering through a stained-glass window, casting a rainbow of colors on the art-covered walls at the Art We Are Cafe. With my little pot of coffee close by, I studied the tarot cards laid out on the black tablecloth in front of me. My client, seated across from me, lean...

"THIS TIME," I said to myself as I surveyed my writing workspace, complete with coffee and power snacks. I was caffeinated and ready to work. I stared at the blank screen - so long that my eyes began to water. I chewed my cuticle with a deepening sense of doom. The screen stared back at me defiantly, daring m...