Calgary Girls’ School

Oh my god.  My heart is full to overflowing!  I just came back from Calgary Girls school and…oh my.  These girls.  This school.  Caroline Parker.  The teachers.  What a beautiful gift they gave me.  I arrived this morning still carrying my midnight worries in my pocket.  Sarah driving me in her husband’s (very clean and classy) car.  There was something about Sarah that radiated kindness and helped ease my insecurities a bit.  We arrived at a rather nondescript school, but when we walked inside… it felt like home.  It felt safe and embracive.  And the staff that I met, their eyes weren’t tired.  Disillusioned.  It’s like this group of educators decided to create a new way, a new mold within to teach, and from the amazing intelligent, curious, insightful questions the girls asked and the enthusiasm with which they participated, this group of dedicated professionals are obviously succeeding. 

And get this…I walk into the school, insecure, questioning, doubting and Caroline greets us with shining eyes and a warm smile and she tells me that ALL OF THE FIFTH GRADE GIRLS HAVE READ OR ARE READING MY BOOK!!!  They’ve read it!  Not only that…THEY LOVE IT!  (I’m smiling now at my computer screen)  And that they are very, very excited to meet me and that the fourth grade is asking to read Porcupine as well, and then on a tour of the school I met the librarian and she said that she thinks the 6th and 7th grades at their other school would enjoy it too!  We’d peek into classrooms and I’ve spent half my children’s childhoods teacher’s aiding and working in the libraries and art studios, baking cookies and I have to say, this school is something really special.  How wonderful it was to be able to talk with these girls, hear what they thought, see their affection for Jack, her life.  A zillion hands flying up.  Me wanting to answer all of them.  It was scheduled to be an hour and 15 minutes but I read and we talked and we talked and we talked and we went over the allotted time and none of us cared and finally two and a half hours later, we exited the school.  I have to say, I could have stayed there all day.  That’s how much fun I was having. 

Much love to Calgary Girl’s School.  Thank you for taking me and Jack into your hearts.

Posted by Meg Tilly on Thursday, October 11, 2007 in Chewing the Fat