Faces of Education
Variety makes for an interesting career
When Kevin Morris moved to Powell River from the Kootenays 23 years ago, he was looking for a challenge.
"I came here to be vice principal at Max Cameron High," said Morris, who is now School District 47's district principal. After two years at Max, Morris moved to Oceanview and then to the old Brooks where he got his first principalship.
Then it was off to the newly reopened JC Hill for a year, and followed by a return to Max Cameron where he remained for the next nine years. Well, almost. "There was a six-month break in there when I was at the board office as director of instruction."
Morris spent four years at the new Brooks as principal. "That was a hectic time," he said. "We made the switch to the two-campus approach."
During that time Brooks was expanded. A new choir room was built, more classrooms added, a new kitchen installed and the Max Cameron Theatre added.
"They also did the rain screening on the outside of the building. We were in constant construction mode for most of those four years."
In the fall of 2007, Morris moved to the board office as district principal. "And I've been here for three years now."
Looking back, Morris said a physical education teacher he had in Grades 9 and 10 influenced him. "He coached school teams and I saw him at work and thought I quite like this person's work life and the young people he is involved with."
After high school, Morris went to UBC where he earned a degree in physical education and business education and later, his teacher training.
His first teaching job was in the Kootenays. "It was all I'd hoped it would be in terms of satisfaction and working with young people."
Teach he did but when the opportunity arose to become an athletic director and later a career counselor, Morris went for it. "Those experiences piqued my interest. I thought maybe there are other opportunities I'd like to pursue."
With that in mind, he began working on his Masters in educational administration at U Vic and then became vice principal of Stanley Humphries Secondary School in Castlegar.
"I was looking for other opportunities in school administration and wound up as the vice principal of Max."
Morris is happy that he moved to Powell River all those years ago. "We have always enjoyed small towns. We wanted to live in a small community and we have been very happy in Powell River. It's a great place to raise a family."
Both his son and daughter went to school from kindergarten to grade 12 in Powell River. "It was a positive experience and they even survived having their Dad as principal."
His wife Carol teaches at Grief Point Elementary. "We take advantage of weekends and school holidays to pursue our interests in the outdoors and travelling," said Morris.
The couple enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking and some sailing.
As district principal, Morris is in charge of staffing. "That dominates the latter part of the school year and into September," he said.
He's responsible for a number of Ministry of Education initiatives. The current push from the ministry is to be carbon neutral. Activities towards this goal at the school level include Destination Conservation, a program that looks at reducing energy consumption and recycling. The district also has A Sustainable Schools Committee. "It all relates to the district's interest in going green."
Another recent initiative is the district's literacy plan. "In our case and in other communities, it is a community literacy plan and the district is a member of the Powell River Literacy Council.
The government expects communities to have literacy plans and they are doing this through School Districts. "It's a combination of what is going on in the community for literacy activities and what the school district is doing."
Morris represents the district on other committees, chairing both the Health and the Nutrition committees. "One of the more recent concerns is poverty and the lack of food available for some students," he said, noting that hunger affects learning.
Every year, Morris must write the district achievement contract, which includes academic learning goals identified by each school. For instance, there's been a focus in recent years to improve the graduation completion rate.
There are also the "one of" projects that Morris gets involved in which keep him on his toes and add variety to his job. He was part of the School District and Canada Space Agency's live uplink with Canadian astronaut and former Grief Point Elementary School student Robert Thirsk. Last year, he helped with activities relating to the Olympics and the Torch Relay's visit to Powell River.
Recently, he's been working with Staples who raised $2,000 for school supplies through their corporate customer program. In addition, Telus donated 150 backpacks containing school supplies. "These items have been made available at our elementary schools and teachers quietly help those students who need them."
Morris feels satisfied when he reflects on what he has helped make happen. "I've enjoyed my work as a secondary school principal and a district administrator. In one role I've had the satisfaction of working with teachers to prepare students for life after high school. Now I support principals and District partners as they provide opportunities for students. I like variety in my work life and I've certainly had that in Powell River."
