All posts by seaside

by Anne Miller | photo by Janis Jean Photography – A former colleague of mine often asked: “So, what did you learn today?” prompting me to search for an answer. That question came to mind recently when I visited the British Columbia Aviation Museum. On the surface, the museum looks like another collection of historical objects but, as I peeled back the layers, I discover it’s much, much more than that. Norman Dressler, a tour guide I met, was a co-founder of this museum and spent many years volunteering inRead More

by Jo Barnes | Photo by Amanda Cribdon Photography – When Covid arrived, many businesses were singing the blues. However, one local music school has been playing a different tune.Brentwood School of Music has been teaching music to generations of learners for over 40 years, but its ability to adapt in the face of a pandemic has enabled it to continue that success. “When Covid arrived, we had to make some shifts, but we’re doing quite well. We’ve seen an increase in the student base. People are sticking with itRead More

by Lara Gladych – It was around this time last year that we were beginning to realize that Covid lockdown was going to keep us home and very bored for longer than any of us hoped. For a good portion of us, this proved to be the perfect time to dig in to that deep cleaning we’d been meaning to get around to. A year later, we’re probably due to tackle it all over again. Something that’s a little bit different this spring is that, given the circumstances, it’s probablyRead More

by Heidi Hackman, Stelly’s Secondary School & Colleen McNamee, Parkland Secondary School | Photo by Janis Jean Photography – Long-time Seaside readers may remember the three-part series on Saanich School Districts’ reimagined carpentry program (March, May and July 2019). The STAC (Skills Training Apprenticeship Carpentry) program is still going strong with a new focus and project. Building a tiny home is very popular with a shift towards affordability, efficiency and eco-friendliness among new home buyers. The STAC students attend a five-month program, where they spend three days a week buildingRead More

by Wendy Graves – With “World Autism Awareness Day” happening on April 2, I thought I would share my thoughts on a few things everyone could try and be aware of. I’m autistic; I was diagnosed at age 27 after a lifetime of questions and struggles. What I want you to realize is that it’s time to accept and appreciate autistic people! It is 2021 and enough time has passed since the beginnings of deinstitutionalization that autistic adults, such as myself, are able to find a voice. Whether we canRead More