He鈥檚 not your average teacher.
Rick Price has spent his whole life helping children learn 鈥� as a teacher for decades, then as a principal and now as Sea to Sky school board chairman.聽
And he continues to educate himself by taking on major challenges, cycling to Mexico last year and sailing to Hawaii following retirement 鈥� and, much earlier, building his own house. If life has something to teach, Price, at age 68, is still anxious to learn.
Over coffee in Brackendale, he reflected on how things have changed for teachers.
鈥淚 began teaching in 1971 and now, it鈥檚 a vastly different profession,鈥� he said.聽
His first Grade 5 class at Brackendale Elementary School had 39 students, and teaching them was, he said, 鈥渉arder than I thought it was going to be鈥� I had pictured something a little bit more idealistic.鈥�
He recalled teaching so many children as being 鈥渄aunting,鈥� but he enjoyed it and continued teaching for decades, ending his career as principal at Stawamus Elementary, which has now evolved into a centre for two experimental programs in Squamish Nation culture and project-based learning. Price is happy the building is staying open and home to the innovative programs, although he understands those who are sad about the closure of the traditional school.
Change has always been part of education, and Price has embraced the evolution of the school system.
Today, even though classes no longer have 39 students, teaching is a tough job, he said. 鈥淭he numbers have gone down鈥� but the complexity has gone up enormously. The expectations we put on teachers are significantly greater.鈥�
The integration of special needs students and the requirement for more documentation places more stress on teachers than in the 1970s. 鈥淲e still institutionalized some people with challenges in those days鈥�. That changed, in my view for the better.鈥�
This year, Price will help drive his grandchildren to Brackendale Elementary to help out 鈥� both of his daughters are now teachers too 鈥� and he said it鈥檚 nice he鈥檚 not in the front of the classroom as a teacher.
鈥淚 really enjoyed my career, but it鈥檚 a full-on stressful job, especially in September when everything is starting up.鈥�
He acknowledges the need to keep classes fluid this week until schools know exactly how many students are coming. This does place additional stress on students and teachers and upsets some parents, but schools need to ensure there are enough students in each class before the classes are finalized.
鈥淲e are funded on a per-pupil basis,鈥� said Price, who has been on the school board for 11 years, the past five as chairman. 鈥淚f you do the math, if you put less than 26 kids in that class, essentially you are not paying for the teacher, from a budgetary point of view.鈥�
聽Last year at this time, Price and three of his best friends from Squamish decided to bicycle the Pacific Coast all the way to Mexico. It wasn鈥檛 the first time the group took on a major challenge 鈥� about 15 years earlier, they had sailed to Hawaii together 鈥� but this challenge was a little more than expected. The 40-day trip included cycling near Big Sur, Calif. along a coast so steep and a coastal highway so treacherous at some points, an 18-inch swerve of the bike could have put the cyclists over a cliff.
Fortunately, everyone did come home alive, although one friend fell off his bike and broke two ribs.
鈥淚t was a frightening ride,鈥� Price said, noting at some points on the highway, there was 鈥渘o shoulder whatsoever鈥� but plenty of RVs jostling for space on the windy road.
On average, the cyclists climbed 2,000 feet a day and arrived at the campgrounds fatigued 鈥� but they had nothing else to do but enjoy a barbecue meal and a relaxing evening. Out of the four men, one always drove a vehicle with a tent trailer, so by the time they reached the day鈥檚 destination, the camp was set up, the food ready and the beer chilled.聽
They reached Mexico after viewing spectacular scenery, and Price hopes the group will be able to tackle another adventure together.聽
But for now, he鈥檚 happy to lead the school board meetings, where he feels he is making a difference as the education system rapidly evolves.
