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The SOFI, or Statement of Financial Information, is a reporting requirement under the Financial Information Act. The report is due December 31 and must contain the district’s audited financial statements, a list of employees' remuneration and expenses (if total remuneration exceeds $75,000) and a list of payments made to suppliers (if total payments exceed $25,000) for the year ended June 30th.

One of the things I love most about this time of year is seeing the many ways we celebrate the season.  Visit any one of our schools and you’ll see snowflakes and Christmas trees and happy faces all around. If you are lucky, you might even catch sight of Santa and his elves. And it’s not just in schools and classrooms. The Abbotsford School Board Office is a veritable winter wonderland thanks to the goodwill and creative energy of our folks here. 

I spoke with an elementary student recently. He was a hockey fan and could easily recite NHL players' names. He knew their jersey numbers, the positions they played, and sometimes the number of goals and assists they scored. I suspect you might know a sports fan like this, too.

Most of us understand that time is a precious commodity. There is no going back when a moment, a week, or a year has passed. So how we spend our time ought to be a key consideration. What is more, the demands of life and career are such that it can often feel as if there is not enough time to do the things we want or need to do. Time pressure is real, and I am certainly not immune.

Many years ago, as I trained for my first marathon, one of my mentors—a seasoned runner with countless marathons behind him—shared invaluable wisdom about the importance of finishing strong. He emphasized the need to maintain enough energy to cross the finish line with a smile and a strong pace, regardless of how the race began.

I can still recall his words echoing in my mind: “Remember, it’s not about how you start the marathon; it’s about how you finish. Finish strong.”

I think it is important for a Superintendent to try and stay connected to what is happening across the district and the broader community. While there are never enough hours in the week, I do my best to make regular rounds and to take in community events. And wherever possible, I like to share the good things I see.

There are no guarantees in life, but wherever you want to go or can imagine going, education is probably the best way there. How does a child in Kindergarten one day become an architect? How does a grade nine student become an arthroscopic surgeon or an agriculturist? How does one become an electrician or a chef? You guessed it - education. This is why I often describe education as the bridge to anywhere.

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The SOFI, or Statement of Financial Information, is a reporting requirement under the Financial Information Act. The report is due December 31 and must contain the district’s audited financial statements, a list of employees’ remuneration and expenses (if total remuneration exceeds $75,000) and a list of payments made to suppliers (if total payments exceed $25,000) for the year ended June 30th.