I would like to thank the following people for your support, assistance and guidance:
More than anyone, my wife Lori deserves heartfelt thanks. The time and energy that completing a Master's degree requires is very significant. Without Lori's unconditional support, this would not have been possible. I also dedicate my work to my boys, Connor and Jeffrey, who probably want their daddy back from in front of the computer screen.
Simply, my mom and dad made it possible for me to get where I am today. Thank you for your sacrifices and always believing in me, even when I was hard person to believe in.
Two people who deserve huge thanks are my former principals, Jerry Simonsen and Barrie Wilson.
Jerry is the greatest champion of middle school philosophy I know. He tolerated and made possible my weekly trips to Edmonton for classes. More importantly, I could always get a new perspective on my ideas by running them by him. I owe a great deal of my success to Jerry.
Barrie hired me and provided such a positive start to my career. From the outset, he helped me believe in myself. Barrie is a remarkable role model and I strive constantly to be as good a person as he is.
Thanks to Sharon Lewis, my friend and colleague for reminding me that I really should get started on my Master's degree. You inspire me to do better!
Marty Klipper, like Sharon, kept me motivated. Marty's enthusiasm for learning, love of middle schools and genuine interest in what I was doing helped me carry on.
Heartfelt thanks go to Karen Vanderwater, Vice Principal of Grandview Elementary School in Red Deer. Karen's expertise in both integration and Understanding by Design helped me "uncover" the notion of uncoverage. I truly appreciate the time and thought Karen put into reviewing this website.
I would like to thank the gentlemen in our IT department who got me started with this home page - Ron Eberts, Dave Lorenson and Jeff Murray. Out district is lucky to have people like you to help luddites like me!
Finally, I would like to thank all of my professors during my M.Ed. degree. Each of you has made a contribution to this final project because each of you challenged me and forced me to clarify my thinking. Thanks to Dr. David G. Smith, Dr. George Buck, Dr. Marg Iveson, Dr. Sally Brenton-Haden, Dr. Rosemary Foster, Dr. Nancy Melnychuk and Dr. Bill Maynes. Above all, thanks to Dr. Jim Parsons for acting as my program advisor, teacher and cheerleader through the past four years.
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