A rookie teacher is making her mark at the school where she used to run down the hallways to keep up with her dad.
Oilfields Junior/Senior High School teacher Shealeigh Brandford was selected as the Foothills School Division’s nominee for the Edwin Parr Award, which is awarded to first year teachers for excellence in the classroom.
Oilfields just happens to be where her dad, Highwood High School principal Bryan Brandford, got his start in 1988.
“He taught at Oilfields forever and ever,” Shealeigh said. “I think it is really cool that I have a lot of parents say: ‘Hey, you are Mr. Brandford’s kid.’ It makes a rapport knowing the parents who were taught or played football for my dad… Oilfields has a special place in my heart. I had birthday parties in the gym, running in the halls as a five-year-old…”
The major influence on Shealeigh wasn’t dad or mom, Cheryl, a former counsellor at Percy Pegler School.
It was a former teacher.
“She has been wanting to be a teacher since she was in Grade 8,” dad Bryan said. “She came home from Okotoks Junior High School talking about a teacher named Rebecca Forchuk and she told me ‘she made me want to be an English teacher.’”
Shealeigh, who teaches Grade 7/8 English, Social 10 and Spanish, also credits OJHS teacher Joanne Lafferty and Foothills Comp English teacher Tim Bonner as influences in her choosing education as a career.
“Obviously there was the influence of my dad and my mom, but to be honest it was because of some of my teachers at OJ and Foothills – some of them are still there,” Shealeigh said. “I have always liked helping people and I thought I would be challenged by teaching… I am always learning and always challenging myself and that’s what I love about teaching.”
While dad, who won a pair of provincial football titles at Oilfields, has history at the school, Shealeigh is cutting her own path – but she’s not afraid to use some of dad’s skills.
“We are both very relationship based – we value relationships with students,” she said. “That was something that really inspired me to find the same relationships in kids today.”
However, she takes a different approach in the classroom.
“One thing that is different about us is I love tying in current events, popular culture and new routines in my teaching,” Shealeigh said. “I really like getting the kids up and moving and active.
“I think that’s what make me a unique first-year teacher. I am not afraid to try – and fail – at new things.”
Bryan admits his daughter has a different style than when he was at Oilfields. The multi-Vanier Cup recipient with the U of C Dinos, admits he had a bit of a marine-drill, football-coach style at Oilfields.
“When I was younger, I was highly intense and a little bit intense as far as my voice was concerned – that might have been the nature of the business back then, I am definitely better now,” Bryan said. “She is a better relationship builder than I ever was at that age. She has a great sense of humour and that relaxes kids. That is the major difference between the two of us.”
That’s not to say students can walk all over the rookie. Shealeigh made it clear right at the start of the year what her expectations were from the students.
“I was very upfront with them, so they know where the line is,” she said.
If the line is crossed, the relationship is amended by teacher and student talking things out.
Like all first-year teachers, Shealeigh was surprised at how busy the job is.
However, she still has the time for basketball, coaching flag football, FNMI club and GSA club at Oilfields.
“This is my passion,” she said. “It’s a little overwhelming, but I love my job.”
Shealeigh, a former member of the Foothills Falcons Sr. girls basketball team, coached the Grade 8 girls Drillers to an undefeated season and a league championship. A basketball league banner wouldn’t be the first Driller championship memorabilia in her homeroom.
“I have two pictures of my dad’s 1999 and 2000 football provincial championships in my room,” Shealeigh said.
When she broke the word to dad about getting the Oilfields job – Bryan didn’t even know she was being interviewed – she was wearing her dad’s old Oilfields Driller football jacket.
While dad is rightfully proud of those football titles, he gushes a bit about his daughter.
“Cheryl and I are extremely proud of her,” Bryan said.
“Really glad to have her at Oilfields and she loves it there — the first time she would have been at Oilfields she would have been about three months old.”
Shealeigh will now move onto the Zone 5 selection for the Edwin Parr award.
The recipient from there goes on to the provincial level.
